Off Topic News & Current affairs

He's just releasing the stories to stop the Sue Gray enquiry ever ending.

 

Apparently some work colleagues bought the Prime Minister a birthday cake and gave it to him……and because of that thousands of people couldn’t visit their loved ones in care homes or have a knees up after a funeral and lots of business’s went bust. It probably led to hundreds of extra deaths as well and delayed the vaccine rollout for weeks or maybe even months. And all this at a time when not a single other person in the whole country broke any of the Covid restrictions.

I should imagine that the British public would not have voted for Brexit if they’d have known what would happen with the birthday cake, so let’s sack the Prime Minister and rejoin the EU at the same time. We know they’d take us back because they are our friends and were all very sad when we left.

Anyway, onto some proper news……….this will be a proper test of the British justice system…….

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-60088244

Legally there is no reason why this man should have been arrested. Of course there has to be an investigation but the facts seem pretty clear to me….The driver was acting in the defence of a girl who was about to be murdered by the evil bastard who was sitting on her and stabbing her repeatedly with a large kitchen knife and bystanders had been unable to get the knife off of him.

Anything less than this mans release within 48 hours and the CPS coming out to state that there is no evidence against him will be a failure in my opinion.

And perhaps airmiles Andy, or spoilt brat Harry or gold digger Meghan could donate their Jubilee medals to this proper hero.

 

Nasty case that one.
I heard that all the parties involved knew each other.
If true, that will complicate matters.

As for Partygate - clever move by Boris to get the Police involved.
I know it's being reported that the cops are getting involved because of evidence supplied by Sue Gray, but they would not launch an investigation if No.10 didn't want one. Cressida "nine bob note" Dick knows which side her bread is buttered.

This will probably delay the civil service report for a week or two, and we already know what the rozzers are going to say;
"move along, nothing to see here".

And that of course will take all the sting out of the report, even if it isn't a whitewash.
Boris supporters will just dismiss any embarrassing findings, and point to the fact the Old Bill found nothing wrong.

Game, set & match to No.10
Well played Boris
Is this Administration above the law?
You bet they are.

 

Don’t think there’s anything saying the car driver knew either of the others, unless someone knows differently ?

The woman had been stabbed several times in the chest before the driver ran the other male over. Don’t think she could possibly have survived that, but she was still alive so the car drivers actions are 100% justified to try to save her life in the only way possible.

It’s now being reported that once the man with the knife had been hit and was pinned under the car he was asking members of the public to help him. I know what help I would have given him had I been there.

 

All very conspiracy theory. The fact is that Sue Gray has no remit or authority to investigate criminal allegations so there is no way that she can do that. It has to be the Police that do that. Let’s wait to see what they say first. Maybe if they conclude that Boris hasn’t broken any laws then maybe he hasn’t broken any laws. It might be as simple that.

Obviously someone has broken the law amongst the civil servants, but let’s get this into perspective. Tens of thousands of ordinary people were doing the same, so please let’s not kid ourselves that everyone else was a saint and please BBC stop wheeling out Labour supporters to describe how upset they are that they couldn’t have a massive funeral for a loved one whilst Boris was having a birthday cake presented to him.

 

Nothing else for the police to do anyway.

 

To be fair they are very busy investigating all those ‘hate’ crimes

 

Not to mention the number of Met officers who face various charges of a sexual nature.
What bothers me as a Labour supporter is that Keir Starmer &co are focussing exclusively on Boris. There is a cost of living crisis, many people are facing extreme hardship, "heat or eat" is a genuine choice for a growing number of people, and will be getting worse. They should feel able to look to Labour for support, but tbh Labour and Libdem leaders look far to happy to focus on Boris's tawdry behaviour and excuses. Enjoying it just a bit too much for my liking. It's noticeable that this doesn't apply to the Scottish MP's. I hope this week's PMQ's is an improvement on last week, when there was only one question about the cost of living crisis, and Boris brushed it aside.

 

Whatever the outcome of the Police inquiry or the Civil Service report, it is clear that there is a culture of drinks parties and drinking at work in general at No.10 under this Prime Minister.

Has such a culture always existed?
Or is it a new feature since the last election.

It's pretty clear too - from that leaked video of the laughing PR guru - that there is no culture of humility or sense of service at No.10
They obviously feel themselves to be superior to the rest of us, and that they can more or less please themselves.
Preferably behind closed doors, but if they are found out it doesn't unduly bother them.

