Brexit discussion thread X (Please read OP before posting)

ambro25 · 16-09-2019 04:36PM

Adamcp898 wrote: »

Laura K's on the job.
(...)

People will think I was kidding with my post about conferencing room above, but:

https://mobile.twitter.com/MatinaStevis/status/1173616218688884736

Martina Stevis is an NYT journo.

I can vouch for the "fairness to all journos present" reason: straight out of their conflict-of-interest management handbook (for public life/public officials).

Itssoeasy · 16-09-2019 04:38PM

The brexiteer Pram is being emptied of toys on social media. The general tone is how dare the EU do this to a U.K. Prime minister ?

Rjd2 · 16-09-2019 04:39PM

irishash wrote: »

How is Laura K still the chief Political Correspondent for the BBC - I used to think Nick Robinson was bad but Laura just cant hide her true feelings for Johnson

https://twitter.com/bbclaurak/status/1173612666591633409

She is correct though.

It should have been held inside. A cheap trick and people wonder why politics is so fractured these days.

Seth Brundle · 16-09-2019 04:41PM

Tony Connelly mentioned in some tweets how the volume of cables, etc. from 140 journos would have meant that there wouldn't have been time to get everyone indoors and selecting a few from that bunch would have been unfair on the others.

Adamcp898 · 16-09-2019 04:43PM

ambro25 wrote: »

People will think I was kidding with my post about conferencing room above, but:

https://mobile.twitter.com/MatinaStevis/status/1173616218688884736

Martina Stevis is an NYT journo.

I can vouch for the "fairness to all journos present" reason: straight out of their conflict-of-interest management handbook (for public life/public officials).

Then it was simply poor planning.

But it becomes much more than that the moment Bettel decides to stop and pose pointing at an empty lectern beside him

Strange times we live in.

Imreoir2 · 16-09-2019 04:45PM

Rjd2 wrote: »

She is correct though.

It should have been held inside. A cheap trick and people wonder why politics is so fractured these days.

Lux officials claim there was no room available that was big enough for the conference, moving would require refusing access to some of the press. That is something they were not willing to do as it would not be fair.

Silent Running · 16-09-2019 04:47PM

Funny that Bettel had no problem getting his message across.

I think that the protesters would have let Boris speak, after all every time he opens his mouth....

Enzokk · 16-09-2019 04:49PM

Rjd2 wrote: »

She is correct though.

It should have been held inside. A cheap trick and people wonder why politics is so fractured these days.

Well this was linked before but it didn't appear on the thread so in case you didn't see it,

https://twitter.com/MatinaStevis/status/1173616218688884736?s=20

So there was no space and the Luxembourg official didn't want to select only a few journalists to ask questions.

I think though that Laura Kuenssberg may be too close to Johnson. There is a clip of her sitting on a bench with Johnson discussing Brexit, way before he became leader. She has made her feelings towards Corbyn clear already and the way she comes out to bat for Johnson and May, well it is not a great look for her, in my opinion.

https://twitter.com/BBCPolitics/status/1112815884085555200?s=20

That is way too cozy of a relationship for me, she is part of the story and probably not worth much as a journalist right now.

Leroy42 · 16-09-2019 04:50PM

As I read on Twitter. Johnson couldn't even renegotiate a press conference with tiny Luxembourg, but he is the man to deliver Brexit deal?

Also, isn't the Tory line that you need to threaten to walk out if you don't get your way, in order to get your way? Another time the EU didn't blink.

Going back to LauraK, she made a big deal of "whispers" and the fact that Johnson was meeting Juncker as proof something was happening. Wonder what her new line will be. It will, undoubtedly, be focused on how terribly unfair it all was but never question why, yet again, Johnson has failed to deliver anything.

Christy42 · 16-09-2019 04:51PM

Rjd2 wrote: »

She is correct though.

It should have been held inside. A cheap trick and people wonder why politics is so fractured these days.

Why? Is Boris chicken? I mean he spent several weeks calling Corbyn one and now legs it at the first sight of a few protesters?

Surely the hulk would just feed off it and get stronger as the crowd heckles him? Was that not what would happen?

Igotadose · 16-09-2019 04:53PM

Christy42 wrote: »

Why? Is Boris chicken? I mean he spent several weeks calling Corbyn one and now legs it at the first sight of a few protesters?

