The leader has become a liability

"It is stunning that the Conservatives so casually jettisoned any reputation for responsible government, fiscal prudence or sensible diplomacy under a spendthrift leader who has become an international laughing stock, while seeming intent on sacrificing their bedrock of southern voters. As one possible leadership contender said to me, who knows what the party stands for now? “We seem like some strange cross between Clement Attlee’s socialism and a bunch of nationalists.”

There is fury over Johnson’s selfish behaviour and froth over possible succession. Yet the party faces more far fundamental questions than whether Rishi Sunak, Liz Truss or even (stop laughing) Matt Hancock should be next leader. It should reflect how it ended up in this mess, plummeting in the polls and further demolishing the electorate’s faith in Westminster – and then pull back from sliding down the slippery path to populism.

There is, after all, nothing remotely surprising about their leader’s dodgy conduct, given that he was sacked from a newspaper for fabricating quotes and dismissed from the shadow cabinet for lying over an extra-marital affair. This man built his career on artifice, bombast and contempt for rules. So what does it say about the Tory party that it put this chancer into Downing Street?"

Former Conservative Ian Birrell writing in the "i"

inews.co.uk/opinion/boris-johnson-tory-party-scandal-elected-1349406

Dominic Grieve was just talking about Johnson on (I think) Sky News. I feel so sorry for people like him having to see what their party has descended into. Plus, of course, like Starmer, Grieve understands the letterof the law. I was pleased to see that he looked healthier, though. He’s looked like a haunted man over the last few years and didn’t deserve how the party has treated him, A thoroughly decent man. Oh, and I see Johnson is, yet again, doing a photo shoot at a vaccination centre. But this time wearing a mask.

"This guy stinks in the nostrils of decent people" - John Bercow is right.

Say what you like about Bercow, the guy can land a punch

twitter.com/jonlis1/status/1469269160735789058?s=20

All Johnson understands is having fun and a good time. He thought being PM would be a lark. Throughout the pandemic he has constantly apologised for restrictions that stop people meeting up and enjoying themselves (thereby making people feel aggrieved about protecting themselves and everybody else even if they hadn’t, till he mentioned it, felt aggrieved) but has (to my knowledge) never apologised about lack of PPE, huge numbers of people dying unnecessarily. Even if the quiz wasn’t actually the worst thing he has done as PM, it sums up the character of the man perfectly. But why has it taken so long for people to see him for what he is. I mean, the evidence has been on show for years.

Huge respect for Keir Starmer on A Marr today- he could so easily make massive political capital out of the terrible mess Johnson finds himself in - but he refuses to do so - and will follow scientific advice on what restrictions will work best to stop many deaths and hospitals being overwhelmed.

THAT is what true, real, honest and effective leaders do. And I for one would be so tempted to go against the PM, defeat him in the House and call for a vote of no confidence.

Kali2

Do you happen to see Brexit with rose tinted glasses?

1st of Jan 2022 is soon - you ain't seen nothing yet!

Except they’ve had to push a big part of it forward to July ???.

Remember how straightforward it was going to be?

Do you happen to see Brexit with rose tinted glasses?

1st of Jan 2022 is soon - you ain't seen nothing yet!

lemongrove

I had hoped Hunt would be chosen as the leader.
The only worries I had about him was that he had been a Remainer ......that now doesn’t matter, so if he were able to take over in a year, say, that would be fine.

Lemongrove
At least he doesn’t view the eu through rose coloured glasses. ?

www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/conservative-conference-latest-jeremy-hunt-compares-eu-soviet-russia-foreign-secretary-putin-a8562256.html

Incredible, and difficult to believe

This - exactly.

He got rid of all the competent people. Or they left.

Kali2

not just too weak - they just haven't got anyone ready, fit and capable!!!

There has to be someone more capable than Johnson or we are truly sunk.

Dinahmo

If you rule out all the front bench - a total waste of space as far as I'm concerned - who is left? Someone suggested this morning that Johnson should have more senior advisors - where will they come from? Some people will say Sunak but I don't think so since he's in favour of austerity which is the last thing that the country needs.

