General British politics discussion thread

Infini · 10-05-2020 12:08pm

Capt'n Midnight wrote: »

Except they could come here and then cross over to the UK.

More joined up thinking from the UK.

True they could right now but tbh I'd expect our own authorities to possibly impliment a similar 14 day restriction in the short term once things begin reopening.

I'm not expecting a return to buisness as usual in terms of flying, if anything the only ones I expect to be flying anywhere in the next few months are those on buisness or travelling to see relatives in other countries, not commercial tourism.

BonnieSituation · 13-05-2020 8:34pm

It seems even LauraK us turning on Boris:

https://twitter.com/bbclaurak/status/1260528529571303425

Though she seems to be just going with the blowing winds. Will be interesting to see if this becomes a pile on.

An Ciarraioch · 13-05-2020 9:17pm

Johnson now admits there will be checks on GB goods at Warrenpoint, Belfast and Larne:

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2020/may/13/brexit-will-mean-checks-on-goods-crossing-irish-sea-government-admits

Harry Palmr · 14-05-2020 1:19pm

Keir Starmer being traduced in a doctored video doing the rounds and shared by three Tory MPs.

They are running scared of him!

https://twitter.com/DylanBrownie1/status/1260873251003211776

Roanmore · 14-05-2020 3:53pm

Harry Palmr wrote: »

Keir Starmer being traduced in a doctored video doing the rounds and shared by three Tory MPs.

They are running scared of him!

https://twitter.com/DylanBrownie1/status/1260873251003211776

Just reading about that, what a disgrace. Seems to be if you throw enough mud it will stick except this time it has blown back in their face.

Dorries should resign but as somebody said, if your boss is a liar, and the Home Sec. is a liar what are you going to do only lie.

Roanmore · 17-05-2020 10:50am

Edit: Just see Joe post the same thing above.

They really are getting worried by Starmer now
https://twitter.com/Joanna__Hardy/status/1261924031097458689

Gist of the story, they’re saying he pretends to be a man of the people but owns land worth £10m.
Dig a bit deeper, he bought the land in 1996 when he was a “human rights” lawyer (inverted commas are mine), we all know how much the Mail love human rights.
He bought it for his mother so she could keep Rescue donkeys on it.
Where does the valuation come from, the land could be used to build 70 houses.
There is no planning for any housing and he is not selling the land.

This is the 3rd story in just over a week trying to smear him.

Joe_ Public · 17-05-2020 11:11am

Roanmore wrote: »

Edit: Just see Joe post the same thing above.

They really are getting worried by Starmer now
https://twitter.com/Joanna__Hardy/status/1261924031097458689

Gist of the story, they’re saying he pretends to be a man of the people but owns land worth £10m.
Dig a bit deeper, he bought the land in 1996 when he was a “human rights” lawyer (inverted commas are mine), we all know how much the Mail love human rights.
He bought it for his mother so she could keep Rescue donkeys on it.
Where does the valuation come from, the land could be used to build 70 houses.
There is no planning for any housing and he is not selling the land.

This is the 3rd story in just over a week trying to smear him.

No worries. It just shows you how desperate they are. Everybody has baggage but if this is any sign, i think they are going to struggle to land a glove on Starmer.

"Up to £10m" is my favourite bit of that story. Fifty quid is "up to" £10m.

Roanmore · 17-05-2020 11:46am

The thing about it is that Starmer comes out of it looking great.
Same with the grooming gangs story.

Joe_ Public · 17-05-2020 12:11pm

Starmer is doing well, approval rating going up. Helps him that Johnson doesnt have his braying monkeys around him in the commons to cheer and lap up his stupid jokes. But the labour leader comes across as exactly the type of guy you want around you in a crisis, precise and serious. People say he's dour but that contrast might play well long term with the clown in charge.