There will be no fines. No cautions.
Insufficient evidence they will say.
Then whatever Sue Gray's report says it won't matter.
Once effectively 'debunked' by the lack of police action, her report will be dismissed as a nit-picking witch hunt.

 

I suspect that this has been the culture for a long, long time. Way before Boris became PM and let’s be honest if it wasn’t for Covid it would have carried on unabated and it would never have got a mention. As I said, it’s just a witch hunt now. Let’s get back to some of the more important issues that I mention above.

 

Granted, usually nobody cares much how decadent and sleazy they are at No.10 as long as stuff gets done.

But when lock down rules were imposed on everybody else, and the Police were going round fining people for illegal gatherings, the vast majority of people who obeyed the rules in good faith had the right to expect staff in Downing Street to do the same.
But it is obvious now that No.10 considered itself above the rules.

If I had known what they were getting up to 18 months ago, I would not have bothered obeying lockdown rules and staying away from my elderly mother's house for months on end. And if nothing is eventually done about Partygate, then I'll please myself next time there is a pandemic and we get more lockdown rules.
Monkey see, monkey do.

 

Really ? So put others and yourself at risk just because some tosspot civil servants and MP’s have a drink and meetings when they shouldn’t.

Personally I’m made of sterner stuff and can work out right and wrong for myself, as can millions of others. All this “if it’s ok for them then it’s ok for me” cuts no ice with me I’m afraid.

 

Fair enough.
If you're OK with them mugging you off and laughing at you.
They fooled me once. Shame on them. But they won't fool me twice.

I'm not saying I'll go out of my way to break every rule they set. But I'll do what I think is right. And I'll never trust them again to tell me right from wrong.
There were safe ways for me to visit my old mum, like staying outside the house and keeping my distance. I would never put her in danger.
But I stayed away completely for months on end because that's what they told us to do.

And all the while they were having drinks parties, bringing in cases of booze under the noses of the Police sentries, and laughing at the millions of trusting dimwits who followed the rules like you and me.
If my old mum had passed away, and some of my family had been unable to attend her funeral, I would be boiling mad right now rather than just dog tired of their smug hypocrisy.

The only way I'll trust the authorities in future and obey lockdown rules in good faith is if those who broke the rules at No.10 and in Whitehall are held accountable and punished accordingly, as any of us would have been.
One law for everybody - including them.
But I'm pretty sure that won't happen.

 

That’s fine, but presumably if you did get what you’re asking for you’d then want the Police to retrospectively also go after everyone else who broke lockdown rules as well. There’s plenty of evidence out there of others who have broken the rules.

After all we can’t have one set of rules for one group and another for a different group can we ? Or does that only apply if there’s evidence against government figures ?

You can’t have it both ways.

 

Yes, of course the Police should go after everyone who broke the rules if the evidence is available.
Let those who have that evidence take it to the Police, the way that Sue Gray apparently has.
One law for everybody, applied without fear or favour.

But that isn't how it works.
I'm certain that if I did what Dominic Cummings did, the Police would have felt my collar and I would have been heavily fined, maybe arrested and given a criminal record.
And Boris Johnson would not have publicly defended me in person, and my right to 'follow my instincts' and drive to a beauty spot during lockdown to test my eyesight.
He can't have it both ways either.

Or perhaps he can, because of his status and the power that comes with it.
Let's see what the Police decide to do.
My faith in the equality of all people before the Law in this country now rests on their belated actions in this business.
I would love to be wrong in my cynicism.
And I'll happily apologise here to the Met (Cressida Dick) and the Civil Service (Sue Gray) for pre-judging them and questioning their integrity, if they do the right thing for justice rather than cover up the truth out of fear of having their card marked or a promise of future reward. Levers available to Boris Johnson, but not to the common people like you and me.

 

And the not very subtle award today goes to Jacob Rees-Mogg

For saying he thinks there should be a General Election if Boris Johnson is voted out as PM
Also for saying we now have a Presidential style system (like it or not) and any new Prime Minister should seek a fresh mandate.

Sorry mate.
Boris Johnson might enjoy standing at a lectern with a couple of flags behind him, but that does not make him the President.
His removal from office won't trigger a general election.
Does JRM really think back benchers will be scared off writing a no-confidence letter by this twaddle?
Pull the other one Jacob.

