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I know I appear to be on my own here, but I expect BJ's resignation before Sir Graham Brady has the chance to announce the 54th letter has been received. The Six O'Clock News on the BBC three times made reference to 'Boris Johnson's false claim against Sir Kerr Starmer'. Even Peter Bonehead MP might just dimly realise the game is up for the arch chancer. Johnson will never accept, any more than the in- many - respects - similar Trump, that a majority of the people have seen through his nebulous grotesquery, but he'll depart blaming the treachery of others without conceding he did or said anything wrong!! I blame his parents.
That would be ironic. And I think it's true, Starmer's attacks are making no difference. To be honest, I think a big problem Starmer has had is that Labour have basically been regularly finding excuses to call for Boris to apologize or to resign pretty much ever since he became Tory leader (with a bit of an interlude while politics was dominated by Covid). We now have a situation where calling for him to resign does look well justified, but Labour has spoiled it because they've already cried 'wolf' so many times that there's nothing really interesting in the fact that they are doing so again. If anything, I suspect the continual calls to resign from the opposition benches tends to make Tory MPs slightly more supportive of Johnson - the rallying-round-in-the-face-of-attacks effect. If Labour had been a bit more measured in its attacks in the recent past, so that calling for Boris to resign was a bit more unusual, then their attacks might have had a bit more impact.
I agree it loses its value, but I'm not sure how else they are to behave when the PM commits acts that would force any other incumbent to resign, pretty much on a weekly basis.
I know I appear to be on my own here, but I expect BJ's resignation before Sir Graham Brady has the chance to announce the 54th letter has been received. The Six O'Clock News on the BBC three times made reference to 'Boris Johnson's false claim against Sir Kerr Starmer'. Even Peter Bonehead MP might just dimly realise the game is up for the arch chancer. Johnson will never accept, any more than the in- many - respects - similar Trump, that a majority of the people have seen through his nebulous grotesquery, but he'll depart blaming the treachery of others without conceding he did or said anything wrong!! I blame his parents.
I've been trying to understand why he wants to be PM, as he doesn't seem to be particularly enjoying it (one of the few things he has in common with the general population). I think he's like the salesman who will throw everything in to win the sale, much to the chagrin of the production department who then has to deliver it and the accountants who have to try to realise a profit. Winning is everything, and if I'm right on that it follows that he will want to be seen to go at a time of his choosing rather then being forced out by circumstance. Unfortunately his level of incompetence is such that it's unlikely he'll achieve a "high" to bow out on, so he'll cling on until he's forced out.
I suspect his ego drove him to it, backed up by his grifting instincts telling him being an ex-PM would be massively lucrative. Now, the ego that drove him into number 10 won’t allow him to leave unless it’s at a time and in a manner of his choosing
Has to be the end game now, i suspect these aides are quitting because they know it's over and they don't want to go down with the PM. It'll make getting new role with a future regime a bit easier.
That would be ironic. And I think it's true, Starmer's attacks are making no difference. To be honest, I think a big problem Starmer has had is that Labour have basically been regularly finding excuses to call for Boris to apologize or to resign pretty much ever since he became Tory leader (with a bit of an interlude while politics was dominated by Covid). We now have a situation where calling for him to resign does look well justified, but Labour has spoiled it because they've already cried 'wolf' so many times that there's nothing really interesting in the fact that they are doing so again. If anything, I suspect the continual calls to resign from the opposition benches tends to make Tory MPs slightly more supportive of Johnson - the rallying-round-in-the-face-of-attacks effect. If Labour had been a bit more measured in its attacks in the recent past, so that calling for Boris to resign was a bit more unusual, then their attacks might have had a bit more impact.
I disagree , only after partygste got , where it is now , Labour started calling for his resignation because of they did not want these calls to became meaningless .
Bojo was chosen in the Summer 2019 and within 9 months country was hit by COVID , during which Labour was mostly supportive of of Government's policies .
Tonight is another one of those times where the party whips have clearly ordered all Tory MPs to send out the same tweet in a futile attempt to diffuse the situation:
I know I appear to be on my own here, but I expect BJ's resignation before Sir Graham Brady has the chance to announce the 54th letter has been received.
Has to be the end game now, i suspect these aides are quitting because they know it's over and they don't want to go down with the PM. It'll make getting new role with a future regime a bit easier.
I said and knew the letters would come in after the Gray report. It's a shame it couldn't go into greater detail, thanks to cressida DICK and co. Did you know that they have Javid's brother, Bas, investigating the Number 10 parties?
Even if he acts scrupulously professionally, it seems that someone in the Met. either isn’t thinking, just doesn’t care what things look like or is totally arrogant. The investigation needs not just to be impartial, it needs to be seen to be impartial.
Tonight is another one of those times where the party whips have clearly ordered all Tory MPs to send out the same tweet in a futile attempt to diffuse the situation:
Maybe Johnson should hire Baghdad Bob, aka Muhammad Saeed al-Sahhaf, - he can put an optimistic spin on any bad situation. According to Wikipedia, he's still kincking around at 84 years old and living in the UAE.
Tonight is another one of those times where the party whips have clearly ordered all Tory MPs to send out the same tweet in a futile attempt to diffuse the situation:
The only credibility that Johnson, with his bumbling incompetence, ever had as a viable Prime Minister was that he surrounded himself with people who were competent. From Cumming's Substack and Mirza's resignation, it is clear that it is not enough ; you have to surround yourself with them, listen and act on their advice.
