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Chris Whitty for PM

(99 Posts)
GagaJo Thu 16-Dec-21 22:46:53

You can tell who the country trusts. People no longer look at Boris Johnson on TV and ask themselves why is this liar lying to me. They already know why. Boris lies because he knows no other way of interacting. Deceit is his default setting. It’s not just the past that is a foreign country; it’s also the present. Truth and Boris have never been on speaking terms. So when Chris Whitty and the prime minister hold a press conference together, there’s only one person to whom the country is listening.

www.theguardian.com/politics/2021/dec/16/boris-johnson-go-out-catch-covid-ignore-the-science-or-trust-in-chris-whitty

Calistemon Sun 19-Dec-21 19:42:19

Granless

Chris Whitty has too a miserable face for me. wink

Oh yes, he should be grinning and smirking when he delivers the facts, shouldn't he.

I can wink too.

Barmeyoldbat Sun 19-Dec-21 19:27:10

Whatever his personality or looks like doesn’t matter, so far he has appeared honest and truthful, more than can be said for our current leader.

Granless Sun 19-Dec-21 17:22:05

Chris Whitty has too a miserable face for me. wink

Calistemon Sun 19-Dec-21 12:26:12

I think it's the other way round.

I'd say he is highly intelligent, highly educated and able to use that in his chosen field.

I would put Johnson in the category of clever, remembering and using facts from a classical education but not applying his cleverness in an intelligent way.
Jokes are made about people being clever - Clever-clogs, Clever-Dick etc.

M0nica Sat 18-Dec-21 23:32:47

*Callistemon. He is a very clever man, as are most of them, but intelligence is more than just being very clever. It means understanding how people work, to have a far wider view of life than just the facts and almost by definition, any one flying high, whether in politics or heading any government department, is as clever as a cartload of monkeys, but intelligent? no.

Calistemon Sat 18-Dec-21 23:07:47

Not intelligent

??? Really?

M0nica Sat 18-Dec-21 23:04:28

He is like all the poiticians, clever but not intelligent. If he wasn't good at politicing he wouldn't be in the job he is in.

Calistemon Sat 18-Dec-21 23:00:25

No, definitely not Prime Minister material.

Too intelligent, too good, too honest.

M0nica Sat 18-Dec-21 22:57:59

'boring. bland and dull' as definitely not what makes a good leader.

I am amused by the way Chris Whitty is collecting a collection of devoted acolytes. Some of you almost sound as if you will burning candles for him soon.

Barmeyoldbat Sat 18-Dec-21 19:51:22

Well naughtynanny what I want is a leader and if he or she is boring, bland and dull then so be it. If I wanted to hear or see a clown I would go to the circus,

Whitewavemark2 Sat 18-Dec-21 19:43:12

Iam64

Oh yes indeed naughtynanny - endless possibilities to fit your category. Not Chris Whitty though - a gentle, intelligent, genuine, decent and honest man.

Here here

Iam64 Sat 18-Dec-21 19:08:23

Oh yes indeed naughtynanny - endless possibilities to fit your category. Not Chris Whitty though - a gentle, intelligent, genuine, decent and honest man.

naughtynanny Sat 18-Dec-21 18:55:57

Good grief, I can't believe I've just read Whitty for PM.
As one respected journalist put it yesterday.....

Chris Whitty, a man with the funereal demeanor of a pox doctor's clerk.

And I agree. Was there ever a more bland, emotionless, doom-laden man.

Allsorts Sat 18-Dec-21 18:49:52

Don’t wish that on him, he is a genuinely nice man.

Yammy Sat 18-Dec-21 18:47:03

Alegrias1

We don't have to envy him to wish that he was doing a better job.

Well said.

Candelle Sat 18-Dec-21 18:26:16

Agree here.

Mr Whitty or Van Damm:. principled honest people.

The only trouble is that once the political machines got going on them, they'd be mincemeat.

Jodieb Sat 18-Dec-21 16:22:23

Calendargirl

Always think Chris Witty looks like he needs looking after. I imagine him trudging home after his news conferences to a lonely bachelor flat, and boiling an egg for his supper.?

(I think he’s not married, but could be wrong. He probably has a wife and several children!)

Just looked him up. No mention of wife or children.

Joesoap Sat 18-Dec-21 15:28:44

I love and respect Chris Whitty, he is so knowledgeable and can speak in simple terms, catching the audience attention.I dont think such a sensible person would want the job of PM.I love the Deputy Medical officer John Van Tham he gets over what is to be said and people listen, well I do anyway.
I admire scientists.

Alegrias1 Sat 18-Dec-21 14:15:34

If you want a plain speaking scientist can we have Jocelyn Bell Burnell please? Or Anne Glover?

Anniel Sat 18-Dec-21 13:59:03

If you want a plain speaking scientist as PM then Jonathan Van Dam is your man. He speaks plainly and directly and is widely trusted by those of us who watch him at news conferences.

Those members whose sole take on politics is that the Conservatives are hopeless and useless should vote Labour. They are deluded if they believe the Lib Dems will win a general election. They are very good at local govt in my experience but not nationally.

Jzpap Sat 18-Dec-21 13:43:34

I’m also voting for Iam64’s Labrador.
I can’t begin to describe my utter disgust for Johnson.
Perhaps if there is anyone on here whose happy enough to admit to supporting him could explain why.

coastalgran Sat 18-Dec-21 13:36:02

I feel a bit sorry for Chris Witty. He has been catapulted into the limelight and given Rock star status in a sciencey sort of way and he looks a tad uncomfortable about it all. I have said this before two years ago only his colleagues, the people at Whitehall he advised and his family knew who he was, now the world knows who he is definitely Cool. He will inspire loads of kids to take a greater interest in science at school. Research is now a cool career choice. So there are some areas of winners in this Pandemic.

Lauren59 Sat 18-Dec-21 12:52:45

Always think Chris Witty looks like he needs looking after. I imagine him trudging home after his news conferences to a lonely bachelor flat, and boiling an egg for his supper.

I almost spit out my tea laughing as I read this. I know that wasn’t the intention, but the image of the poor man with his boiled egg was too much. grin

Mummer Sat 18-Dec-21 11:53:11

BlueBelle

Oh dear I think he’s a very clever and informative man admirable but goodness he is so dour, he never smiles, he doesnt blink either , how can you not blink, his face never changes shape, I bet he’s got no laugh lines he doesn’t inspire me apart from knowing he is totally safe hands for information
Apparently he isn’t married, has no children but he does like a drink He looks a loner but comfortably alone I wonder if he ever smiles or does anything that isn’t work
I want to take him out to a rave ?

Ha ha! I bet he'd want to take you to a Tchaikovsky concert! ?

Grandma2002 Sat 18-Dec-21 11:51:03

Have you ever listed to Johnson with your eyes shut? which I regularly do because I can't stand his "knife and fork" hair, you really cannot make sense of his words. The insincerity in what he is saying makes you realise there is no way he can carry out any of his promises. He just says what he thinks people want and which make him sound good.
I like Chris Whitty but I like him to much to put him into the current toxic Cabinet as a previous Gransnetter said he is too nice