General British politics discussion thread

O'Neill

Headshot wrote: »

The tabloids are reporting tonight that this is not the first time Cummings travelled some distances during the epidemic. Supposedly he's traveled to Durham a town 30 miles away

I feel it's a win win situation at this point, if he goes brilliant but if he remains and Tories keep defending him it will do alot of damage to them

Thing is I don't trust that lot to sack him properly. I'm sure he'll still remain in the background somehow. Remember how Priti Patel got sacked from her last role? Now look where she is! :mad:

Leroy42

Headshot wrote: »

Watching the Covid press conference and just shaking my head in disbelief that Grant Shapps defending Cummings.

The Tories are really nasty pieces of work and one rule for them and one for others.

What a horrible party tbh, right up there with the Republicans

And 44% of the UK voters recently voted for them.

Hard not to take the view that they represent what England actually is.

BonnieSituation

Enzokk wrote: »

If you needed any evidence why Brendan O'Neill should be ignored, here it is.

https://twitter.com/LeoHickman/status/1264253876087123968?s=20

So what is the difference between these 2 stories? Other than the Brexit element?

This is what happens when you let "peasant Irish stock" get ahead of themselves.

The right-wing have ALWAYS engaged in double standards. The problem is no one else ever plays them at their own game so they keep winning. It's very infuriating tbh.

This Cummings story is an example of how EXACTLY to play the game.

There were examples during the election campaign where the Tories could just keep ignoring hard questions long enough for something else to get in the way and distract the press. The thing is, this was exactly their weakness, but they had the temerity and the major press and the BBC on their side so it was fine.

This time you have an opposition made up of Sturgeon (and BBC creation Davidson is gone) and Starmer so things are different.

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Does anyone think that if Starmer was in charge that Boris would have gotten away with the fridge escape? The Andrew Neil escape? The flood mopping?

Not a chance.

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Also, while we may lament that the Scottish CMO shouldn't have resigned, the fact that she did shows that the SNP are different and regardless of talent or faith, you have to be above reproach.

Look how skillfully Sturgeon has managed to maneuver away from Salmond?

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Honestly, looking at how this Cummings story has developed it merely has shown how little there is up top with the Tories.

fash

here
It was quite interesting to see the change in the UK government response to the 2nd article after the first. Rather genius trap set by the [guardian/mirror and a "fool me once, shame on you, fool me to twice ..." Approach from government.

listermint

fash wrote: »

here
It was quite interesting to see the change in the UK government response to the 2nd article after the first. Rather genius trap set by the [guardian/mirror and a "fool me once, shame on you, fool me to twice ..." Approach from government.

Well it seems there is a third story. Even stories related to a castle visit on the day of his wife's birthday. Dom on tour hundreds of miles from home. Multiple times

BonnieSituation

listermint wrote: »

Well it seems there is a third story. Even stories related to a castle visit on the day of his wife's birthday. Dom on tour hundreds of miles from home. Multiple times

I don't even think that's the 3rd story. Well, I hope not.

Either way this stuff is golden.

fash

BonnieSituation wrote: »

I don't even think that's the 3rd story. Well, I hope not.

Either way this stuff is golden.

Was thinking about it afterwards: given the response to the second article, either the UK government is aware there is a third story - or (no doubt after interviewing Cummings) is unsure about it. More likely that there first option is correct

Headshot

BJ backing up Cummings.

Why would you harm your own party and government over the likes of Cummings

Something really dodgy here tbh

Leroy42

Headshot wrote: »

BJ backing up Cummings.

Why would you harm your own party and government over the likes of Cummings

Something really dodgy here tbh

What choice does he really have. Getting rid of Cummings would place Johnson himself in grave danger. The opposition would have managed two u-turns and the Johnsons main man in the space of a week, combined with the majority view that Starmer is having a the better of Johnson.

THis has nothing to do with whether Johnson thinks Cumings is right or wrong, it is purely politics. They will hope that this goes away when the next, inevitable, crisis happens.

Sam Russell

Leroy42 wrote: »

What choice does he really have. Getting rid of Cummings would place Johnson himself in grave danger. The opposition would have managed two u-turns and the Johnsons main man in the space of a week, combined with the majority view that Starmer is having a the better of Johnson.

THis has nothing to do with whether Johnson thinks Cumings is right or wrong, it is purely politics. They will hope that this goes away when the next, inevitable, crisis happens.

That is straight from the Trump playbook.

What happens if Cummins is the next crisis?

fash

Leroy42 wrote: »

What choice does he really have. Getting rid of Cummings would place Johnson himself in grave danger. The opposition would have managed two u-turns and the Johnsons main man in the space of a week, combined with the majority view that Starmer is having a the better of Johnson.

