Part of me wants him to cling on……

Calistemon

MaizieD

The PM has cancelled visits / meetings, it does not necessarily mean he is not working from the No.10 flat. Unless someone from GN is a No.10 mole and can prove he is not working?

Oh, I'm sure he is 'working', as his definition of 'work' seems to be getting outside a few glasses of wine

I thought he lived in the no 11 flat - what's he doing with Rishi when he is supposed to be isolating?

I have no idea, nor am I particularly interested in whether he lives in No.10 or 11.

I was just pointing out the blatantly obvious that if thousands and thousands of us ordinary folk can work from home, even whilst isolating there is no reason to assume that Mr.Johnson isn’t.

GrannyGravy13

Calistemon

MaizieD

The PM has cancelled visits / meetings, it does not necessarily mean he is not working from the No.10 flat. Unless someone from GN is a No.10 mole and can prove he is not working?

Oh, I'm sure he is 'working', as his definition of 'work' seems to be getting outside a few glasses of wine

I thought he lived in the no 11 flat - what's he doing with Rishi when he is supposed to be isolating?

I have no idea, nor am I particularly interested in whether he lives in No.10 or 11.

I was just pointing out the blatantly obvious that if thousands and thousands of us ordinary folk can work from home, even whilst isolating there is no reason to assume that Mr.Johnson isn’t.

You are assuming that Johnson is normal in the accepted sense.

Of course he isn’t. So it is pretty safe to assume that he isn’t working as he is notorious for his laziness and can’t be arsed attitude.

Whitewavemark2

The point is if Johnson stays, we will be clueless as to the policies we can look forward to until the next election. Johnson got voted in because, apparently, for Brexit, but that of course was when he was being frog marched and guided by Cummings. Since Cummings left Johnson has lurched from one form of chaos to another.

Johnson has no original ideas of his own - he has no ideas, which is why he is thrall to the ultra right of his party and delivering blow after blow to our democracy.

Your post is doing a great disservice to all the exceptional Conservative constituency MP’s Whitewavemark2

I have been reminded/prompted repeatedly on the political threads that in the U.K. we do not vote for the PM we vote for our local MP.

(The ways to remove a PM are if his constituents vote him out a general election, they resign or there is a vote of no confidence and they are ousted by the party.)

As has been mentioned already he has been busy with Save Big Dog planning. This has been widely reported.

Blondiescot

Brexit done, really? And just look at the sh**storm that's left us with...

What is that then? Where are your ‘ lists’? At the moment, as far as I can see, the U.K. hasn’t imploded, unless you count the pandemic which would have occurred with or without Brexit.

As many of you are saying Brexit isn’t done yet, how can we Brexiteers possibly write a list of the good it’s done?!

Mollygo

Riverwalk, evidently Starmer was out for drinks with friends during lockdown as well and using the same excuse as BJ.
Two wrongs don’t make a right but I suspect there’ll be more revelations like this about all politicians to come.
Politicians and truth ?

No he wasn’t ‘out drinking with friends during lockdown.’ He was canvassing and visited a brewery as part of that. He politely accepted the offer of a bottle of beer. Absolutely no rules broken and a world away from BYOB parties, followed by pathetic excuses that they had all been working hard so deserved it. They weren’t working so hard that they couldn’t find the energy to dance the night away into the early hours. Party on dudes, see you at the next election.

Esspee

……so that the Conservatives are wiped out in the next election.

Your thoughts?

I think that the Labour Party have a lot of work to do if they are to be considered an effective opposition by the next election. You may be right - perhaps BJ hanging on may make them a more attractive option than the same old sleaze.

Hetty, I think you are so right about the permanently lost votes of mourners. However they would not be nearly enough to depose the current majority. I too wonder what awful legislation is being passed under our noses behind this current and awful smokescreen.

