Boris Johnson never called to account for his constant lies

[dadshere]

Interesting video calling BJ out on some of his lies:
twitter.com/PeterStefanovi2/status/1410709231209271297?s=20

Yet, he is still massively popular? I cannot fathom how anyone with either an IQ above 50 or a conscience could not detest this PoS.

It's infuriating. It's like a mass sickness.

I won't watch the video because it will make my blood boil. He lies as easily as he breathes. Didn't DC say he re-writes history in his head and actually believes what he is saying

He has made lying a non issue when it is huge. It is as if he has made lying acceptable. He has made a mug of us all. Watching him is like watching the Emperors new clothes and some one soon needs to shout out from the crowd and tell him he is naked.

It's not just Johnson. We've become accustomed to politicians lying. They all do it all the time, so it doesn't really register anymore. There are no consequences.

It's a post truth world.

Lying, cheating, breaking parliamentary rules, the list is endless but he's untouchable.

Either that or the more scary alternative is that most of the public couldn't give a shit what he does, if he sacrificed a child in broad daylight, his supporters would say
"yeah but he got Brexit done didn't he?"

Boris and a lot of the previous prime ministers went to Eton where they all studied Rhetoric. I’m not an academic or an expert in this, I only know that because we learned it on a course I did last year. I’m just saying that if they and all their equals are learning how to do this in school then the rest of the country are at a disadvantage.

Politicians have to spin and rewrite things all the time to keep their jobs.

Rishi Sunak is just as bad, if not worse, and because he threw loads of money at some people, he's even more popular than Boris. (Though it worked for Gordon Brown, so Sunak is probably just copying him!).

@3luckystars

Boris and a lot of the previous prime ministers went to Eton where they all studied Rhetoric. I’m not an academic or an expert in this, I only know that because we learned it on a course I did last year. I’m just saying that if they and all their equals are learning how to do this in school then the rest of the country are at a disadvantage.

Politicians have to spin and rewrite things all the time to keep their jobs.

Yes, it's because they are the elite and the rules don't apply to them. Really depressing.

@3luckystars

Boris and a lot of the previous prime ministers went to Eton where they all studied Rhetoric. I’m not an academic or an expert in this, I only know that because we learned it on a course I did last year. I’m just saying that if they and all their equals are learning how to do this in school then the rest of the country are at a disadvantage.

Politicians have to spin and rewrite things all the time to keep their jobs.

Most people study rhetoric and persuasive language in some form or other at school. It is not the preserve of Etonians.

People are not disadvantaged because they cannot see through the lies - they see through the deception perfectly well.

They are (IMO) disadvantaged because for some reason they have chosen to go with the man who says Brexit is good (even though he didn't really want it - he only chose the anti -EU angle because it would trigger his trajectory towards PMship. Up until a couple of days before his announcement he'd been fervently pro-EU. How funny is that?).

People also like the fact that he is racist and makes nasty comments about Muslims and women. They liked that in Trump as well. It legitimises our own bias and spite.

There is so much corruption and nepotism / cronyism in this government that frankly if there was a violent uprising and the houses of Parliament were razed to the ground I'd see it as progress.

@malteasergeezer

There is so much corruption and nepotism / cronyism in this government that frankly if there was a violent uprising and the houses of Parliament were razed to the ground I'd see it as progress.

They are (IMO) disadvantaged because for some reason they have chosen to go with the man who says Brexit is good (even though he didn't really want it - he only chose the anti -EU angle because it would trigger his trajectory towards PMship. Up until a couple of days before his announcement he'd been fervently pro-EU. How funny is that?). People also like the fact that he is racist and makes nasty comments about Muslims and women. They liked that in Trump as well. It legitimises our own bias and spite.

I am dreading England winning the Euros because the Xenophobia and jingoism is going to be off the charts

The fact that labour are unable to mount an opposition to one of the worst governments we have ever inflicted upon ourselves, shows how poor the state of politics is.

But short of revolution (and we all know how those turn out!) what are the options?

Decent politicians with integrity are rarer than unicorn shit.

@malteasergeezer

There is so much corruption and nepotism / cronyism in this government that frankly if there was a violent uprising and the houses of Parliament were razed to the ground I'd see it as progress.

There's been corruption and nepotism/cronyism in every government for decades.

if there was a violent uprising and the houses of Parliament were razed to the ground I'd see it as progress.