 

I'd go along with an MP changing party triggering a by-election. But I don't remember the UK moving to a presidential system. If anything, all the flags just raise the spectre of the Republican party yelling about patriotism while trying to undermine any investigation of the Capitol riots. If johnson finally gets slung out (and he would appear to have not the slightest sense of shame that would make him resign), the usual thing is that they vote for a new PM: I would imagine the recent silence from Rishi Sunak is to try and avoid getting sucked into Partygate and losing his big opporunity to run the country.

 

Frankly, while you compare the PM and his toadies to the worst of British behaviour during the pandemic, the majority of citizens of the UK tried their hardest to obey the rules as this was percieved as being for the common good. A lot of MP's did the same - there was the tale of the Welsh MP who had to move out of his house and live in the shed to shield his wife and mother during the pandemic, so even saying that all MP's are the same is giving the sleaze merchants an undeserved lifeline. The fact is this went on under the watch (and it seems certain given his own blundering excuses, his participation) of the Prime Minister of the UK, so to say that a lot of other people were doing the same simply puts his behavious in with the worst und most unhelpful parts of the population. Lawmakers shouldn't be law breakers. Are we supposed to accept that the PM and government are above the rules, and when they get caught, a simple pointing of the finger at Joe Bloggs in Tooting and saying 'he did it too' is acceptable. That's the level of government in the UK now? It's a witch hunt (if you fancy calling it that) because the guys is a narcissistic bungling charlatan, and having been caught over and over again, still remains in office. FFS, he had to apologise to the `palace as the Queen was obeying the law at her husbands funeral the day after one of the No. 10 parties, and sitting alone at her husbands funeral. So let's not pass off the tale of 'it's ok because other people were doing it'. That should be the point where the government loses all credibility. And the opinion polls suggest that is finally happening.

 

Broadcasters and papers are saying public interest in Partygate is huge (rightly or wrongly).

Cost of living, NHS in distress, War in Ukraine...
These are all massive stories, but they are all massively complex too, and none of them will be resolved quickly, or probably well.

Next to those, the issue of Boris & lock down parties is relatively simple, with one simple and potentially quick resolution.
And it personally resonates with many people too - people who followed rules, sometimes at great emotional cost.

The really big issues can be tackled by the next PM and his/her cabinet in the coming months & years.
Even more effectively if they behave themselves.

 

Hypocrisy, hypocrisy. The fact is that tens of thousands of people broke lockdown rules. I’m perfectly happy if people want to go after the PM and if he is discovered to have broken the rules that he should be dealt with the same as the majority of ordinary people.

But the vast majority of ordinary people who broke the rules got away with it with no sanction whatsoever. The hundred mile drives to beauty spots to take their allowed daily exercise, the raves and parties where Police were attacked and bottled when they tried to intervene, the beach parties, park parties where by simple force of numbers nothing could be done about them. The shopping trips in family groups, the deliberate refusal to where masks because of made up health problems. Only a tiny fraction of any of those examples led to people being fined or otherwise sanctioned. But there has been no cry for the Police to investigate and go after those cases retrospectively - well at least not until it’s government figures who are in the headlights.

The idea that it’s one rule for the government and one rule for anyone else is ludicrous. Well actually it’s not, but it’s the other way round from what the media are portraying. So when the Police have successfully investigated all those previous lockdown breaches by Joe Public and fined everyone involved and anyone in a privileged position is also dealt with with the same vigour then I will agree that everyone has been dealt with equally.

But that isn’t going to happen is it, because going after Joe Public retrospectively isn’t newsworthy and doesn’t fit the agenda. Whereas going after the PM is and does. So let’s see what the investigations conclude and if they say the PM did wrong then deal with him the same as the vast majority have been dealt with.

If people want him to lose his job, then fine, but how many others have lost their job because of similar breaches of the restrictions - or is it OK for him to lose his because he is different and should set an example blah blah. As I say hypocrisy, hypocrisy.

And finally be very careful what you wish for. IF the PM does lose his job then I hope people have a better leader lined up to take his place, be that another Tory or a Labour leader if they win the next election, which seems possible at this point.

But despite what the papers and BBC might have you believe, what motivates people when it comes to general election time is different to the issues that they try to push. The British Public have proved the media wrong time and time again.