Much as I think the whole situation is a disgrace, who would replace Mr Johnson? I don't like Ms Patel, I don't trust Mr Gove and I know nothing about Ms Truss. Mr Sunak does not have the parliamentary experience really, as he was parachuted in as Chancellor and I think should remain as Chancellor,as he is good in the role. I don't think he has the experience to be PM. I cannot think of anyone else who would make a good PM.

GrannyGravy13

Whitewavemark2

The point is if Johnson stays, we will be clueless as to the policies we can look forward to until the next election. Johnson got voted in because, apparently, for Brexit, but that of course was when he was being frog marched and guided by Cummings. Since Cummings left Johnson has lurched from one form of chaos to another.

Johnson has no original ideas of his own - he has no ideas, which is why he is thrall to the ultra right of his party and delivering blow after blow to our democracy.

Your post is doing a great disservice to all the exceptional Conservative constituency MP’s Whitewavemark2

I have been reminded/prompted repeatedly on the political threads that in the U.K. we do not vote for the PM we vote for our local MP.

(The ways to remove a PM are if his constituents vote him out a general election, they resign or there is a vote of no confidence and they are ousted by the party.)

Well I don’t do either. I vote for policies.

That is what my post is about. I am clueless as to his policies, except the fact that he is in thrall to the ERG. We know what their policies are. I suspect that they (the ERG) will promote Sunak, as he is the sort of free market, small state, politician they promote.

And of course we know that Cummings is working to promote Sunak.

I don’t agree with you now Pammiel, although six months ago I would have. I think Starmer has now got a strong shadow cabinet, and they have collectively been very articulate in making effective criticism of the government, both at PMQ and in other fora - people are noticing them and seeing them as real opposition again. Things are moving very rapidly, what’s really interesting is that recent events have captured the interest of younger voters and they are more likely to turn out to vote next time. .

It's not just the lost votes of mourners though is it, it's those who saw what happened to people, and I would be surprised if that's not the vast majority of voters. I watched my neighbour go into hospital never to return her sons unable to visit. Her sons who sat in her garden following every single rule. My whole street saw that and that will have been played out up and down the country. Many many voters.

Whitewavemark2

And of course we know that Cummings is working to promote Sunak.

I think you are wrong on that, Mr. Cummings and Mr. Gove go back a long way. He is working along in the background to get Mr. Gove in as PM.

I missed something pretty important to me and had to see my daughter with LD suffer during various lockdowns and restrictions and now she needs to see a specialist psychologist. I wont be alone. The various restrictions have affected everyone I imagine in one way or another but I tend to feel if rules were to be broken they should have been broken at the expense of loved ones at the end of life having company, vulnerable people having their needs met and a whole host of other things other than having parties at number 10. My own daughter in her 20s had an automatic dNR put her on her notes whilst they were eating cheese, drinking wine and socialising. That isn't fair or democratic or in any way moral

Hetty, I think you are so right about the permanently lost votes of mourners. However they would not be nearly enough to depose the current majority.
I think that any voters who were dealt an unfair hand in this debacle will naturally and understandably withdraw their support from the Conservative party. But how great is that number in the bigger picture?
As far as the figures go though, there will be others, 1 in 10 households for example, who were grateful for the stamp duty holiday to move house. They will vote for them because they had extra cash to spend, and in addition the tradesmen who benefitted will also vote for the party who protected their livelihoods.
Maybe the numbers will cancel each other out.

But how great is that number in the bigger picture?

Might be enough. If they don't forget how they feel today. Maybe a bit of extra money in their pockets won't be enough of a bribe.

For those who don't want to open the links, Labour leads the Tories in voting intention by between 4% and 6%

www.statista.com/statistics/985764/voting-intention-in-the-uk/

redfieldandwiltonstrategies.com/latest-gb-voting-intention-10-january-2022/

www.politico.eu/europe-poll-of-polls/united-kingdom/

GrannyGravy13

Whitewavemark2

The point is if Johnson stays, we will be clueless as to the policies we can look forward to until the next election. Johnson got voted in because, apparently, for Brexit, but that of course was when he was being frog marched and guided by Cummings. Since Cummings left Johnson has lurched from one form of chaos to another.

