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The Ministerial code is to be watered down

(109 Posts)
TopsyIrene06 Fri 27-May-22 15:29:28

Pippa Crerar reports that the PM has watered down the ministerial code allowing ministers to break the rules without resigning. He has also blocked a bid to give his ethics advisor the power to investigate him. In addition, he also dismissed calls from Lord Geidt who asked for the power to launch an independent investigation of behaviour in the wake of the Downing Street flat row.
Anybody else picked this up?

midgey Fri 27-May-22 15:31:02

Words fail me! Sums the man up.

Grandmabatty Fri 27-May-22 15:34:47

Sleepwalking into a dictatorship

Lovetopaint037 Fri 27-May-22 15:47:54

And all I hear from an apparently intelligent friend is “We had the fastest roll out of the vaccine”.

volver Fri 27-May-22 15:49:32

I just read this:

Johnson has also rewritten the foreword to the code, removing all references to honesty, integrity, transparency and accountability.

How far can this go?

MawtheMerrier Fri 27-May-22 15:52:54

volver

I just read this:

Johnson has also rewritten the foreword to the code, removing all references to honesty, integrity, transparency and accountability.

How far can this go?

When you’re losing the match, and all else fails, move the goalposts.
#disgustedbuthardlysurprised

Nandalot Fri 27-May-22 15:53:01

I wish I could say this was unbelievable. Unfortunately, I can’t.

DiamondLily Fri 27-May-22 15:56:47

Says it all. ?

Whitewavemark2 Fri 27-May-22 16:04:58

I am worried. Just how far is he going to go?

Doodledog Fri 27-May-22 16:05:52

What will it take to bring about a vote of no confidence?

AGAA4 Fri 27-May-22 16:07:48

Any MPs wavering about whether he should go should surely find this the last straw.

Esspee Fri 27-May-22 16:07:56

I am beginning to feel positively sick at the direction this country is heading.
The sooner Scotland, Ireland and Wales detaches themselves from the corrupt government the English have voted in and leaves them to wallow in the degradation, the better.

Grandmabatty Fri 27-May-22 16:13:18

Esspee I couldn't agree more. I was never a fan of independence but I am now. I want Scotland to be unshackled from this fascist government. And I don't say that lightly

OakDryad Fri 27-May-22 16:13:55

Comparing Gordon Brown to Gaddafi
Johnson writing in the Telegraph published 28 Feb 2011

When a regime has been in power too long, when it has fatally exhausted the patience of the people, and when oblivion finally beckons – I am afraid that across the world you can rely on the leaders of that regime to act solely in the interests of self-preservation, and not in the interests of the electorate.

Callistemon21 Fri 27-May-22 16:16:31

Esspee

I am beginning to feel positively sick at the direction this country is heading.
The sooner Scotland, Ireland and Wales detaches themselves from the corrupt government the English have voted in and leaves them to wallow in the degradation, the better.

I don't want Wales to detach itself.

I want a decent Government at Westminster led by a person with integrity.

volver Fri 27-May-22 16:17:12

Grandmabatty

Esspee I couldn't agree more. I was never a fan of independence but I am now. I want Scotland to be unshackled from this fascist government. And I don't say that lightly

I've never thought of doing this before but I'm thinking of writing to the 6 Scottish Tory MPs. I don't have much hope of sense from Jack but Mundell seems to be a sensible enough chap, if a bit easily led. Goodness knows about Ross.

GrannyGravy13 Fri 27-May-22 16:22:13

We desperate need a general election PDQ

TopsyIrene06 Fri 27-May-22 16:29:01

I don't say it lightly either Grandmabatty. I never saw myself as a nationalist but now I am not so sure. I am ashamed at the behaviour of the Westminster government and all the yes men that are loyal to that despot. Have none of them got any backbone to kick him out?

Esspee Fri 27-May-22 16:31:49

Callistemon21

Esspee

I am beginning to feel positively sick at the direction this country is heading.
The sooner Scotland, Ireland and Wales detaches themselves from the corrupt government the English have voted in and leaves them to wallow in the degradation, the better.

I don't want Wales to detach itself.

I want a decent Government at Westminster led by a person with integrity.

If we had a decent government at Westminster led by a person with integrity I can agree with you Callistemon21 but we don’t and the spineless Tory MPs who won’t do anything to rock their boat and can’t seem to understand that they are likely to be unemployed come the next election won’t take a stand.

OakDryad Fri 27-May-22 16:34:11

Boris Johnson has suffered the first resignation of a frontbencher since the publication of Sue Gray’s damning report into Partygate with the departure of Paul Holmes as a ministerial aide to the home secretary.

In a statement to his Eastleigh constituents, Holmes said his work as an MP had been “tarnished by the toxic culture that seemed to have permeated Number 10"

Over the last few weeks this distress has led me to conclude that I want to continue to focus solely on my efforts in being your member of parliament and the campaigns that are important to you,” he said.

www.theguardian.com/politics/2022/may/27/ministerial-aide-quits-over-toxic-culture-at-no-10-after-sue-gray-report-paul-holmes

DaisyAnne Fri 27-May-22 16:35:14

Boris Johnson is changing the rules to let ministers avoid resigning if they break the ministerial code, allowing them to apologise or temporarily lose their pay instead.

The prime minister, who is facing claims of breaching the code, published a policy statement on Friday saying it is “disproportionate to expect that any breach, however minor, should lead automatically to resignation or dismissal”.

Fairly obvious why.

[Source: Guardian ]

volver Fri 27-May-22 16:35:30

I would like to hear from any people who normally support Johnson what they think of this. Just to be clear, he might be found guilty of breaking the rules, which means he would have to resign, so he is changing the rules that say he would have to resign.

Is there any defence for this at all?

Callistemon21 Fri 27-May-22 16:36:39

I'll get platitudes from my MP.

Grany Fri 27-May-22 17:19:09

This is what happens when you don't have a written constitution and, instead of an elected Head of State, a feudal relic who is all but powerless to do anything.

Not surprisingly is it?

Esspee Fri 27-May-22 17:26:39

OakDryad

^Boris Johnson has suffered the first resignation of a frontbencher since the publication of Sue Gray’s damning report into Partygate with the departure of Paul Holmes as a ministerial aide to the home secretary.^

In a statement to his Eastleigh constituents, Holmes said his work as an MP had been “tarnished by the toxic culture that seemed to have permeated Number 10"

Over the last few weeks this distress has led me to conclude that I want to continue to focus solely on my efforts in being your member of parliament and the campaigns that are important to you,” he said.

www.theguardian.com/politics/2022/may/27/ministerial-aide-quits-over-toxic-culture-at-no-10-after-sue-gray-report-paul-holmes

Now that is a man with integrity. Respect to Paul Homes.