Surely the hulk would just feed off it and get stronger as the crowd heckles him? Was that not what would happen?

It might've made him angry. We wouldn't like him, if he's angry....

This seems like a Trumpian made-for-distraction moment. He hadn't agreed to f-all in his meeting with Juncker et al, had nothing new to say, and conveniently used the protesters as an excuse to duck the media for a few more hours. He'll be back at it tomorrow.

Imagine, harkens himself back to Churchill and is such a wimp.

Enzokk · 16-09-2019 04:53PM

Also, Johnson was never going to get a warm welcome from the Luxembourg PM now was he,

Boris Johnson's sexist and homophobic articles about 'hot totty' and 'tank-topped bumboys' revealed

In recent years Johnson has become an advocate of gay rights and led the Pride parade as London mayor. However, these were not attitudes that he displayed while a journalist. Writing in the Spectator in 2000, Johnson attacked what he called "Labour's appalling agenda, encouraging the teaching of homosexuality in schools, and all the rest of it."
In his 2001 book "Friends, Voters, Countrymen," Johnson compared gay marriage to bestiality, writing that "If gay marriage was OK - and I was uncertain on the issue - then I saw no reason in principle why a union should not be consecrated between three men, as well as two men, or indeed three men and a dog."

There was more casual homophobia as well. In a 1998 Telegraph column about Peter Mandelson's resignation from the Labour government, Johnson said the announcement would lead to the blubbing of "tank-topped bumboys" in "the Ministry of Sound" nightclub, and "the soft-lit Soho drinking clubs frequented by Mandy and his pals."

He added that Mandelson's departure would cause the "lipstick" to come away from Blair's government.

If he only had the decency to apologize for this and other comments that caused offence, then he would have an easier time. But he doubles down which makes you think he doesn't want to say sorry at all for his views.

lawred2 · 16-09-2019 04:54PM

Rjd2 wrote: »

She is correct though.

It should have been held inside. A cheap trick and people wonder why politics is so fractured these days.

A cheap trick?

The press conference was scheduled to be held outside. It's not like it was moved outside at the last instant.

Seth Brundle · 16-09-2019 04:57PM

Rjd2 wrote: »

She is correct though.

It should have been held inside. A cheap trick and people wonder why politics is so fractured these days.

Boris was happy to walk outside in front of the press and protesters - he obviously made the decision not to participate in the press conference at the last moment.
What was he expecting his host to do? Cancel it?
If Boris hasn't the courage to stand up and defend the position he is putting his country in, then maybe he shouldn't be in that position!

Professor Moriarty · 16-09-2019 04:58PM

lawred2 wrote: »

A cheap trick?

The press conference was scheduled to be held outside. It's not like it was moved outside at the last instant.

You've got it all wrong. The Express knows what's really happening. Here's their main headline:

Boris Johnson victim of deliberate plot by Luxembourg to humiliate PM at Brexit meeting

Rjd2 · 16-09-2019 04:58PM

Christy42 wrote: »

Why? Is Boris chicken? I mean he spent several weeks calling Corbyn one and now legs it at the first sight of a few protesters?

Surely the hulk would just feed off it and get stronger as the crowd heckles him? Was that not what would happen?

I have said numerous times here Boris and brexit is not very good.

Boris was outmaneuvered, but alas it was still a cheap PR trick aimed at stoking tensions.

Rjd2 · 16-09-2019 05:00PM

Seth Brundle wrote: »

Boris was happy to walk outside in front of the press and protesters - he obviously made the decision not to participate in the press conference at the last moment.
What was he expecting his host to do? Cancel it?
If Boris hasn't the courage to stand up and defend the position he is putting his country in, then maybe he shouldn't be in that position!

What would be the point of a conference when everything you say would be drowned out by protesters?

It should have been inside.

Zubeneschamali · 16-09-2019 05:01PM

Professor Moriarty wrote: »

The Express knows what's really happening. Here's their main headline:

Boris Johnson victim of deliberate plot by Luxembourg to humiliate PM at Brexit meeting

The story begins: Luxembourg humiliated Boris Johnson by forcing him to cancel his press conference with the country’s prime minister, a number 10 source has revealed.

KildareP · 16-09-2019 05:02PM

Rjd2 wrote: »

What would be the point of a conference when everything you say would be drowned out by protesters?

It should have been inside.