Sam Russell · 17-05-2020 2:24pm

Joe_ Public wrote: »

Starmer is doing well, approval rating going up. Helps him that Johnson doesnt have his braying monkeys around him in the commons to cheer and lap up his stupid jokes. But the labour leader comes across as exactly the type of guy you want around you in a crisis, precise and serious. People say he's dour but that contrast might play well long term with the clown in charge.

So one has braying donkeys in his mother's field and the other has braying monkeys at his back.

Good contrast.

Harry Palmr · 23-05-2020 9:50am

The reluctant fightback against China starts -

https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2020/may/22/boris-johnson-forced-to-reduce-huaweis-role-in-uks-5g-networks

Boris Johnson has been forced to cave into to Conservative backbench rebels opposed to the presence of Huawei in 5G networks and has drawn up plans to reduce the Chinese company’s involvement to zero by 2023.

The prime minister’s retreat is designed to stave off what could have been an embarrassing defeat when his existing proposal to reduce Huawei to a 35% market share was to be voted on in the Commons.

Although Johnson boasts an 80 strong majority, the number of Conservative MPs willing to rebel on the issue is now estimated to be 50 – enough in theory to defeat the government – as anti-Chinese sentiment hardens in the light of the coronavirus crisis.

Cookie_Monster · 23-05-2020 11:01am

Harry Palmr wrote: »

The reluctant fightback against China starts -

because the Chinese will completely forget about this when they are desperate to do a trade deal with Global Britian :rolleyes:

Harry Palmr · 23-05-2020 11:15am

This is going to become a feature of the next few years globally, a reappraisal of relations with China.

23-05-2020 12:53pm

Harry Palmr wrote: »

This is going to become a feature of the next few years globally, a reappraisal of relations with China.

True, as governments are now waking up to the fact that global interdependency is not the right direction for international trading relations to be heading.

The trading aspirations of a few wealthy merchants for their own benefit has now proven to be dangerous in respect to it making many countries vulnerable to the actions of countries like China.

Remember this is what made the British Empire so powerful in the 18th & 19th centuries, absolute control of much of the global trade.

Nody · 23-05-2020 1:00pm

Deleted User wrote: »

True, as governments are now waking up to the fact that global interdependency is not the right direction for international trading relations to be heading.

The trading aspirations of a few wealthy merchants for their own benefit has now proven to be dangerous in respect to it making many countries vulnerable to the actions of countries like China.

And when things go more local, cost more, with less features and reliability and people end up with less money in the wallet I'm sure they will all get a warm fuzzy feeling at least they bought "insert national producer" products instead. After all consumers have shown to be very conscious of their buying choices and the impact their choices have and are willing to consistently as a whole spend more money to buy local over a cheaper imported alternative while supporting the smaller independent shops, yes?

Headshot · 23-05-2020 1:06pm

Hopefully this is the end of Cummings

Nasty piece of work and have to laugh at him asking media to follow the 2meter rule outside his home where as It's fine for Cummings to travel 260 miles

Sam Russell · 23-05-2020 2:08pm

Headshot wrote: »

Hopefully this is the end of Cummings

Nasty piece of work and have to laugh at him asking media to follow the 2meter rule outside his home where as It's fine for Cummings to travel 260 miles

... and be infected with the virus - knowingly because that is why he was travelling.

Absolute hypocrite - so surprising that someone so close to the centre of power should consider themselves above the rules that they say others should follow.

Shocking.

Headshot · 23-05-2020 3:32pm

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

Headshot · 23-05-2020 3:35pm

snip. No more lol comments please.

Sam Russell · 23-05-2020 3:38pm

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

T. May described them as 'the Nasty Party' at one time - I think she was Foreign Secretary at the time and had introduce the 'hostile environment' for immigrants - and oversaw the 'Windrush Generation' scandal. (She clearly did not get irony).

Then became PM and increased the justification for that name.

Nasty indeed.

O'Neill · 23-05-2020 4:42pm

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

The Tories were always a horrible party but I think there’s something much more sinister about this current bunch.

