Westministenders: The Truth Isn't A Made Up Concept

[RedToothBrush]

“In a time of universal deceit, telling the truth is a revolutionary act.”

Not George Orwell but often attributed to him. But a powerful statement with resonance nonetheless

DGR this is Louise's response to anyone who isn't a Brexiteer striking again. Do you agree DC should have just apologised, Louise? Does it worry you at all that everyone backing him up in govt is now trying to gaslight the public?

Louise if it bothers you, go to the To think Dominic Cummings should go thread, where there is a response from a Tory MP, and no, he's not singing the praise of Boris Johnson and Dominic Cummings. And of course the 40 + Tory MPs who have called for his resignation are really closet lefties!

I always think it’s a good idea for people to be clear about who they are hearing from.

On a Cummings apology Poulet I think he should have appologised, unquestionably. I think he really ought to have left his job as an adviser as well. The fact is he has chosen to do neither. I don’t think that reflects well on him.

Whether he should have been sacked? This I am more conflicted about. I can see why losing a trusted adviser in a crisis situation is very undesirable.

It is also my view, however, that the way the Cummings story has been reported has very little to do with what he has actually done and rather more to do with his role as a key architect of Brexit. Were he not that, I suspect this wouldn’t have been pursued in the way it has been.

.

Louise you are entitled to your opinion. I disagree. Calderwood and Ferguson are yesterday's news because they apologised and stood down. Cummings has done neither.
Brexit has nothing to do with it.

pmk

LouiseCollins
Accurate reading of information is everything.
I asked for recipes for squirrel.
You posted a link with squirrel and roast in the title
but its vegan

The reason most of us are so incredibly angry about Brexit and Covid and Cummings and Johnson
is that
we are the people who check links
not just paste them

I think you are badly mistaken in your opinions there Louise - some leading Brexiters have been critical of Cummings and think he should go. They will have had letters from constituents who have played by the rules, and suffered extreme hardship doing so - not being able to be with loved ones who died, not able to attend funerals, not seeing grandchildren especially newborn ones - the list goes on.

I have no idea what Catherine Catherwood's politics are but she broke the lockdown rules, and resigned, admittedly after a couple of days. Similarly, I don't know what Neil Ferguson's politics are either, but he broke the rules and resigned. As far as we know, neither of them were ill with Covid. But at least one of the Cummings family was supposed to be ill, although with their ever changing stories, we don't know what to believe about their illness and yet Johnson and half his Cabinet back him to the hilt.

I sort of agree there, certainly in as far as agreeing that the fastest way to make the story go away would have been to apologise and stand down. Ferguson and Calderwood did so, as you day though I’d suggest they are far more connected to Covid advice than Cummings ever has been.

I still think he should have left his role. The calculation as I see it would be something like this... ‘is DC (with this hanging over him) better than any other person with whom he could be replaced as Special Adviser’

It seems unlikely to me that he is better (with the handicap of this) but I don’t know who the alternatives are and clearly Boris’s judgement differs from mine.

prettybird they're so sweet 😺
mockers that'll make him sit up
Peregrina some sort of crumbly biscuit that dissolves easily I'd assume.
DGR well, that's a reply and a half.

How do you work out that 'they are far more connected to Covid' when Cummings has been attending SAGE meetings? If you said 'they are considerably more knowledgeable having expertise in the health field' then I think we could agree.

Because Ferguson’s modelling underpins the lockdown decision and Calderwood as CMO for Scotland was the public face there of the medical advice, including her appearing directly in TV comms to the public.

The idea of Cummings appearing in TV adverts?.... (shudder)

I wonder who came up with the Stay At Home slogan? Who do we know that likes three word slogans?

So they are better informed - which is a better reason for keeping them on despite their breaking the rules. Cummings doesn't have any expertise and is so arrogant that he can't even be arsed to think up a proper excuse.

SpAD code of conduct assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/832599/201612_Code_of_Conduct_for_Special_Advisers.pdf

basically gives the cummings carte blanche, accountable only to the appointing minister - but Explicitly forbids filtering of information
"Review and comment on – but not suppress or supplant – advice being prepared for Ministers by civil servants."

Has anyone here got any idea why Nissan is moving from Barcelona to Sunderland?

Also look at Para 14:

14. Special advisers must not take public part in political controversy, through any form of statement whether in speeches or letters to the press, or in books, social media, articles or leaflets. They must observe discretion and express comment with moderation, avoiding personal attacks, and would not normally speak in public for their Minister or the Department.

How does that square with Monday’s presser in the No10 Rose Garden?

Anyone recognise boilerplate?

Dear xxxxxx

Thank you for your email. I would like to reassure you that I fully appreciate and understand your concerns and frustrations about the decision that Dominic Cummings took to travel to Durham.

We have all made significant sacrifices over the past months to help control the virus. As a father of two children who had to self-isolate towards the start of this crisis, I sympathise with the difficult position in which Mr Cummings found himself.

He has made it clear he was motivated by trying to protect his son and took steps to be safe. As you may have seen, Mr Cummings gave a full account of his actions in a televised Statement, where I believe he explained himself in detail. You can find this here: .

Thank you again for contacting me and do get in touch if you have anything further you would like to raise or discuss with me.

Yours sincerely,
Oliver

The Rt Hon Oliver Dowden CBE MP
Member of Parliament for Hertsmere

Oh wow, as if anyone bothering to write to their MP would have failed to notice the "interview" DC gave. They really love to stick the boot in!

www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-52829348
Found a link for Nissan

Frankie I’d go back to your MP and ask why, if Durham Police has found that Cummings’ trip to Barnard Castle could have resulted in enforcement action if police had stopped him at the time, both the Prime Minister and the Attorney General have made public statements that Cummings actions were entirely legal at all times?

I didn't explain my Nissan post very well - had a Leaver on my wall telling me they had "moved from" Barlcelona to Sunderland.Seems to me whatever May paid is still keeping us as Europe's Nissan link, for now.

Out of interest, if you live in Islington and your house has a reading room and a tapestry room, does that make you (a) metropolitan elite or (b) a man if the people?

PMK as thank you Red & all contributors.

JeSuis I saw the Nissan story, was I hate to think how much we Mrs May have spent on this. That was one hell of a bung.