Boris v Hunt debate

I think the best debate will be tomorrow night. Boris v Hunt chaired by the robust Andrew Neil. A presenter and ex newspaper editor with gravitas who asks questions and presses for the answers!

I think he will skewer both of them plus he keeps debate on track and calls out on waffling!

Gransal, I’m sorry to hear of your situation, I’m lucky enough to not be disabled, but we never know what the future will bring. I don’t think I or anyone else could explain your situation to any politician, they live a totally different life to the rest of us I’m afraid. I’m pleased you are able to get your medications free curtesy of the NHS in Scotland, but of course in England prescribed medications are free if you’re over sixty. I do wonder how long that will last though.

Some will be Whitewave but others will think the man got just what he deserved because he didn't want Brexit. As this point, we should refer them to your "Is this the face of fascism?" thread except they will just ignore anything that does not agree with their creed.

I reckon that the majority of the Tory party are now regretting Johnson after his behaviour over our ambassador. This is no more or less than we expected.

I'm not very impressed with either of these contenders. I didn't like Gove either, but now wish that he had got through to the 'finals'. I think he may have been more suitable for PM than both of the present candidates.

Hunt seems a nice enough bloke, but he just hasn't got any 'oomph' about him. He seems an honest man, but we really needed someone who could 'pack a punch', and I doubt that he can.

As for Boris ...

Now bear with me, because this is important! Did anyone hear his comments a couple of weeks ago, when asked if he had any hobbies? It went something like this: "I get some ... ummm... wooden crates, or ... er ... boxes, and make them into ... ummm... buses. Then I ...er ... paint people in them." (No mention of modelling the people first, you'll notice.)

He was so bumbly and hesitant that I thought to myself, 'He's making this up as he goes along.'

(Ask anyone about their favourite hobby and they will rush on excitedly, giving you every detail, until they bore the pants off you!)

But listening to Boris, I thought, 'He's lying.' But in quite an inventive way, if you come to think about it. Who else do you know makes buses as a hobby? That would single him out! Whereas stamp collecting, or making model cars, would make him sound dull and ordinary. He just couldn't carry the lie off, by making it sound authentic.

And if he would lie about something so trivial, he'll lie about anything! (He might sue me for libel now - but I'd want to see all those buses he'd made, with the little painted people inside!)

So, my conclusion is that neither of the above will do us any great favours as PM.

As a Brexiteer, if I were a member of the Tory Party, I should be voting for Johnson. However, I think I'd have to vote for Jeremy Hunt, and just keep my fingers crossed!

maddyone I do know what it is like to be disabled and I live in constant fear of being called to be re-assessed for my DLA. I take 22 different medications a day and thanks to the Scottish government it does not cost me a penny. Try and explain that situation to Johnson or Hunt.

PM of course.....

But do any of us know paddyann what it’s like to be in someone else’s shoes? I don’t know what it is like to be dirt poor, or disabled, anymore than I know what it’s like to be the queen, or Boris Johnson. And they don’t know what it’s like to be me. We have compassion and some politicians have compassion (although Philip Hammond’s joke about the 27 pence makes me think he certainly does not have compassion.) However someone has to lead the Conservative party, and the two up for grabs are Boris Johnson and Jeremy Hunt. That’s it! Love them or hate them, Eton educated or not, bland or otherwise, one of them will be MP very soon. We can discuss them till the cows come home, but unless you’re a paid up member of the Conservative party you have absolutely no say over who it will be. I hope it will be Boris.

I dont think going to a school like Eton automatically qualifies you to be PM or anything else for thet matter.Maybe if tehse eegits had a more normal upbringing they would be able to understand what life is REALLY like for the millions living in dire circumstances through THEIR policies .As itt is they have no understanding or compassion for folk and only cater to their own sort ..or the people who will bung them wads of cash for titles etc.Politics at Westminster stinks ...it that simple and that true .Its not going to be better if either of these emty headed clowns get in so buckle up ..you're in for a bumpy ride!!

JenniferEccles Surely not all Comps are rough? Some are excellent and some (heaven forbid!) even manage to get some pupils into Oxbridge.

Although why only Oxbridge is mentioned. What about the other Russell Group universities? Surely they deserve a mention occasionally.

PeonyRose I quite like cold sausages ?

Of course it's inverted snobbery.

I am sick and tired of hearing derogatory comments about politicians who had a good education.

So what if it deemed elitist ? Do we really want our Prime Minister to be the product of a rough Comprehensive school?

Back to the debate. I wish I had more faith in Jeremy Hunt as he does come across as a decent person, but there is something a bit too bland about him I feel.

There is one very important point to consider other than just who would deliver Brexit (important though that is), and that is who out of the two would be best placed to keep Corbyn out of no. 10 in the future. I feel that person is Boris.

I agree that times are a-changing (slowly) for some of our most prestigious places of learning. We need top schools for top scholars. Why disadvantage the bright and the poor but bright?