And his austerity is quite funny with the way he spent our money, or ran up debt for us, with his loans that are going bad with high levels of fraud, furlough where some lucky people got 80% salary and others just got thrown onto job seekers not to mention his bright idea to Eat out to spread the virus.

Germanshepherdsmum

I’m not a fan of Johnson (he always struck me as being like a salesman who talks the talk and gets the work in but someone capable does it), however I wonder who would have been able to cope with the combination of Brexit and the pandemic? Suggestions welcome. I have already said I have a lot of time for Jeremy Hunt though as a Remainer I don’t know how he would have handled Brexit.

Do you think Johnson has actually done much? He missed lots of Cobra meetings didn't he? Then with divorce/wedding/babies/catching covid I don't think he has probably done much, he'd leave that to people beneath him.

Kali 2 the comments on the YouTube clip did make me laugh, particularly ‘If someone started a brush and comb franchise in Britain they would make a fortune’

varian

Do none of you find the very notion that North Shropshire is a "safe seat" a negation of democracy?

It implies that no-one there or in any other safe seat, who disagrees with the sitting party, can ever vote in a way that matters?

If you think that your vote will never count, why vote?

First Past The Post is an obscenely undemocratic electoral system. It needs to go if the UK is not to become the last undemocratic country in Europe.

If you think that your vote will never count, why vote?

Possibly one of the reasons why so many people say, when asked / interviewed things like "well what's the point" or "it doesn't make any difference". And why many of the young can't be bothered to vote.

When you think about it, the Referendum got people out of their apathy - disregarding the result - they got out and voted because they knew it would make a difference - no?

I understand the pro's and cons of both PR and FPTP, but when you consider that a majority of seats does not mean that the majority of people support a party in government, it does seem immoral and undemocratic.

So what are people supposed to do? Our system means a repeat of the same old, same old, leaving people to just not bother to vote - or to take to the streets if they care enough. Our system is one of discord, adversary and aggression - is it any wonder that each party "plays politics" - it's in the nature of the beast.

Maybe that's one of the reasons we're such a divided nation - partisanship means there's no desire to work together, no consensus on what's best for the country as a whole. So we end up with the two major parties slugging it out with each other in the House - and the rest of the electorate doing the same with each other.

Do none of you find the very notion that North Shropshire is a "safe seat" a negation of democracy?

It implies that no-one there or in any other safe seat, who disagrees with the sitting party, can ever vote in a way that matters?

If you think that your vote will never count, why vote?

First Past The Post is an obscenely undemocratic electoral system. It needs to go if the UK is not to become the last undemocratic country in Europe.

Many here do not believe me when I say the EU and the world, is indeed watching. And so often- those who see things from further afield may see things more clearly, in many ways.

Posting here from CNN as in English, but similar News items are on the news all over, indeed all over the world. And most predict that Johnson is indeed, finished.

youtu.be/RfTsLjdb3Mc

Maybe, as a remainer, Hunt would have tried to build bridges with the EU rather than alienate them by sabre rattling. And wouldn’t have tried to ignore existing legislation.

I’m not a fan of Johnson (he always struck me as being like a salesman who talks the talk and gets the work in but someone capable does it), however I wonder who would have been able to cope with the combination of Brexit and the pandemic? Suggestions welcome. I have already said I have a lot of time for Jeremy Hunt though as a Remainer I don’t know how he would have handled Brexit.

I have said previously that there appears to be a lot of distancing going on by several members of the Front Bench and other MPs towards Mr.Johnson.

My money would/will be on Rishi Sunak.

I do wonder when the letters of concern will start mounting up in the 1922 Committee Offices, when will there be enough to force a vote of no confidence?

Yes I hoped so too.

I had hoped Hunt would be chosen as the leader.
The only worries I had about him was that he had been a Remainer ......that now doesn’t matter, so if he were able to take over in a year, say, that would be fine.

I always thought Jeremy Hunt was pleasant and had integrity, would like to see him in a prominent position again.