Jennifer Arcuri publicly admitting four year affair with Boris Johnson

Starmer was right on PMQs today. “Sleaze, sleaze, sleaze”.
All Johnson could do was deflect with his usual refrain, “Captain Hindsight”. (Totally irrelevant answer as usual.

And how long will we have to wait for the investigation and findings ?!?

In the Guardian - £700000 - channelled into her company, source unknown, but about the same time as Johnson arranged a £100000 grant from the tax payer, it is subject to a police watchdog investigation ( whatever that is)

Oh ? it was one of those things that I skim read without actually taking much on board. But I do know it was arranged by Johnson, for her company. It would not have been from Johnson - there is a limit to his altruism????

Whitewavemark2 I wasn’t aware of a loan to her too. Where was that money borrowed from?

Wasn’t there also a loan in the 100s of thousands arranged as well?

Well Boris has finally admitted he did have an affair with Arcuri but he acted “with integrity”. I’m not sure giving £126,000 of public money and coveted places on gov trade missions is what I’d called acting with integrity.

I think it’s important to say it’s her employer, not Symonds who is being investigated by Charity Commission. She has apparently only worked with them for two months.

Well I checked to make sure this wasn't a "Chat" thread where apparently we can make all sorts of allegations about people without any basis at all. But its not, its Politics, so here goes....

There is a Charity Commission investigation into the Aspinall Foundation regarding its governance and financial management. Symonds works for the charity but the investigation is not into her, and it dates from a time before she was employed by them.

Can't find anything about her being sacked for wrongdoing, ever, but happy to be proved wrong if someone has evidence (sorry, facts again....) She was asked to leave her post as Director of Communications for the Tory party because she wasn't very good at it. Salary: £80k. Boris tried to speak on her behalf and "Tory sources" started saying Carrie had claimed expenses she wasn't entitled to.

Whitewavemark2

They all seem to be tarred with the same corrupt brush don’t they?

Yes she was, but for the life of me I can’t remember what that was about. You read so much about corruption in the Tory party, it is difficult to keep up with it all.

The first reference I found.

www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-7230155/Boris-Johnsons-girlfriend-Carrie-Symonds-quit-job-Conservative-Party-expenses-claims.html

It's the Daily Mail, so I'm sure it's true.

They all seem to be tarred with the same corrupt brush don’t they?

Yes she was, but for the life of me I can’t remember what that was about. You read so much about corruption in the Tory party, it is difficult to keep up with it all.

Wasn’t she also thrown out of a previous job for wrong doings of some kind?

As an aside I read that Symonds is being investigated for corruption in relation to her wildlife charity, including her claim that her salary of £160k is insufficient.

I like to look at the wider picture, and I think the American political philosopher Michael Sandel, gives a useful take on our modern politics. I think he illustrates the sort of climate that has led to the situation where the elite who are in power have such a sense of entitlement, that they do as they please without concern or sense of moral outrage or even accountability. Where a sense of “the common good” has been lost.

He has written on The Tyranny of Merit and gives a short TED talk on YouTube, which is worth a listen if you are interested.

When I was young and naive as part of our History A Level we were advised to read biographies of the main politicians of the time. This I did and what an eye opener that was! A lot had very dubious and salacious private lives. I suppose the thing was that they were private at the time. Now our modern politicians have it splashed all over the media and press. So maybe we can ignore the sex bit but we can’t ignore the rest.

Bojo was cleared by the IPCO when he was mayor of any criminal activities. What we have now is Nolan but I’m not sure how much this takes in the question of misappropriating funds which is the most concerning. It seems a bit of a grey area. Did they not have proper audits and if not why not?

It's not about purity It's about wanting the party to represent the people that it was what it was set up to do.. We don't know where Starmer is heading, looks like very much like neoliberalism, in banning 100s of members, why did he do that?

at that failure that should say.

James Obsens made not one iota of difference to those in need in society because he failed to be elected despite his excitement early that failure. It depends what you want from politicians if you want them to make a difference to those you purport to care for or not. Many dont care about that, they are so self indulgent that they think some concept of mistaken purity is more important. They tend to be the ones who need a labour government least of course.

Agree Sparkling principle and integrity is sadly lacking in government and also in the opposition with Starmer

James Obsens general election candidate quits Labour. open letter to Starmer, lots of people are disappointed in his leadership of the Labour Party

Open letter

skwawkbox.org/2021/03/30/general-election-candidate-quits-labour-and-issues-open-letter/

James Obsens letter of resignation showed a man of principle and integrity, a quality sadly lacking by those in government office whom we should respect, now that's a joke. Respect is not sone thing that anyone seems to value, the good ones leave.

Also he spent afternoons at her flat ( getting his “technology lessons”) when he was supposed to be at his desk working, and getting his staff to cover up. If that’s not misconduct in a public office I don’t know what is.

I would not want Borus as in sil. Definite. For me thinking whom in either party, would I want? Haven't come up with anyone yet. Name the person and there's something in the cupboard.

The OP asked a question why does the press not report about Johnson this government getting away with lying cronyism ect. Well the press in this country have a lot to answer for and there is not proper holding government to account journalism which is one of our biggest problems, a corrupt government and press. Then there is the reason that Johnson government can get away with doing what they want, which brings into question what role does the Head of State have if not to stop this government doing what it likes it can't.

Then there was a question what is the leader of the opposition doing he is not opposing, lots of people say, Johnson and government enough he agrees with him. So it all ties up, Johnson the lies and scandal chumocracy, and the reasons he is allowed to get away with it.

Johnson’s private and professional life over many years shows him to be dishonest, self serving and untrustworthy. He gave Jennifer Arcuri over £120,000 of our money. He had some kind of 4 year sexual relationship with her whilst handing over public money. Our money paid for her to accompany him on trips to the USA.
That should be enough to warrant an investigation into misuse of public funds.
He was married during that 4 year period. I’d be amazed if JA was his only extramarital relationship at the time. If he was still a journalist, for example, I’d have no judgement to make about his private life.
I do feel critical and yes judgemental at his misuse of public money when London mayor. Also by the way his government has wasted huge amounts of public money giving their unskilled pals government contracts

Moral compass?

I feared Starmer wouldn't be that great but hoped I would be proved wrong. I am still in the party but am debating whether to leave. I have been in the party since I was a teenager and I find it all very disappointing and worrying.