Missing in-action

Actually Dickens said it much better !

Yes, he should chair it. He should have enough oversight of government functions to have asked, when this was first mooted, relevant departments to bring recommendations to COBRA. Then he should be informed enough to either quickly and decisively sign off on what his ministers consider key actions., or have a clear rationale for rejecting some or all of them.

He should have broad budgetary oversight, too, and be liaising with the Treasury, via the Chancellor, on the cost implications of his decisions.

And he should be able to brief Parliament, and, if necessary, the country on what is being done, by whom, when, and why.

Are those of you who don’t think he should have been there suggesting.he isn’t capable of these fairly basic parts of his job?

Yes

Kit Malthouse has just said that it is actually his job to chair COBRA meetings.

Aveline

Yes

So why call other posters “haters”?

Criticism of the PM is usually dismissed as Boris Bashing. I find myself dismissing the apologies made for him in the same way. I can't call it bashing but then I can't think of a catchy alternative. Johnson Jingoism? Boris Bragging?
Why would he be interested in a COBRA meeting? He never did learn that the devil is in the detail, did he?

Aveline

Yes

Do you think, then, that he is actually doing any of his job?

And if not, should he be forced to leave now?

I don't hate him I just don't rate him. I find the relish with which Boris is bashed amusing really. As previously stated most don't have a good word to say for him yet seem to insist that he has to be seen to be doing, well, anything. He's history. He's not the only one in government there are many ministers and there is a legion of civil servants to keep the show on the road. Don't panic!

Doodledog

Zonne

But COBRA’s role is not to issue warnings. It is to decide on actions at a national level.

Indeed.

I don't know if people are missing the point or just determined to defend Johnson even in the face of such an obvious snub to the people of the country he's supposed to be leading.

I don't know if people are missing the point or just determined to defend Johnson even in the face of such an obvious snub to the people of the country he's supposed to be leading.

I think there's a lot of missing-the-point. Whether we agree with the decision or not the government have declared a national emergency and having done that are obliged to co-ordinate a response of the various agencies and services should this be necessary. And Johnson, even if he doesn't contribute much, needs to know what's going on, at least, and be satisfied that everything's in hand. I mean, it is his job isn't it to be informed, and make decisions about the country he's running on behalf of the people who voted for his party (and those who didn't)? I just don't understand why some don't get that.

I'm pretty sure - should there be a crisis that has been mismanaged during this particular heatwave - some of those complaining about being 'nannied' would be among the first to ask questions as to why the government didn't do this, that or the other.

I'm also sure that Johnson probably doesn't essentially need to be physically present and that he can be briefed after the meeting BUT, having missed too many other previous COBRA meetings during a crisis, his laissez faire approach to this one simply comes across as uncaring and indifferent. Had he not missed the previous ones (5 in all I think) he could probably have avoided this one without much notice or comment.

Yet somehow, we're being unreasonable and having a 'hate-Johnson fest' for pointing out the fact that the man just isn't doing the job that his party elected him to do, and which the taxpayer is paying him to do!

Maybe we're all 'oh-Jeremy-Corbyn' leftie-wokes determined to bully the man out of office ?

Personally, as much as I dislike this current Tory government and their PM - I think they made the right decision to decide this was a national emergency and feel that they are damned because they did and would quite likely be damned if they didn't. So in this instance, I will defend the government's decision, because I'm not out to attack them purely for the sake of it. They are not 'nannying' us, nor trying to 'control' us (as some on FB believe), they are simply and sensibly being pragmatic. Like Baden-Powell's Boy Scouts, they are being Prepared.

Well said Dickens.

Boris missing in action- what’s new? He’s taking all the advantages with none of the responsibilities. Has government come to a standstill with lots of legislation put on hold? Whilst the Tory leadership candidates concentrate on self promotion and trashing opponents junior ministers are running the show. Why do we have a deputy Prime Minister if not to step up in this sort of situation.