In his desperation, Johnson has fallen to the level of Trump post-truth ; trying to connect Starmer with Saville. It's pathetic and even Sunak is distancing himself from that leap into the gutter.
The Tories are trying to see if they can mould Johnson into a Trump, a buffoon who can win elections but has little influence over the legislative process or governance.
I'm sure the Great British Public will fall for it ; they usually do if The Sun tells them to.
In days of old at times like these, British Prime Ministers themselves would hold votes in the Commons which were packaged as votes of confidence. If they won, everyone could move on. Now we have endless dithering from the Tories parliamentarians about whether to back him or not ; they know the right thing to do but don't want to do it for fear of the electoral consequences. Makes you wonder why Johnson himself doesn't hold such a confidence vote.
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Maybe Johnson should hire Baghdad Bob, aka Muhammad Saeed al-Sahhaf, - he can put an optimistic spin on any bad situation. According to Wikipedia, he's still kincking around at 84 years old and living in the UAE.
Does he need him ? Apparently the narrative of his handling of the pandemic is one of Johnson's strengths now and we've all forgotten about the anomalous number of fatalities amongst developed countries.
If so, Mirza and Narozanski (loyal to Mirza) will have resigned over Johnson's reluctance to row back on the 'Savile' accusations.
From Mirza's resignation letter:
"You're aware of the reason for my decision: I believe it was wrong for you to imply this week that Keir Starmer was personally responsible for allowing Jimmy Savile to escape justice.
“There was no fair or reasonable basis for that assertion. This was not the usual cut and thrust of politics; it was an inappropriate and partisan reference to a horrendous case of child sex abuse.
“You tried to clarify your position today but, despite my urging, you did not apologise for the misleading impression you gave.
So when we have ministers touring the studios claiming that the resignations show the Johnson is taking control of the situation they are talking bilge. These two left because Johnson found there was a depth you can sink to below the gutter.
The men may well have been encouraged to walk - Reynolds signed his exit warrant when he wrote the e-mail and should have been dismissed or exiled to be the administrator of the island of St Helen's.
The only credibility that Johnson, with his bumbling incompetence, ever had as a viable Prime Minister was that he surrounded himself with people who were competent. From Cumming's Substack and Mirza's resignation, it is clear that it is not enough ; you have to surround yourself with them, listen and act on their advice.
I'd agree with that for London Mayor, but less so for PM. Cummings may be very clever and good at campaigns, but as far as I can see has achieved very little in the way of delivering solutions that work and benefit the country. Which is probably also true of the rest of the government, with the exception of those parts of the Covid response that was left to the scientists (such as the vaccination programme).
Most of the competent Tories were competent enough to realise in 2019 where this was going, and either keep out of it or try to resist and got pushed out.
The men may well have been encouraged to walk - Reynolds signed his exit warrant when he wrote the e-mail and should have been dismissed or exiled to be the administrator of the island of St Helen's.
The rumour doing the rounds of pretty much all the political journalists (from all sides) seems to be that the three men were going to resign due to their involvement in partygate, but likely not till next week. This was bought forward, rapidly, after the surprise (to No 10) departure of Mirza, partly to make it look as if Boris was in charge of the situation and particularly to try and minimise the way in which she departed and the contents of her resignation letter.
Sounds fairly credible to me at least.
Problem is that if Boris wanted to be seen as a decisive and strong leader, he would have suspended the people who were named as being the party leaders pending the investigation. Letting them resign on their own terms after the report lands just makes it look like he's got zero control and zero power, regardless of how many MP's are whipped into crafting their own tweet about how strong a leader he is.
I am still awaiting hard evidence that Michael Fabricant is a real person and not just some prank from some YouTuber that has merged Boris Johnson and Tim Martin into some hybrid nutter using CGI.
I am still awaiting hard evidence that Michael Fabricant is a real person and not just some prank from some YouTuber that has merged Boris Johnson and Tim Martin into some hybrid nutter using CGI.
I am still awaiting hard evidence that Michael Fabricant is a real person and not just some prank from some YouTuber that has merged Boris Johnson and Tim Martin into some hybrid nutter using CGI.
I am still awaiting hard evidence that Michael Fabricant is a real person and not just some prank from some YouTuber that has merged Boris Johnson and Tim Martin into some hybrid nutter using CGI.
All these advisers have probably resigned now, as they know they will be exposed as having been involved in Partygate once the unredacted Sue Gray report (which 10 Downing has probably seen) is published. It will enable teflon BoJo to put the blame on them, without them having the embarrassment of a dishonourable dismissal.
I am still awaiting hard evidence that Michael Fabricant is a real person and not just some prank from some YouTuber that has merged Boris Johnson and Tim Martin into some hybrid nutter using CGI.
My abiding memory of the '92 election was my dad going to great efforts to hide from Michael Fabricant when he was canvassing in our street for (what was then) the Mid-Staffordshire seat!
FT Journalist Henry Mance has written a brutal piece about Johnson and his last days, that includes remarks like "First Fraud of the Treasury", "Department for revelling up" and forgetting "being a Heineken politician was only a metaphor":
The very fact that the Prime Minister’s official spokesman has to reassure journalists (and through them the population) that he “still has control of Downing Street” puts us in territory the writers of Yes (Prime) Minister and the Thick Of It would have dismissed as too far fetched
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