Johnson has no original ideas of his own - he has no ideas, which is why he is thrall to the ultra right of his party and delivering blow after blow to our democracy.

Your post is doing a great disservice to all the exceptional Conservative constituency MP’s Whitewavemark2

I have been reminded/prompted repeatedly on the political threads that in the U.K. we do not vote for the PM we vote for our local MP.

(The ways to remove a PM are if his constituents vote him out a general election, they resign or there is a vote of no confidence and they are ousted by the party.)

I have been reminded/prompted repeatedly on the political threads that in the U.K. we do not vote for the PM we vote for our local MP.

Indeed we do, GG13, but in voting for our local MP we are also voting for the party of government.

However wonderful and caring your local MP might be, however they do their best to help their constituents, once they are in parliament, unless they are exceptional or devoted adherents of the party leader and their policies, they are little more than lobby fodder, trooping through obediently to support proposed government legislation.

The constituency work could be done by any decent person, whatever their party allegiance. That is why any intelligent person needs to look carefully at the party's policies and the leader, who sets the tone, before deciding which party they would prefer to see in power.

I could recite the awful legislation that your 'decent' MP supports or has supported, but if you can't see how awful some of it is, and take responsibility for enabling it with your vote, there is no point.

Urmstongran

We just view things differently Bluebelle. That’s allowed.

Yes I agree. I voted remain, but accept people have differing opinions, some remainers have become very rude and aggressive to opinions differing from theirs. As for finding it hard to forgive people who voted Brexit, remember to are just a voter like everyone else and that attitude is very high handed.
Boris, I do think he should go, he is a liar, and his party antics were very wrong.

Sorry not the Cinservative party but rmthe people who attended the Downing Street drinks.

GrannyGravy13

Whitewavemark2

And of course we know that Cummings is working to promote Sunak.

I think you are wrong on that, Mr. Cummings and Mr. Gove go back a long way. He is working along in the background to get Mr. Gove in as PM.

We shall see.

Josieann

^Hetty, I think you are so right about the permanently lost votes of mourners. However they would not be nearly enough to depose the current majority.^
I think that any voters who were dealt an unfair hand in this debacle will naturally and understandably withdraw their support from the Conservative party. But how great is that number in the bigger picture?
As far as the figures go though, there will be others, 1 in 10 households for example, who were grateful for the stamp duty holiday to move house. They will vote for them because they had extra cash to spend, and in addition the tradesmen who benefitted will also vote for the party who protected their livelihoods.
Maybe the numbers will cancel each other out.

Yes, plus all the people / firms grateful for money when the Pandemic hit, so that jobs were protected.

Just now isn’t the best time for a resignation, but if things are no better by Spring then that would be the best time ( if we are still doing well as regards to Covid.)
Electing a new PM takes time and distracts from important political business.
Of course it would be best for the Conservative Party too, to have a safe/ clean pair of hands at the helm and time for them to garner support for a GE in a couple of years time.

Whitewavemark2

GrannyGravy13

Whitewavemark2

And of course we know that Cummings is working to promote Sunak.

I think you are wrong on that, Mr. Cummings and Mr. Gove go back a long way. He is working along in the background to get Mr. Gove in as PM.

We shall see.

What I meant to post but got distracted was, that there was a long article in the guardian magazine today written by a Cambridge Professor and follower of Cummings blog.

His opinion is that Cummings is backing Sunak.

DiscoDancer1975

Blondiescot

Brexit done, really? And just look at the sh**storm that's left us with...

What is that then? Where are your ‘ lists’? At the moment, as far as I can see, the U.K. hasn’t imploded, unless you count the pandemic which would have occurred with or without Brexit.

Well, apart from the whole NI situation, there's also a massive increase in red tape for businesses which import goods from the EU, the return of roaming charges for mobile phone use, the likely imposition of visa charges to visit various EU countries and a shortage of workers in various business sectors (which used to rely heavily on EU workforce). That's just a few examples...