Westminstenders: Magical Thinking

[RedToothBrush]

This week has seen reports of the government editing footage of Johnson to avoid embarrassing questions about the early government response.

We've been asked to accept that the rules were different to what we were told to excuse the law breaking behaviour of a senior government advisor. As Johnson said he was being a responsible father (as if Johnson knows what this is) and it wasn't as if he was visiting a lover (this Johnson would know all about). Let's be honest Johnson is the master of brazening out controversy.

We also have the ERG complaining they were lied to by Gove about the new Withdrawal Agreement and the border in the Irish Sea which surprises precisely no one else.

They appear to be a little upset by the Cummings debarkable too.

Agree re Piers. I saw that next week he is standing down, which will be a shame as he is one of the few managing to hold the govt to account fairly concisely.

Am also wondering what the Behavioural Psychologists make of Cummings; they seem to be concerned he thought only in terms of "I" rather than community. It's a clear message that he doesn't use his job for the benefit of those living here, it seems.

Is Piers going off to do something else instead, perhaps?

I think it's a great shame we don't have any real "late night" shows in the UK, that track and explain politics as part of their entertainment. (I don't count Woke Bloke Kumar, he doesn't appeal further than his circle jerk of wokesters, so is of little use.)

New in the @SavantaGroup / @SavantaComRes #covid19 daily tracker:

• Boris Johnson’s approval rating is now at -1%. It was at +19% four days ago.
• Overall government approval is now at -2%, dropping 16 points in a day.

Looks like he had a life altering experience, which might explain his change of heart? metro.co.uk/2020/05/21/piers-morgan-believes-coronavirus-crisis-has-made-better-person-syrian-nhs-cleaner-declares-proud-12735518/

I’ve just looked on Wikipedia for Trevor Kavanagh who wrote that dreadful puff piece on Cummings for the Sun that QuestionMarkNow linked to - www.thesun.co.uk/news/11706630/dominic-cummings-triumphant-critics-floundering/
He has form - Jewish, Muslim and Faith bodies complained that his previous piece “The Muslim Problem” harked back to the Nazis’ use of the phrase 'The Jewish Problem' in the last century.

In February 2017, the IPSO found that a column by Kavanagh published in The Sun about allegedly false refugee claims was factually inaccurate. The adjudication by IPSO described Kavanagh's inaccuracies as creating "a significantly misleading impression."

BREAKING: MP Douglas Ross resigns over Cummings.

Fintan O'Toole on why BJ and DC misjudged this:

"The mundane duplicity that is Cummings’ and Johnson’s stock in trade comes with a knowing smirk: you didn’t really think we meant that literally, did you? It is part of an elaborate, highly performative, game. But the rules for collective survival in a pandemic are not ironic. They are intimate. They are embodied. They are the detailed texture of the lives we live every day. Like the rule that said Catholics must not use contraceptives, they inhabit people’s most private selves. You mock those selves at your peril."
www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2020/may/26/cummings-contempt-lockdown-rules-public-catholic-church-ireland

Too slow there DGR - Scottish MP with small majority. When we see a big hitter from the South east with a stonking great majority resign, we will know that Johnson is in real trouble. There is some way to go yet.

Too slow there DGR

(slightly peeved)

Only reporting the news, not making it.

Personally, I'm a little more intrigued at the lack of comment - particularly from the more travel-minded folk - about the Greek stance of "no Brits" due to our C-19 handling.

Had missed that DGR but would like to say I predicted that several weeks ago (when it was clear we were never going to test properly)

Just checked my MP's webpage... resounding silence on DC affair. Not really a suprise as he's the one leading the charge to remove the BBC licence fee. Ergo will be in BJ's and DC's good books and unlikely to risk blotting his copybook.

Had missed that DGR but would like to say I predicted that several weeks ago (when it was clear we were never going to test properly)

Oh, I predicted it too. But it might be a nasty shock to everyone packing the suncream - especially if it's repeated across Europe ...

Coronavirus: Poorer areas miss out as £100m of emergency cash diverted to richer Tory councils with lower infection rates

Are any of these Red Wall areas?

As a result, Labour-run councils which lost big sums include Sunderland (£3m), Knowsley (£2.6m), Sheffield (£2m), Gateshead (£2m), South Tyneside (£2m) and Oldham (£1.1m).

I honestly think there must be some buyers’ remorse going in those areas. Although in December none of us could have predicted this.

www.google.co.uk/amp/s/www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/coronavirus-emergency-cash-poor-england-hotspots-conservatives-a9528371.html%3famp

I am interested to see if other countries take up the "no Brits" rule this summer, as well. For all the inevitable gnashing of teeth, it's at least a clear message to insurers - the traveller hasn't chosen to cancel, the destination has cancelled.

Another tory MP echoes Douglas Ross

William Wragg MP @William_Wragg
We cannot throw away valuable public & political good will any longer. It’s humiliating & degrading to their office to see ministers put out agreed lines in defence of an advisor. This is a time of national emergency and our focus must be unrelenting. We owe it to the nation.

I'd imagine the reciprocal quarantine measures between the UK and France will discourage many from travelling to their holiday homes, to gîtes and campsites, etc. Looks as though the French gvmt will limit overseas travel to boost domestic tourism.

On an unrelated-to-anything topic, does anyone have a clever idea for sth I could send to my DMum in hospital while she recovers? Flowers seem to be out due to lockdown and their non-essential nature...books being covered by other people.

@AuldAlliance I came on to post the same Fintan O'Toole article. I thought it was incredibly insightful and great parallel to the Catholic church, though this is happening on a far shorter timescale.

Dr Mike Galsworthy @mikegalsworthy
For me, Cummings’ sneaky blog edit, so that he could claim in the presser that he was a prophet of coronavirus in 2019, is key.

It shows he’s a compulsive liar. Just addressing questions was not enough. He needed to try a sneak another little ‘win’ in. He’s incredibly dangerous.

also

from Elinor Elliot:

Its not news that Cummings is known to have psychopathic traits.

I met Dom in 2016. Had coffee with him. I liked him personally because he’s great for intellectual conversation, ideas & energy.

But he’s very clearly power-obsessed & bends others to serve him. The worst place for him is in control of weak PM. Our checks & balaces will go.

Twitter word limit.

Of course I meant: Our checks & balaces will continue to slip as he gathers more control.

I’m not sure if this has been posted already - this newly elected - the seat went Blue when Norman Lamb stood down - MP is also unhappy:

mobile.twitter.com/duncancbaker/status/1265007992711385095

Auld - have a look at a company called flowerbx- they do amazing flowers delivered (have sent and received them over lockdown) - they may not deliver where your mum is .... but worth a look

My MP is getting rinsed locally.

A few who agree with him. Plenty who are very angry and are calling him spineless and an arselicker looking for a promotion.

AuldAlliance - some nice scented soap?

Fintan O'Toole's article hit the nail on the head - it has become personal for too many of us.

My conservative MP (historically always a small majority) is being silent on the matter. I've not yet written to him, but I will.

Just wondering if those who applied for Irish passports may be allowed in to Greece? Could this be a secret "perk" of being a Remainer? Well, if you want to be crammed onto a plane full of possibly infectious like minded travellers