If every press conference you show up at is marred by very vocal protestors, you really need to start asking why that is, rather than questioning the choice of venue/setting.

Imreoir2 · 16-09-2019 05:04PM

Igotadose wrote: »

It might've made him angry. We wouldn't like him, if he's angry....

This seems like a Trumpian made-for-distraction moment. He hadn't agreed to f-all in his meeting with Juncker et al, had nothing new to say, and conveniently used the protesters as an excuse to duck the media for a few more hours. He'll be back at it tomorrow.

Imagine, harkens himself back to Churchill and is such a wimp.

I think if there was a purpose to backing out of the press conference, distraction was the primary reason, now the public and the media can focus on his absence, or how insulting the PM of Luxemborg is (depending on your leaning) and will ignore that Johnson had nothing to say and nothing to show for his trip.

lawred2 · 16-09-2019 05:04PM

KildareP wrote: »

If every press conference you show up at is marred by very vocal protestors, you really need to start asking why that is, rather than questioning the choice of venue/setting.

no no you've got it wrong - protesters are the problem and they should be silenced

Zubeneschamali · 16-09-2019 05:08PM

Imreoir2 wrote: »

ignore that Johnson had nothing to say and nothing to show for his trip.

If Boris had been at the lectern, he would have had to stand and grin while Bettel gave him both barrels, just like in Dublin.

Better to duck out, blame the protestors, and give UK media an excuse to ignore what Bettel said.

trellheim · 16-09-2019 05:11PM

Lads - every senior politician is used to rowdy scenes when speaking, UK PMs in particular have to sit through Prime Ministers question which is more circus scenes than anything. They've got the professional armour to deal with this and are paid to do so. There's worse audiences out there.

LeinsterDub · 16-09-2019 05:13PM

Note how everyone is now discussing the no show at the presser instead of the actual the outcome of that meeting which was a car crash for BoJo

Strazdas · 16-09-2019 05:20PM

Itssoeasy wrote: »

The brexiteer Pram is being emptied of toys on social media. The general tone is how dare the EU do this to a U.K. Prime minister ?

Good.....'they don't like it up 'em' as Corporal Jones would say.

Joe_ Public · 16-09-2019 05:23PM

Professor Moriarty wrote: »

You've got it all wrong. The Express knows what's really happening. Here's their main headline:

Boris Johnson victim of deliberate plot by Luxembourg to humiliate PM at Brexit meeting

The Express is just so preposterously biased, even hardened brexiteers must be ashamed by it. There'll be a story later with a headline saying the Lux prime minister slammed for his treatment of Boris Johnson and its source will be a couple of angry tweets from some twitter no marks with 50 followers between them!

J Mysterio · 16-09-2019 05:23PM

So strange that swathes of society in the UK seem to think their leader beyond any sort of reproach. Criticise us under threat of war!

What do they bloody expect? UK have been a joke shope for years at this point. They are being told the unvarnished truth here by Bettel.

Normal diplomacy under normal circumstances is quite different. Everyone is very polite and they all smile and go about their ways. But this is not normal circumstances. The UK is leaving the political, economic and social union of Europe and the European nations. And they are doing it in a massively ham-fisted way, speaking out of both sides of their mouth and allowing the discourse in the country to run contrary to fact and decency (encouraging it even). If this offends the UK and it's populace, tough sh1t, get used to it. If you behave like a sullen child, you will have to be treated like one i'm afraid.

toleratethis · 16-09-2019 05:23PM

Wasn't Boris heckled at an outdoor speech in London a couple of weeks ago. Who ordered that "dirty trick"? Lizzy maybe... The list of embaressments for British PM's of late is long, the location of the press conference is a non event.

briany · 16-09-2019 05:24PM

trellheim wrote: »

Lads - every senior politician is used to rowdy scenes when speaking, UK PMs in particular have to sit through Prime Ministers question which is more circus scenes than anything.

Yeah, but that's playing at home. Johnson didn't want to play away.

J Mysterio · 16-09-2019 05:28PM

Professor Moriarty wrote: »

You've got it all wrong. The Express knows what's really happening. Here's their main headline:

Boris Johnson victim of deliberate plot by Luxembourg to humiliate PM at Brexit meeting

Not sure if you've made this up or not, but it's fully believable.

Brexit discussion thread X (Please read OP before posting)

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