There are many state schools failing to give students a decent education. Grade inflation is rife - boxes get ticked if kids pass exams or reach certain levels. The system stinks.

If I had lots of money I'd have no qualms about sending my children to the best school in the neighbourhood. Yes, money gives them an unfair advantage but hasn't it always been so? Would you happily send your children to a failing comprehensive just because it's there? Some people have no choice - but given the choice, wouldn't we always do what is best for our children?

I had to send my children to the local comp. Fortunately the outstanding one was in our catchment area and they all did well and three went on to good Universities. A neighbour paid for her children to be educated privately from the age of four and although they went into the sixth form their poorer A level grades didn't open doors to the top Unis for them.

All comprehensives should be outstanding comprehensives, but they aren't, for many and varied reasons. Throwing money at them and providing brand new buildings and facilities doesn't make much difference unless children attend regularly, standards of behaviour make good teaching possible and staff are well qualified and committed teachers. My teacher friends often said a degree in social work would have served them better in their teaching careers.

Eton is referred to by some as 'Slough Comprehensive' by the way.

Actually I do know someone at Eton and he is not at from a privileged background, normal middle class I would think. He got an organ scholarship at Kings until he was 13 and then needed to find somewhere with good enough organ teaching to continue. He is an only child and his parents have given up everything to afford it although some has come from an uncle's legacy. They are in debt but simply determined to do the best for their son. I don't think everyone who goes to Eton is a toff.

My friend's son has a very large house in 6 acres of land. She was asked by a mutual friend why her son needed such a big house and so much land. She replied "because he can afford it". That's snobbery and inverted snobbery in one go .

I prefer Boris for many reasons. I don't think he's quite as much a fool as people like to think. I also find Hunt extremely pompous and rather dull. I think he's Theresa in a suit.

Yes, I have to agree Minniemoo. A good summing up.

Hunt 'sounded' better but was the rather boring diplomat and I thought it rather obvious that given the chance he would be dithering and trying to please all sides and achieve very little. He'd say the right things but fail to deliver.

Boris bumbles. He seems to have about five ideas going on at once and his delivery can be rather frantic. he is not silly - just too earnest at times. He is a very clever and astute man though, that is obvious - but he needs to calm down and slow down. He needs a voice coach/PR person.

I have no doubt he will take the bull by the horns and do his utmost to get us out of the EU by Oct 31st. I didn't have that faith in Hunt unfortunately.

BJ said it all in that after Oct 31st hopefully the nation will not be having endless Brexit conversations and that the government can then get on with sorting out important matters that have fallen by the wayside.

What we need, more than anything else, is Brexit progress. No more stalling or political point scoring. If we are going we must get on with it. Boris Johnson said as much. Hunt lacked conviction.

I think BJ is more in tune with the feeling of the nation. A GE this year will be a disaster for the Conservative Party, and Labour. There will be huge political waves to the detriment of the two main parties if Brexit is delayed by parliament yet again.

Boris will fire on all cylinders regarding an EU exit. I feel he will win but he'll have a very short time in which to prove himself. His career could also flounder this year if he doesn't get it right.

Brexit is still the poisoned chalice; those putting themselves forward to take the reins after May's botched, futile and badly disguised attempts to remain chained to the EU, were brave politicians.

Just sharing the latest Boris joke here:

‘Boris is buying a cruiser and doing trips on the Thames, he said that if he was going to continue to sell people down the river, he might as well make a few bob out of it.’

GracesgranMK3
i see we may be going into recession again too
If that's true we are not alone. Germany is in the same position. It will be a bigger problem for the 'power house of Europe' than it is for us. They have the euro.

Has this turned into a debate about Eton and Oxbridge? I was educated privately. My 4 children weren't. All three have completely astounded me by becoming well rounded and responsible. Not because they went to state schools due to having rather wild parents. My daughter lives in Oxford with her partner who attends Oxford University. Clever chap. Born and bred in Liverpool. State educated all the way through. Was accepted by Oxford and they're doing well. Many people told him he was wasting his time by applying to Oxford and I think this happens with a lot of youngsters. They're told not to bother applying because they didn't go to Eton etc etc. It is a form of inverted snobbery. And mis=placed. ""The majority of Oxford’s UK undergraduates come from state schools. The latest figures show that, of places offered to UK applicants, over 60.5% of undergraduate places went to students from the state sector.""

My sentiments exactlyLuckygirl What knowledge do these people have of state education and the difficulties faced by most of these schools?

Well said Luckygirl.

Sad when it is a criticism to be seen 'peddling optimism.'

Sorry, predictive text - Erin should of course read Eton ?

Yes well said lucky. I don’t see criticism of Erin/Oxbridge as inverted snobbery. It can’t be right that our government and other key institutions are largely populated by people who had e tea advantages in education