22nd March, the Commons Privileges Comittee investigation into Partygate

[DuncinToffee]

Live on BBC Parliament 2-6pm

Some background information

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-62009458

https://news.sky.com/story/partygate-inquiry-everything-you-need-to-know-about-the-investigation-into-boris-johnson-12805474

https://www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/explainer/privileges-committee-investigation-boris-johnson

Politics and parliament will be dragged further down if he is not suspended, preferably long enough to force the recall process.

If he told me that it would be sunny tomorrow I would take an umbrella with me.

Johnson is just setting his own test but it shouldn't matter. He no longer looks credible. He was, however bizarre it seems, actually responsible.

His defence is that basically, he had no duty onto enquire and he had no responsibility. And so he cannot have intended in any way to mislead. But that means at a minimum he was reckless according to this Committee

Yes. By failing to ask experts he behaved recklessly.

This is very interesting line of questioning.

He is clearly showing he has no back bone.
In the press he is full of "kangaroo court "
But now in front of them, he is "I respect you"

Dick

My understanding of Boris is the brain is not the part of his anataomy he most regularly engages.

'This is very interesting line of questioning.

He is clearly showing he has no back bone.
In the press he is full of "kangaroo court "
But now in front of them, he is "I respect you"

Dick'

Absolutely. He's a cowardly, cheap, spineless sack of shit

Do I understand correctly that we are back to it was essential for Big Dog dick to have a birthday party for work purposes and so it was allowed?

The test looks like, did the Prime Minister make a reasonable enquiry at any stage? No, only a brief question of which there is no direct evidence. He claims to have done. His own advisers were doubtful.

But this was enough to make binding assurances to Parliament that he did not correct at a time when that correction would have mattered most. Instead, he failed to act in accordance with the common principles of public life of which integrity is one, and acted persistently in his own interest and allowed for a long period the perception that there had been no social event that either engaged with the criminal law or the guidance.

I'd say he should be toast or any Prime Minister in the future of whatever stripe can say literally anything in the Commons

Whoever said upthread about him getting off sets a precedence is scarily very accurate.

If no PM need to be accountable for what happens in Downing street where does that actually leave us?

No accountability
No integrity.

How long before people start falling out of windows on masse?

We've always been a country proud of its democracy and hailed it as one of our successes as a culture.

But now we are heading to dangerous ground where our leader (and/or future leaders) can do as they please - not be accountable - and that will lead to autocracy.

That's not a country that will run well. Look at the autocratic countries around the world with leaders who can and will do as they please unquestioned.

When I read that Johnson says " Johnson says they didn't touch each other's pens."
Why does my brain keep inserting an extra i in the last word. Horrible.

Your understanding is correct

Not just birthdays. Leaving dos and thanking staff was also essential. Apparently zoom or n email was not good enough. Face to face, with a glass of booze was absolutely essential for work purposes.

He such a shit. Ruined so much of this country's unwritten constitution that governments ever after will be completely unaccountable.

That is his real legacy.

It is the British custom, jgw. No-one can leave a job without the involvement of booze.

Have I got this right?

He says the guidance was not followed at all times, but when he said it was, he said so because he believed it was.

AND he says

He says the guidance was followed at all times.

Booze is important because it is a sanitiser and therefore prevents the spread of nasty viruses.

Yes.

That's what he said

Crawl, crawl "what was in my heart and mind"...bleurgh!

Just got home and put on bbc parliament. But they are talking about transport?

I think he thinks he's going to be fine. I think he thought Sir Charles Walker was onside and proving his point.

Personally it looks like they have him pinned on reckless and that will stick. I wonder if they can go with deliberate misleading. There is something there which will make Pannick worry I think

Ha, read somewhere that his new nickname is "Pannick at the Shitshow"

This is painful viewing...

And we are done.

Thank you everyone. I definitely needed you to get through that 😁

Off to watch Gwyneth Paltrow in court now.

Addicted

I'm watching bbc news.

Does he think that using the words honestly makes it true?

And telling them they have evidence against him means they can't say they do?