DiamondLily

Johnson is still being paid his salary, so he should try and act like a PM for once, instead of pretending he's Top Gun and arranging a freebie party for his chums..

Oh please can we not keep dragging the ‘party’ on and on.

What is the point of a deputy prime minister? Surely he should have been put in charge and Boris should leave immediately…?

Sorry Nannina our posts crossed!

He like the rest of the government do not care a S--- about us the people they are supposed to repersent they care only for lining their pockets and partying the soone Boris is kicked out nd his cronies with him the better then the new PM should call an election and let the people show them who they really trust if any

I doubt Cobra can do much other than survey the scene. The real work falls on the relevant services, underfunded as they often are. But we can do without loose cannon like Raab and Malthouse implying people should go to the coast or to work when they would be best advised to stay at home. I see Truss and Sunak have just pulled out of the next TV debate as it's damaging to the party. Which party? The Tory party or Johnson party?

Surely Boris staying on as PM but not actually doing the job amounts to having his cake and eating it. I don't think that there's any real excuse.

As for belittling the possible risks of an extreme heatwave, the government estimates that 1600 people died last year due to heat related causes and it wasn't as hot as it is now. The vast majority of deaths due to heat stress in the UK are amongst the over 65s.

Who did chair the Cobra meeting? Was even Dominic Raab, as deputy, there? I haven't been able to find that out.

I do know that he has said in public that "People should be resilient enough to enjoy the sunshine."
Before anyone says 'yes, of course!' I an 81 and at risk, and I am taking this declared emergency seriously.

Really can't see what all the fuss is about. Most on here wanted Boris out. So he's going. Most wanted him to go immediately. So why do most want him to chair a meeting or be at any meetings?
Perhaps because they feel nobody is as competent as him?

BJ will be too busy packing boxes for his removal to attend meetings. After all Cartie has two children to look after in the heatwave.

Whinge, whinge, whinge. Perhaps you will soon be blaming him for the heatwave. Who knows, people are stupid enough to do so, or are you not derogatory enough?

Enough said. Just carry on bleating.

Regards to all!

I find it amazing that this country is in a panic about some never known before high temperatures yet will willingly pay thousands of pounds to jet off somewhere that regularly has these highs.

Of course, must be Boris's fault. Yes, let's blame him as it
seems Boris bashing has become a national past-time.

I ask the question folks - while he maybe not everyone's choice right now, in his shoes, could you do better?

Baggs

If social services and carers (visiting or in homes for the elderly) are doing their jobs properly, why does government need to be involved in looking after (how, anyway?) old people at risk from the effects of a summer heatwave?

Rule no 1 for PMs in national emergencies: turn up.

It may even be practically counterproductive, but people seem to expect it.

Unless someone has stood for election to leader of a major political party, whether they could do better is irrelevant. It's like asking if we could do better than a nurse at nursing or a teacher at teaching.

It's not a national pastime to 'Boris bash'. It has become more and more the case that people have so much about his leadership about which to complain, which is not at all the same thing. 'Bashing' sounds as though people who have a useless leader (as decided by his own party!) have no right to say so, and are mindlessly criticising. We are not. We are saying that at a time of (government declared) National Emergency we should expect the PM to lead the government in making policy decisions about how to deal with it. Yes, he will be briefed by the experts so despised by the Tories until they needed them to 'deliver the vaccination programme' for which they take credit, but ultimately policy decisions are at least nominally in Johnson's hands, and he needs to be at meetings if he is to make them with any degree of competence.

I have no intention of defending Boris Johnson, but I do wonder why we are all wasting our time expecting him to change now?

If he had wanted to or been able to change in any way, he would surely have done it long since.

Another point that could be consider here is that most people do not take a great deal of interest in their job once they have either been fired or handed in their resignation.

The sad thing is that there is little choice in rotten apples and it does not seem to me that any of the contenders for leader of the Conservative party have any idea how they intend to get the country out of its present dire situation.

Nothing is likely to change much before the next general election, and it is still some way off.