The only thing that stops me wanting to help with the razing to the ground of the current politicians, is that history demonstrated over and over again that ever replaces them will be (or is) equally corrupt or the same people turn up again at the top.

I used to have no patience with my great aunt who would say 'it's a fallen world' but now I completely agree.

What is to be done, I have no idea.

I used to have no patience with my great aunt who would say 'it's a fallen world' but now I completely agree.

Same here. It means we're getting old. Oh heck 🤣

Never seen an honest politician. Is this a thing?

@FinallyHere

if there was a violent uprising and the houses of Parliament were razed to the ground I'd see it as progress.

The only thing that stops me wanting to help with the razing to the ground of the current politicians, is that history demonstrated over and over again that ever replaces them will be (or is) equally corrupt or the same people turn up again at the top.

I used to have no patience with my great aunt who would say 'it's a fallen world' but now I completely agree.

What is to be done, I have no idea.

I agree. There's something about "democracy" that attracts the wrong type of person, whether it's national, regional or local government.

There's nepotism, fraud and incompetence at all levels, from all parties (and independents), right down to Parish council level. At least at the local level, they can't do "that much" harm, other than cream off money for themselves and their cronies.

I've no idea what the answer is. For a start, I think we need regulatory bodies with more power/teeth to investigate and prosecute (but we have to ensure they're not managed by the cronies!). If there was more chance of the wrongdoers being caught and fined/imprisoned, things may improve over a decade or two!

Yeah, I don't think anyone goes into politics wanting to make the world a better place...or if they do they don't stand a chance or soon change. It's all about the power.

@Worldgonecrazy

The fact that labour are unable to mount an opposition to one of the worst governments we have ever inflicted upon ourselves, shows how poor the state of politics is.

But short of revolution (and we all know how those turn out!) what are the options?

Decent politicians with integrity are rarer than unicorn shit.

I agree, there seems to be no gutsy opposition at all. It is inexplicable.

This claim right here is one of the problems. They don't all do it all of the time. Can you tell me some of Jeremy Corbyn's lies? Or Zarah Sultana's? Or, for that matter (just for balance) Vince Cable's?

It appears strange that the Tories make so little effort to even appear honest and truthful, but when you look at the bigger picture it actually makes sense. The rational response would be to conclude that the Tories are utterly corrupt and need to be replaced in government, but most people are not very rational, are highly suggestible to the media and are drawn to simple extreme answers, often involving a kind of nihilistic giving up that absolves one of having to keep thinking or trying.

So what they conclude instead is that "they're all the same" (ie, ALL politicians, not just the ones actually lying), and therefore they should either give up on politics altogether and not bother voting, or vote purely cynically in terms of narrow self interest. This actually benefits the Tories because it makes people tend toward small government, laissez-faire policies (ie, Tory ones). If politicians of all stripes can't be trusted, the obvious answer is to elect the ones who will at least stay out of the way and impose on your life the least, right?

It's win win (for the Tories, that is). They get to do whatever the amoral f* they like AND have it blamed on everyone collectively, in a way that makes them come out looking like the best option.

I'd love to be a Martian observing the British public.

Sorry quote didn't work. I mean this claim:

It's not just Johnson. We've become accustomed to politicians lying. They all do it all the time, so it doesn't really register anymore. There are no consequences.

I still remember the Nolan Principles coming out, it's over 25 years on as I know they are still meant to apply, I think it is important that the public know they are what is expected.

www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-7-principles-of-public-life/the-7-principles-of-public-life--2

@chickenyhead

Never seen an honest politician. Is this a thing?

Suggest you Google Keir Starmer.

There are plenty of honest politicians. On the left as well as Corbyn people like Dennis Skinner, Ian Lavery, Jon Trickett. But also some others - Vince Cable as I said and even some Tories like Kenneth Clarke or John Bercow (ex-Tory now, but precisely because it wasn't possible for him to remain one while also remaining honest).

I wouldn't personally include Keir Starmer after he ran for the Labour leadership as the "non-factional" candidate promising unity, then once in place put the anti-socialist witchhunt into overdrive. But the idea that "they're all the same" is a defeatist, unrealistic and harmful trope.

It's a tough job and even someone with the best of intentions and absolute personal integrity will end up having to make compromises to get anything done. The whole point and structure of the system is to place constraints on people's ideas and intentions by rubbing them up against their opposites.