Billy no mates - how embarrassing is our PM?

I have been reading an article headlined "Our Divided Kingdom may never be able to come back together again".

It explains what is called "affective polarisation". This is "where people get angry about everything, and all political divisions become tribal. Different segments of the community, in which you would normally find a diverse set of opinions and loyalties, stop talking to each other and begin to despise each other."

The article is a horribly fascinating in it's truth. After looking at the available research - this one carried out in America - he comments that it concludes that "Any assumption that liberal democracy is like a rubber band, which will spring back into shape after being stretched too far, has to be discarded." and the author adds "There exists a tipping point."

Final he concludes "To the rest of the developed world, the research is a warning. We should fight for what we believe in passionately - but we reduce our politics to tribal warfare at our peril. Because there are some states of cultural enmity from which the only escape route is actual fighting."

Have we passed the point of no return in the UK? If we cannot see what has been done to us at this moment in time, with a dreadful war going on specifically over polarised views, I have a feeling the title of the article may be true.

Democracy is certainly worth fighting for with everything we have. But we live in a country with a government that uses and inflates those cultural divisions in order to gain or hold on to power, a country where people have been brainwashed into thinking that seeming to win a vote is freedom. Until that is wiped from our society and those who use it in government gone I believe we will still be on the tipping point.

[source information Paul Mason, The New European, Feb 3-9, 2022]

Lucca

Bodach, If Johnson were a competent , HONEST, trustworthy, caring PM nobody would bother much how he looked.
He’s so much more than a buffoon. Out for himself is what he is.

My thoughts exactly, Lucca.

If he were a good PM we'd probably be secretly proud of his 'eccentricity'. As he is the diametric opposite of 'good' we can only blush and hang our heads in shame.

Not defending Boris as such, but actually I hate to see anyone at these sort of events, being a Billy No Mates. Haven’t forgotten how embarrassing it looked at some summit or other when David Cameron extended a hand to Nicholas Sarkozy, who pointedly ignored him, leaving DC to turn it into an awkward pat on the shoulder. And Theresa May left sitting on her own at some EU gathering, obv sent to Coventry by the others.

To me, it looks juvenile, a bit like leaving a guest on their own.

I would feel the same if it had been Jeremy Corbin or Tony Blair or Nick Clegg.

Oh, but not Putin. He deserves to be ostracised.

Bodach, If Johnson were a competent , HONEST, trustworthy, caring PM nobody would bother much how he looked.
He’s so much more than a buffoon. Out for himself is what he is.

Well of course tabloid hacks can twist anything, but you can’t deny that at least Macron and other leaders look like they’ve made an effort with their appearance whether we like it or not, and a picture paints a thousand words etc etc. Little Englanders wanted to be isolated and now they are.

CvD66

Photos from the recent Nato meeting showed that not only is our PM is completely disregarded by fellow Nato members but also that he is unable to connect with anyone with any degree of empathy. He largely stood around looking like the Benny Hill character his supporters seem to love. This country needs a Prime Minister who is able and willing to work with our allies not a bumbling oaf who doesn’t even know how to approach a fellow leaders

Having just 'lurked' into this thread, I'm almost tempted to take on the night shift from Urmstongran, but my bed calls. And, frankly, isn't it all a bit infantile to be reading so much from a few photos taken at a NATO meeting. Or should that be 'projecting so much of one's own biases and personal narratives onto a few photos..'? One could equally write about 'that preening little fellow Macron, in his tight suits and built-up heels, desperately seeking the limelight' or 'that sleepwalking geriatric Biden, perpetually tailed by his minders on the alert for his latest stumbles, gaffes and mis-speaks..'. But that would say much more about the author's own prejudices than about the unwitting and innocent subjects of her/his venom. It surely can't be long before a thread comes along saying something like "Did you see the photo of that buffoon Johnson wearing a slightly wider tie than normal during PM's Questions the other day? He must have dribbled his breakfast soft boiled egg down his shirt front that morning, and was attempting a cover-up. How have we ended up with a PM who single-handedly, and against the wishes of all right thinking people, forced through the ocean-going disaster that is BREXIT - and cannot even swallow his breakfast without spreading it all over Downing Street? When will this country be delivered from...etc etc etc".

Yawn....
Goodnight all.

I can't believe there are still people willing to defend the PMs poor record of alleged leadership. He took on a post that requires making serious and well informed decisions, having gravitas, leading our country through whatever challenges come our way... the PM got the Tory leadership because the grandes saw him as the one trick pony to win remainers over and ' get Brexit done'. Sadly he got GB 'done' & he is not up to the other challenges. He needs to re read the Nolan principles.

I think that's very harsh vegansrock. Worzel takes great pride in his appearance and often looks very dapper.

Not sure you need to toughen up urmston

Macron is Mr Suave compared to Johnson, who is more like Worzel Gummidge.

Sorry Daisy crossed posts I think ?

Urmstongran

I’m out. Thank you for an entertaining discourse.
I shall exit before you all get too mean and even more personal.
Honestly have a think on yourselves!
No wonder many ‘lurkers’ avoid engaging.

Quite nasty. (again, but hey, I’m toughening up).

Fgs urmston stop playing victim.you are anything but. Where were these nasty posts.. oh yes i forgot you don’t answer questions, silly me

I see that people are not sharing your opinion Urmstongran but what was "mean". If you are referring to comments about Johnson, I have seen you make much worse allegations against Biden and generally they were just based on unfounded opinion.

What was the other bit? Oh yes. What exactly was "nasty" and/or personal?

I am sure we can sort it out once you explain the accusations you have made.

I’m out. Thank you for an entertaining discourse.
I shall exit before you all get too mean and even more personal.
Honestly have a think on yourselves!
No wonder many ‘lurkers’ avoid engaging.

Quite nasty. (again, but hey, I’m toughening up).

Johnson looks scarily like Benny Hill. Shambling about, mumbling, he’s not the PM we need during these tough times

on hear on here

Goodness that sounds sad Barmyoldbat. Any babes on hear could well be ... shall we just say older than the average "babe"? Mind you Boris doesn't seem to care as long as they are female.

Urmstongran

Lucca you’re another one who’s missed the joke against Boris. Macron was adjusting Boris’ tie for him?
Oh never mind it’s never funny f you have to explain a joke.

Not that joke I
Meant the telegraph article

Boris babes still about

Petera

Urmstongran

Well I fail to see how he can be popular with Putin and Zelensky Petera! That doesn’t add up.

Do you really think there's any mileage for Ukraine in Zelensky publicly saying that Johnson is an idiot? Is that what you would do in his position?

Thankfully there will be people behind Boris running our help to Ukraine. It appears those trained in this area are rather more competent than Conservative Ministers.

Oh please, just no!

Boris did look a bit Billy No Mates but I rather think he is the type who does when he isn't the centre of attention. He was not invited to one of the meetings because we are not a member of the EU. I wonder if he has forgotten that this is the case?

Biden, on the other hand, is exactly the man for the job. He is a statesman and has great knowledge of political negotiation. Perhaps we can have one of those next time around.

Why on earth would Zelensky even consider Boris to be an idiot? He is appreciative of the UK’s response.

Yes you’re probably right, Esspee but seeing him standing there like a bag of shxx looking very unstatesmanlike, I felt for him as I would any other sad ol’ pathetic geezer who’s had his day, but still thinks he’s the bees knees. A mixture of contempt and pity.

Urmstongran

Well I fail to see how he can be popular with Putin and Zelensky Petera! That doesn’t add up.

Do you really think there's any mileage for Ukraine in Zelensky publicly saying that Johnson is an idiot? Is that what you would do in his position?