Mr Johnson and Mr Cummings

Yes I remember the announcement on GN that Trump had won the last election That was a brilliant thread, watching it unfold.

Kali2

Lots of countries have no private education - and are NOT communist at all. Just a real awareness that a happy and free society for all should be based on a good education for all.

They have small class sizes, and are well funded, for all.

Scotland for example Kali?
???
Mind you the Barnett formula helps.
Joke!

Errr it doesn’t work quite like that - he is supposed to declare the mates rates. It’s fine to be given a free holiday, it’s not against the rules - the rules are about knowing who’s giving what to our politicians. Surely BJ has nothing to hide

Hmm.
Correct me if I’m wrong sw (I have been known ?) but wasn’t this topic put to bed months ago? I thought questions had been asked at the time and answered to satisfaction of all parties?

Lots of countries have no private education - and are NOT communist at all. Just a real awareness that a happy and free society for all should be based on a good education for all.

They have small class sizes, and are well funded, for all.

Urmstongran

Alegrias1

Private education is unfair and divisive and should be abolished.

Just thought I'd throw that in

Well in principle Alegrias we should surely all agree with you on this.

But it’s either a free market or communism. It would be lovely if education, health etc were the same for everybody. Sadly, I don’t think it ever will be. ‘Some pigs are more equal than others’ as George Orwell said in ‘Animal Farm’.

No it’s not a free market or communism re the issue of the existence of private education.

I do MayBee. I think Rishi Sunak is a hardworking, focused man of principle. I think he married into great wealth but I also believe that doesn’t preclude one from fine thoughts.

Trump?
Yes, you know quite well I supported him. And your point is? I think ‘MAGA’ resonated with blue collar workers and ‘left behinds’ in America.

I think however that’s not a discussion for THIS thread.
Sorry.
We’ll have to park that one here tonight.
?

Urmstongran

^While we are at it, did Johnson ever declare who paid for his holiday in Mustique?^

It’s known as ‘mate’s rates’ WW everybody (who can) does it. Get over it.

Errr it doesn’t work quite like that - he is supposed to declare the mates rates. It’s fine to be given a free holiday, it’s not against the rules - the rules are about knowing who’s giving what to our politicians. Surely BJ has nothing to hide ???

You honestly think he gets he struggles of people less fortunate? Just remind me. Didn’t you like/support Trump as well?

Alegrias1

Private education is unfair and divisive and should be abolished.

Just thought I'd throw that in

Well in principle Alegrias we should surely all agree with you on this.

But it’s either a free market or communism. It would be lovely if education, health etc were the same for everybody. Sadly, I don’t think it ever will be. ‘Some pigs are more equal than others’ as George Orwell said in ‘Animal Farm’.

PippaZ Why not ask Urmstongran why she was trying to paint him as someone who had not have a very privileged upbringing?

I wasn’t.
See my post upthread.

I bet Sunak is pretty grounded. I think he ‘gets’ the struggles of those less fortunate than himself.

Don’t sneer.

I honestly do believe that money makes NICE people NICER. Because it enables kindness.

Arseholes with money stay that way.

Private education is unfair and divisive and should be abolished.

Just thought I'd throw that in

PippaZ

Urmstongran

Sunak married into a billionaire family. His mother worked for the NHS as a pharmacist.

So let's put right your attempt to paint Sunak as a regular sort of guy. His mother, who was indeed a pharmacist owned and ran a local chemist shop. His father was a GP. This enabled them to educate Sunak at Winchester College.

He read philosophy, politics and economics (PPE) at Lincoln College, Oxford, and later gained an MBA from Stanford University as a Fulbright Scholar.

His subsequent career began at the investment bank, Goldman Sachs. He then progressed to working in the hedge fund sector and eventually launched his firm called Theleme Partners in 2010. His firm had an initial fund of £557m ($700m). The current Chancellor has been dubbed the “Maharaja of the Dales”, and is thought to be the richest person in the House of Commons.

Together with his wife, they own an impressive international property portfolio including a five-bedroom house in London and a Georgian mansion. In total, the Sunak couple is thought to own property worth more than £10m. The Chancellor was also a director of Catamaran Ventures, owned by his father-in-law.

And GOOD for him I say.
He’s got brains.
I know someone well who went to Winchester too. He is a barrister now in London. His mother & I grew up together in rented housing in Old Trafford - terraced housing. Rent man knocking on the door.

Education enables people to move up and better themselves.
It isn’t a crime!
I admire those who through good fortune can do so.

As Morse said ‘cream always rises to the top, Lewis’.

