Anyone understand why Johnson is so far ahead in the polls?

Well put Lemongrove

I would like to respectfully point out that not all Conservative voters are slavishly devoted to Boris.

I will reiterate Lemongrove’s point if the PM is found to be guilty of any illegalities he should resign and be punished accordingly.

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Boris "Buckles" Johnson.

Have you ever noticed that its the ones who wind you up who tell you to stay calm?

Gaslighting ???

Mollygo

SW The fact that ‘they’re all at it’ doesn’t make it right.
It doesn’t replace having to think, but it does mean that to stop it, everyone has to make an effort to do something about it not just complain on here.
I’ve written to my MP many times on different matters since my teens. The only one who ever appeared to do anything as a result was David Alton when I lived in Liverpool.
Perhaps if people knew what would be effective they might be more inclined to do it.
So what do you suggest people should do which would be more effective than writing to your ( or any) MP?

They’re all at is bring used on here and elsewhere to excuse Johnson’s behaviour. It would be a start if people would acknowledge that for example, the issue about the money for No 10 is not about curtains and wallpaper but about whether or not Electoral Law was broken. Anyone regardless of political leanings should be critical of Johnson’s refusal yes refusal to answer the questions about this. A fish rots from the head down

I know that ‘gaslighting’ is the latest cool phrase, but let’s not do it to death.?
It may be cynical of me and others to say ‘this is how it’s always been in politics’ .....but it’s also the truth.
Should we ( and the rest of the world, because politicians are the same the world over) call out any wrongdoing? Yes of course, and journalists do, should we be surprised by it? No.
There is a difference though between real offences and alleged ones, and there is a real tendency now to shoot first and ask questions later.Johnson is chaotic in his personal life and not a smooth enough operator to be able to cover his tracks as some of them.If any real wrongdoing is proven then he will have to pay the price.Meanwhile, stay calm and carry on.

SW The fact that ‘they’re all at it’ doesn’t make it right.
It doesn’t replace having to think, but it does mean that to stop it, everyone has to make an effort to do something about it not just complain on here.
I’ve written to my MP many times on different matters since my teens. The only one who ever appeared to do anything as a result was David Alton when I lived in Liverpool.
Perhaps if people knew what would be effective they might be more inclined to do it.
So what do you suggest people should do which would be more effective than writing to your ( or any) MP?

MaizieD

Iam64

It does begin to feel the country is being gas lighted

Is being gaslighted, Iam?

We're there, we're convinced, we've been gaslighted. Mission's been accomplished. ?

Exactly - as I’ve said there is no hope.

Iam64

It does begin to feel the country is being gas lighted

I think Boris is probably the great re-writer of history and his fans have caught the habit.

And as for him having charisma (Urmstongran) - Ewww. He does have that typical posh boy's public school over-confidence in his own being but he makes my skin crawl.

Iam64

It does begin to feel the country is being gas lighted

Is being gaslighted, Iam?

We're there, we're convinced, we've been gaslighted. Mission's been accomplished. ?

I notice the "two wrongs always make a right if it suits those I support" argument appearing again

lemongrove

Mollygo

Would you believe it if any political party claimed to have weeded out all corrupt practice and put something in place that will stop corruption happening again?
Only needs a yes or no answer.

No
Because there is always corruption in politics and in any political party.You only have to look up ‘scandals in politics’ for reams of stuff to come up about Labour, Conservative and Any other political party to surface. Cash for questions, sex and blackmail, rewarding mates, backhanders, knighting mates, switching second houses, claiming false expenses, you name it, they’ve done it.We are much more aware of it now thanks to modern journalism and the Internet, but it’s been going on since Adam was a lad.

Well, there you go.

To paraphrase a well known parliamentary saying "The lies have it"

Voters have been gaslighted to the extent that they now believe that events that achieved maximum publicity and condemation, because they were exceptional, because they were contrary to the nation's expectation of politicians' behaviour, because they broke the rules of honour and probity which our system is based on, are the normal behaviour of politicians and the sole aspiration of people who enter politics.

The apogee of that belief, the triumph of the gaslighters, has been confirmed by the elevation of one of the most worthless men in the land to the highest political office in the land.

Poor, poor Britain.

It does begin to feel the country is being gas lighted

Pinnywinch:
The 'red wall' came down because people weren't being listened to.

So you will only vote for someone who agrees with the lowest common denominator when it comes to a point of view - the masses wanting British (or more likely English) Nationalism. It doesn't matter if what you want seems incredibly bad for the country to them, you would rather they lied or you won't vote for them!

And you don't think that is stupid? Every dictator in history has done just that - appealed to the lowest common denominator to get the votes - and then what.

Iam64

lemon grove, I’ve seen no one claiming any political party has, or is, free of sleaze or corruption. The concern is the extent of it in the government led by this PM

But the point of this approach isn’t it, is to excuse the corruption emanating from No 10 by saying they’re all at it and thus that there is nothing really to see here. It’s a well known technique and it replaces having to really think.

The ‘extent of it’ is only because emails, texts etc exist.There is nowhere to hide these days.In the past it was easier to avoid anything coming to light.
There are good people, even in politics, but less I should think than in any other profession.

lemon grove, I’ve seen no one claiming any political party has, or is, free of sleaze or corruption. The concern is the extent of it in the government led by this PM

See my previous answer. ?

Mollygo

Would you believe it if any political party claimed to have weeded out all corrupt practice and put something in place that will stop corruption happening again?
Only needs a yes or no answer.

No
Because there is always corruption in politics and in any political party.You only have to look up ‘scandals in politics’ for reams of stuff to come up about Labour, Conservative and Any other political party to surface. Cash for questions, sex and blackmail, rewarding mates, backhanders, knighting mates, switching second houses, claiming false expenses, you name it, they’ve done it.We are much more aware of it now thanks to modern journalism and the Internet, but it’s been going on since Adam was a lad.

Mollygo

Would you believe it if any political party claimed to have weeded out all corrupt practice and put something in place that will stop corruption happening again?
Only needs a yes or no answer.

No.

But I would expect them to own up when there has been corruption and not mark their own homework. I wouldn't expect them to try to say its all about curtains when its actually about undeclared donations.

I wouldn't expect them to treat us like mugs.

(LoD again . Look how those tables turned.)

Alegrias1

I can't be the only person seeing the parallels between this thread and the Line of Duty one.

You’re not - see my erudite posts over there ?

Not yes or no but hahaha, a joke.

Pinnywinch

Wow. How can do many people call others 'stupid' because they don't have the same political leaning as them.
I've met first time Conservative voters, and it's exactly those type of comments that will keep them voting Conservative.
The 'red wall' came down because people weren't being listened to. The papers all were remainer leaning, Brexiteers were being called 'stupid' and 'racist' - and they showed what happens when the political elite of any party ignores them.
How about respecting others views, listening without shouting, and stop the silly name calling.

Excellent idea Pinny ......but they are unlikely to listen.

Would you believe it if any political party claimed to have weeded out all corrupt practice and put something in place that will stop corruption happening again?
Only needs a yes or no answer.

I read them in the wrong order Iam64

Great minds think alike.....

Algeria’s, I’ve just posted a similar comment on the LoD thread. Mercurio is a brilliant writer