THis has nothing to do with whether Johnson thinks Cumings is right or wrong, it is purely politics. They will hope that this goes away when the next, inevitable, crisis happens.

Also think that Cummings is not someone you want in the outside pissing in - just imagining how big Johnson's closet of skeletons actually is would be a problem

Headshot

BJ is really a horrible orator, he really talks so much crap and when specially comes to BJ it feels like every word out of his mouth is a lie

Headshot

BJ not even giving journalist a follow up to their questions

The UK is really broken when the likes of him are in charge

Larbre34

The damage of Cummings actions is already done. He will be gone, if not tonight, then after the next Cabinet, 1922 Committee or whatever.

Johnson is a complete fool to bind himself to Cummings or he won't have the support he needs in the Party, the Commons and among Tory voters come the hard parts of Brexit before the year end.

fash

[https://twitter.com/edfordham/status/1264614402063556609?s=20

Honestly amusing

listermint

Told ya he will be slung for trip 3 on the wife's birthday.


https://twitter.com/skynewsSam/status/1264608248797241345


The conservatives will pull the plug on Johnson tbh, far too much back lash on this especially from elderly voters.

L1011

The Mail have turned on Cummings (and to a lesser extent, the entire cabinet including Johnson) which should give you an indication of which way the wind is blowing

Going to be a LOT harder to hold on now, particularly if the third accusation is in any way correction.

Tork

It depends how much dirt Cummings has on Johnson

ancapailldorcha

Mod: No more insults please.

Itssoeasy

I'm genuinely baffled why boris Johnson is sticking by Dominic Cummings. I mean for better or worse the MPs in Westminster were elected by the British people yet Dominic Cummings has never been elected to anything yet seems to dictate policy to a degree well beyond his station.

Rjd2

Itssoeasy wrote: »

I'm genuinely baffled why boris Johnson is sticking by Dominic Cummings. I mean for better or worse the MPs in Westminster were elected by the British people yet Dominic Cummings has never been elected to anything yet seems to dictate policy to a degree well beyond his station.

Driving force behind Leave and Boris landslide, I don't like him but I get why Boris is reluctant to let him go.

Roanmore

Apparently a lot of Tory MPs were told that if Boris became Leader Cummings would not be going in with him as adviser and he'd be moving on to something else so they voted for him (fools).
I'd keep an eye on Javid and Hunt, Hunt has been vocal about the Care Home situation but he may step it up this week.

Joe_ Public

Cummings had Javids spad escorted out of downing st by armed police, then forced javid himself out. Many years ago, in his first spell of power around Downing St, he had David Davis sacked from a top job. He's been guts of years accumulating enemies and if Johnson can't see that toxicity, then he's an even bigger fool than i imagined. Knowing when a guy's outlived his usefulness is the key to a long political life, Cummings should have been gone the second brexit was over the line.

Given he was health minister while ppe stocks were run down, among other crimes, Jezza has to tread a bit more warily than he'd like.

Headshot

I read Cummings is to make a statement and take questions later today

I suspect he will be very combative and be Trump-est

Hopefully the press destroy him

Roanmore

I'd say the Labour Party are secretly hoping he stays.

Itssoeasy

So he's making a statement from the garden on Downing Street ? Surely that is reserved for the prime minister or the chancellor of the exchequer who you know actual live in Downing Street. Maybe there isn't a rule against him doing this but optics wise it looks bad IMO.

Also, I hope the press do a Colin lynch against Waterford in the Munster final in 1998.

8-10

Itssoeasy wrote: »

So he's making a statement from the garden on Downing Street ? Surely that is reserved for the prime minister or the chancellor of the exchequer who you know actual live in Downing Street. Maybe there isn't a rule against him doing this but optics wise it looks bad IMO.

It's allegedly against code of conduct for a special advisor.

He's probably going to announce a charity donation or something to sweep it under the rug

More likely to walk the plank before being pushed.

ancapailldorcha

8-10 wrote: »

It's allegedly against code of conduct for a special advisor.

He's probably going to announce a charity donation or something to sweep it under the rug

I can see this being Boris Johnson's poll tax or MPs' expenses to be honest. He's elicited the same outrage from everyone from the Church of England to students to the elderly to working professionals. They're all singing from the same hymn sheet on this. The longer he stays, the worse it will be.

Larbre34

'and then, as I fell, a part of my body accidentally entered his body' oh wait....wrong excuse speech...

There really hasn't been a worse idea than Cummings doing this presser since Princess Diana went for a spin.

The only thing its useful for, is if he announces his resignation immediately, which it wouldn't take a conference to do, especially not for an unelected advisor, which is all is he is at the end of the day.

If he isn't resigning, he's explaining, which means he's losing. He won't be able to help himself from being baited either.

Get the popcorn Ginger!