?

Essex is a Tory county with Tory MPs, a Tory council and mainly Tory district councils. Does anybody honestly think these Tories care any more about the "red wall" than London and city-based Labour does?

Maybe not in the long view growstuff but, in the short term it was ONLY Boris who PROMISED us red wall voters to ‘Get Brexit Done’. The referendum was being kicked around by MP’s (of all shades) in the HoC and we really despaired of ever having the referendum result DELIVERED! Many of us ‘loaned’ our votes just to see it come to fruition. That’s your answer in a nutshell.

What on earth has any of this got to do with the the OP?

I think if you check back growstuff it was MaizieD who brought in a diversion - mentioning Rishi’s outlaws.

That’s fine by me. I like conversations to meander.

While we are at it, did Johnson ever declare who paid for his holiday in Mustique?

It’s known as ‘mate’s rates’ WW everybody (who can) does it. Get over it.

JaneJudge

Michael Gove has spoken

"Mr Johnson was also defended by Cabinet Office minister Michael Gove who told MPs he had "never heard" the prime minister suggest that "bodies could pile high".

He said he was in the room during conversations about the lockdown but "never heard language of that kind.""

Mmm. Treading a narrow path to keep his options open though, isn't he?

Michael Gove has spoken

"Mr Johnson was also defended by Cabinet Office minister Michael Gove who told MPs he had "never heard" the prime minister suggest that "bodies could pile high".

He said he was in the room during conversations about the lockdown but "never heard language of that kind.""

Sorry if I misunderstood you Lemongrove. Your post didn’t seem to me to make the point you intended. But I I have not ‘reported’ anything (ever) so perhaps I didn’t express myself well either.

There has just been someone talking about this on TV suziewoozieand what he said (roughly) was that people will accept that things have to be done quickly but expect a trail to show they were still done properly. I would agree with that. Of course things were moving fast at the beginning of the pandemic but they can be done both fast and within the law.

Pippa thanks for that - I think few people appreciate the dirty games played around costs in the pursuit of so called justice. Good judge. We donate regularly to the GLP as well. And no wonder this government is wanting to drastically reduce the possibilities of judicial reviews. They have become the one true defence of the rule of law in recent years

So, back to the discussion of this sleaze-ridden government.

A judge has now granted a Cost Capping Order agreeing with the Good Law Project's request for a judicial review of the Government’s decision to hand out a contract to Cummings’ pals at Hanbury without any competition.

“I start by considering whether or not there is a matter of genuine public interest raised by these proceedings. I am satisfied that there is. This matter concerns the direct award of a public contract without publicity or competition, and the issue is whether it was unlawful to award a contract in that way.”

The Judge agreed to override the Government’s estimated costs bill of £450k (almost as much as the contract itself) as ‘disproportionate to a one day hearing’ setting a cap at £120k for both parties. This original amount requested by the government was an obvious attempt to stop the public from challenging the government. The government have now tried and failed twice to use to public purse to stop the public holding them to account.

The Judge said she was “satisfied that there is a part for the courts to play in determining the legality of the procedures” and “it is appropriate that there should be a public hearing that the Court will consider the evidence and make a decision on the lawfulness of this particular procurement”

This means The Good Law Project can now fight this all the way (although they are always in need of more donations )

grannyrebel7

Agree Suziewoozie Johnson & co can do anything they please and people will still vote for them. What is wrong with them? Can they not see how corrupt this government is?

Either that or their own values are pretty suspect.

GrannyGravy13

Whitewavemark2

Both BBC and ITV are reporting as fact that Johnson was happy to see bodies piling high in order to avoid lockdown.

I have noticed that, but until these sources are willing to be named, and their stories corroborated, they are just that stories It would also be interesting to know of the conversation taking place, those who were present and in what context the phrase was used.

The facts about the crony contracts and appointments of friends aren't just stories, which is possibly why what Johnson allegedly said about bodies and the allegation that he supported the football super league are running in the media. They're a distraction from more important issues, which can be proved.

Agree Suziewoozie Johnson & co can do anything they please and people will still vote for them. What is wrong with them? Can they not see how corrupt this government is?

winterwhite

I've just been reading this long thread. Many of us have got carried away, but Lemongrove, I think your post of ten minutes ago should be withdrawn.

Why Winter? I was brought up by a single mum on a council estate ( although I did pretty well educationally.)
I was making the point that you need to be very intelligent and well educated for a position such as Chancellor.
There is far too much offence taken and reporting going on because posters do not like comments, high time it stopped.