The Political Thread

[CalHab]

This does seem to getting traction in the polls. The Tories will be ruthless if they think Boris is now a liability with voters. The ethics, long term implications for public trust, and the rule of law are utterly unimportant to them. Keeping power is what matters.

[Tjm86]

Johnson may well finally be starting to become a liability but that still doesn't get us away from what the Tories are doing:

- criminalising protest;
- undermining international refugee support;
- breaking international law;
- selling off the NHS piecemeal;
- putting up obstacles to voting;
- restricting legal support;
- limiting judicial review ...

Then there is the small matter of who might replace him ... 8=[

[IndigoPrime]

Quite. Cut off the head and the Tories will do what they did with Johnson, claiming they're a new and different party now, rather than one that's been in power and doing increasingly shitty things since 2010.

Labour and the Lib Dems in particular (along, to a lesser degree with the Greens and Plaid) really need to get their shit together, figure out how to cooperate, and educate voters on how one "hold your nose" election could eradicate the Tories and build a system that makes it very difficult for them to ever get into power alone again.

[Tiplodocus]

Johnson may well finally be starting to become a liability but that still doesn't get us away from what the Tories are doing:

- criminalising protest;
- undermining international refugee support;
- breaking international law;
- selling off the NHS piecemeal;
- putting up obstacles to voting;
- restricting legal support;
- limiting judicial review ...

The bad news is that a lot of voters think they are in favour of those things too. At least they are until it personally impacts them.

[Tjm86]

Quite. Cut off the head and the Tories will do what they did with Johnson, ...

"Cut off the head and two more will grow in its place!  Hail Tories!!!!!!"

[Funt Solo]

I'm still amazed about the amount of doublethink and doublespeak going on at No. 10 at the moment.

If there was no party, why did that other person have to resign in floods of tears? And the press secretary that was giving a speech at the party is the one who's now managing the response by saying there wasn't one, even though he was at it, giving a speech.

Tory scum being scum is normal - I never quite grasp why people vote for them.

[Leigh S]

If only this alleged party had happened somewhere with extremely high security, ideally guarded by Police perhaps, then we might have some sort of clue as to if it happened....

They could just check whatever logs were kept of whoever went in and out of the gate and at what time, if only Downing St had such a gate, and a heavy Police presence that any visitors have to interact with.


The Police really can;t afford to investigate this, because the question that immediately arises if shown to have happened is "and what did the Police on duty do about it?"

I'm still amazed about the amount of doublethink and doublespeak going on at No. 10 at the moment.

If there was no party, why did that other person have to resign in floods of tears? And the press secretary that was giving a speech at the party is the one who's now managing the response by saying there wasn't one, even though he was at it, giving a speech.

Tory scum being scum is normal - I never quite grasp why people vote for them.

[Funt Solo]

Ah, yes - all of that. Be a bit embarrassing if the Met had to investigate themselves and maybe apologize to all the people who were charged and fined for having illegal parties. Maybe pay them back, somehow.

It makes it incredibly difficult to make the case that the government (the people whose job it is to manage the public health crisis) should be listened to, allowed powers or trusted at all for anything.

Reportage is having a field day with Tory ministers saying wonderfully Kafkaesque things like "There wasn't a party, but if there was all the rules were followed".

[Jim_Campbell]

Reportage is having a field day with Tory ministers saying wonderfully Kafkaesque things like "There wasn't a party, but if there was all the rules were followed".

And also, the utterly bizarre spectacle of a Downing St spokesperson being fired for making inappropriate jokes about a party that never happened. Apparently, we're supposed to think this closes the matter. Because it didn't happen.

So why would it matter if a No 10 representative made jokes about it...?

It's not the fact that it happened (although that's bad enough) but their self-evident bafflement that the plebs might be upset about it that makes me want to invest heavily in shares in piano wire manufacturers.

[sheridan]

Labour MP accidentally switched on the Number 10 lights an hour early

(then Johnson fails to switch them on at the appointed time)

[The Mind of Wolfie Smith]

perhaps the most appaling news of the week (barely covered by our media at all) is that our dear and right honourable friend, ms patel, has inserted a new clause into the immigration and borders bill that effectively turns 5 million british citizens into second class citizens:
if this passes, british dual nationals who were born outside the uk can be stripped of their british nationality on a basis as tiny and ridiculous as officials not being able to contact them.
my daughter is a dual national who was born outside the uk. this is an appaling desecration of her basic rights.
interestingly, boris johnson is also a dual national born outside the uk.

regardless, the darkness rises.

[sheridan]

interestingly, boris johnson is also a dual national born outside the uk.

Patel must really want the premiership...

[Proudhuff]

Quite. Cut off the head and the Tories will do what they did with Johnson, claiming they're a new and different party now, rather than one that's been in power and doing increasingly shitty things since 2010.

Missed out the 3rd biggest party in parliament...

[IndigoPrime]

What, the SNP?

[Proudhuff]