Joe_ Public · 23-05-2020 4:51pm

Sam Russell wrote: »

T. May described them as 'the Nasty Party' at one time - I think she was Foreign Secretary at the time and had introduce the 'hostile environment' for immigrants - and oversaw the 'Windrush Generation' scandal. (She clearly did not get irony).

Then became PM and increased the justification for that name.

Nasty indeed.

Believe it or not that May "nasty party" speech was from around 20 years ago in which she also famously blasted her party peers for "demonising minorities." Amazing how many of your principles you can jettison to climb the tory greasy pole - or maybe not.

PommieBast · 23-05-2020 5:38pm

Joe_ Public wrote: »

Believe it or not that May "nasty party" speech was from around 20 years ago in which she also famously blasted her party peers for "demonising minorities."

I thought it was Edwina Currie rather than May who first used the term..

Joe_ Public · 23-05-2020 5:47pm

PommieBast wrote: »

I thought it was Edwina Currie rather than May who first used the term..

You could well be right on that, May said that was what people were beginning to call them so the phrase didnt originate with her. If i recall it right, currie was one of those she had a go at and I'm fairly certain the old battleaxe returned it with interest in that infamous book of hers a few years back.

HalloweenJack · 23-05-2020 6:13pm

I would be presently surprised to see Cummings gone. He strikes me as the type that will ride this out. I don't think he's particularly bothered about what people think of him.

There'd need to be some massive upheaval among the Tories for Johnson to force Cummings out.

Joe_ Public · 23-05-2020 6:30pm

In two minds really. The guy is clearly toxic and would be for the betterment of Britain to see the back of him. But i also think he's a liability for the tories and will do damage the longer he remains, so from that pov it's not terrible. Johnson should have jettisoned him as soon as brexit got over the line imo, but he's clearly beholden to him so can see it all ending, in the classical political sense, in tears and failure.

HalloweenJack · 23-05-2020 6:40pm

He probably has some amount of dirt on them and would be quick to use it if he felt he wasn't getting what he wanted or he was being pushed aside.

fash · 23-05-2020 7:07pm

HalloweenJack wrote: »

He probably has some amount of dirt on them and would be quick to use it if he felt he wasn't getting what he wanted or he was being pushed aside.

If he stays, it will be a Trump/impeachment or Sandy Hook/gun control issue (when following Sandy Hook America collectively decided that the murder of that many schoolchildren was a price worth paying for gun freedom, the case to ban guns was lost" - or words to that rough effect - the rule of law in the UK will have fully broken down and Johnson can literally kill someone in the street and it will be ok

Joe_ Public · 23-05-2020 7:10pm

More dirt coming out including a second trip north post recovery. He'll still brazen it out but Johnson will be under some pressure not to sack him.

Headshot · 23-05-2020 7:12pm

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

O'Neill · 23-05-2020 7:25pm

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 · 23-05-2020 10:26pm

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 · 23-05-2020 10:41pm

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.

---

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.

---

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?

---

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

fash · 24-05-2020 4:50am

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 · 24-05-2020 6:21am

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 · 24-05-2020 6:45am

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 · 24-05-2020 7:51am

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 · 24-05-2020 4:05pm

BJ backing up Cummings.

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

Something really dodgy here tbh

Leroy42 · 24-05-2020 4:14pm

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 · 24-05-2020 4:18pm

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 · 24-05-2020 4:25pm

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 · 24-05-2020 4:31pm

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 · 24-05-2020 4:35pm

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 · 24-05-2020 6:02pm

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 · 24-05-2020 6:27pm

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

Honestly amusing

listermint · 24-05-2020 7:00pm

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 · 24-05-2020 9:50pm

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 · 24-05-2020 10:50pm

It depends how much dirt Cummings has on Johnson

ancapailldorcha · 24-05-2020 11:44pm

Mod: No more insults please.

Itssoeasy · 24-05-2020 11:59pm

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.

General British politics discussion thread

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