Christmas party at Downing Street last year

The effect of this government can be seen in the latest Yougov poll. 63% of voters now nave no trust in politicians to work in the national interest, while only 5% agree that they work for the public good.

This is a disaster for democracy as it attacks the very basis of what we should be voting for.

Of course, the lies and evasions have the underlying purpose of increasing distrust in 'any' statements, true or not. This could well be deliberate so as to obscure the true purpose of those running the government (who certainly *aren't Johnson and his cabinet of incompetents).

MaizieD

The effect of this government can be seen in the latest Yougov poll. 63% of voters now nave no trust in politicians to work in the national interest, while only 5% agree that they work for the public good.

This is a disaster for democracy as it attacks the very basis of what we should be voting for.

Of course, the lies and evasions have the underlying purpose of increasing distrust in 'any' statements, true or not. This could well be deliberate so as to obscure the true purpose of those running the government (who certainly *aren't Johnson and his cabinet of incompetents).

... I think the backers and donors will be looking quite closely at Johnson's performance.

They do not want the Tory party to lose credibility with the electorate and if they decide he's a liability, he won't last much longer.

It depends if the public are mistrustful of the Tories, or all politicians - and I wonder if quite a few are in the latter category.

Personally, I believe that Johnson's reign has it's own in-built destruction because (again, my opinion) his personal ambition has over-ridden consideration about what is best for the country and his criteria appears to be based on what he considers best to maintain his popularity. Every time I watch him talking-the-talk and making those upbeat pronouncements about 'global Britain' and 'levelling up', etc, I'm left with the impression that he's just an actor reciting his lines and doesn't really believe any of it.

Considering he was once pro-Europe and thought our problems in the UK were home-made, and - allegedly - had two speeches in his pocket on Referendum night, is it any wonder that people don't take him seriously. I did not like Margaret Thatcher, but one thing you can say is that she passionately believed her ideology, it was her creed, and I don't think she courted popularity at the price of sacrificing what she believed in.

Someone said of Johnson that he waits to see which way the crowd is running and then jumps in front and says "follow me". That sort of sums him up.

?

“To anyone scoffing that ‘nobody cares’ about govt having parties while the rest of us were in lockdown, unable to be together under threat of punishment…
The govt thanks you for smashing up your own moral compass and self-respect in order to help them hold us all in contempt”.

?

“To anyone scoffing that ‘nobody cares’ about govt having parties while the rest of us were in lockdown, unable to be together under threat of punishment…
The govt thanks you for smashing up your own moral compass and self-respect in order to help them hold us all in contempt”.

It depends if the public are mistrustful of the Tories, or all politicians - and I wonder if quite a few are in the latter category

That's the bit that worries me, Dickens. The yougov question appeared to be about politicians in general, not this government specifically. If people have lost trust and are unable to tell truth from lies then it doesn't look good for the future of democracy. Good governance has to be based on trust in the integrity of the government and voters' consent. If voters lose the ability to make sound judgements or disbelieve everything they're told, how can we go forward?

I thoungh the poll was specifically about Johnson and co?

I think miss adventure is right.

Whitewavemark2

?

“To anyone scoffing that ‘nobody cares’ about govt having parties while the rest of us were in lockdown, unable to be together under threat of punishment…
The govt thanks you for smashing up your own moral compass and self-respect in order to help them hold us all in contempt”.

... and if it's true, as reported in the media (one never quite knows) that the grandmother of Arthur Labinjo-Hughes was threatened with arrest if she visited him again at his home - for breaking Covid rules... it does leave a sour taste that people are so ready to defend those in government who broke the same rules just because it happened last Christmas, and not yesterday.

"Move on", "get over it", "nobody cares", "there are more important things going on at the moment". Yeah, who cares if a government who appear to be considering further restrictive measures for us all to abide by, play by different rules when it suits.

"Move on", "get over it", "nobody cares", "there are more important things going on at the moment".

What are the 'more important things going on at the moment'?

A government holding itself to be above the law is 'not important'?

And people scoff when it's pointed out that the UK is well on the way to becoming a dictatorship. That's what dictators DO. They put themselves above the law...

I can only hope that when push comes to shove, there are sufficient concerned UK citizens willing to put themselves a above laws, such as the repressive policing proposed in the anti demonstrations bill currently passing through parliament, in order to defend our democracy.

‘What are the more important things going on at the moment’ Maizie? Well for starters there’s poor little Arthur who is to be discussed in Parliament; asylum seekers drowning in the Channel; protecting the nation from covid; making inroads into the shocking NHS waiting lists…

Germanshepherdsmum

‘What are the more important things going on at the moment’ Maizie? Well for starters there’s poor little Arthur who is to be discussed in Parliament; asylum seekers drowning in the Channel; protecting the nation from covid; making inroads into the shocking NHS waiting lists…

All that lot is more important than attacks on the Rule of Law?

And you claim to be a lawyer?

Germanshepherdsmum

‘What are the more important things going on at the moment’ Maizie? Well for starters there’s poor little Arthur who is to be discussed in Parliament; asylum seekers drowning in the Channel; protecting the nation from covid; making inroads into the shocking NHS waiting lists…

Maybe if the govt concentrated on what they are supposed to be doing they could sort some of that out. They spend so much time doing PR to cover themselves I'm surprised they have time for anything else.

Not having parties during lockdown would certainly help protect the nation from covid and therefore the NHS waiting lists.

I don’t suppose the government (ie Conservative MPs) does the PR tww. It’s the job of the admin staff.

Honestly, really, GSM, I can see that you were a lawyer.

I'm not sure that the PR people would appreciate being called "admin staff" either.

They are on TV every day doing a PR spin, there was an event but it followed the rules, if there was an event, I've asked about the event and no rules broken but I don't know if there was an event.

Round and round it goes, I'm surprised they aren't giddy.

This one won't go away. Too many people have had their lives turned upside down in the past 18 months, not just 'little things' like cancelled holidays, cancelled Christmas, but big things which can never be 'done later' such as spending time with family members before they died, saying goodbye to elderly parents by i=pad because you are following the rules set by the government. The sneering disregard for the electorate is staggering, but still people will excuse them.

I will ask again - who was there? Possibly not the people who made the covid regs? Might have been those admin staff Alegrias, who are not members of the government.

No Maizie, I can’t claim to be a lawyer now that I have retired. Criminal offence. Can only say I’m a retired one. I suggested a few ‘more important’ matters. Do you need an exhaustive list? Did I claim that my suggestions constituted an exhaustive list, set out in order of priority?

Germanshepherdsmum

I will ask again - who was there? Possibly not the people who made the covid regs? Might have been those admin staff Alegrias, who are not members of the government.

PR people are not admin staff. You said they were.

Not that there is anything wrong with being admin staff.

But PR people are not admin staff.

It depends if they are employed, in which case they are admin staff just as HR staff or accounting staff are, or external consultants.

Germanshepherdsmum

I will ask again - who was there? Possibly not the people who made the covid regs? Might have been those admin staff Alegrias, who are not members of the government.

possibly the same 'admin staff' who have been snorting cocaine?

With all due respect to professional admin people, you don't call HR or PR people admin staff. Although I suppose its better than calling them the hired help.

How long have you been retired? The HR team where I worked would have been having a word with you about that kind of attitude.

The HR people in my firms were part of the admin staff, which also encompassed managerial, accounting, clerical and secretarial staff.

Well that's nice.

Not where I worked. Anywhere. For the last 40 years.

We had partners, legally qualified employees and admin staff. No-one was unhappy with those categories.