Why is Boris still PM if he's going to do no work?

I’d be guessing the shredder is working overtime if nothing else.

What a funny photo when half the world is on holiday, very important people too. What is he doing? Buying food in a supermarket?
I'm in France and have seen several photos of Macron down South where he has been since July I believe. I think it was in Le Figaro that we were assured he was in daily contact with Élisabeth Borne - that is when he wasn't out in his canoë or on his jet ski.

He could have allowed the leadership election to happen sooner but he has chosen to remain in office so his leadership will be slightly less embarrassingly short and so he can squeeze in his holidays.

Mamie

Not forgetting that Johnson had already had a holiday in Slovenia.....

And a few days in Cornwall not long ago...

Joseanne

What a funny photo when half the world is on holiday, very important people too. What is he doing? Buying food in a supermarket?
I'm in France and have seen several photos of Macron down South where he has been since July I believe. I think it was in Le Figaro that we were assured he was in daily contact with Élisabeth Borne - that is when he wasn't out in his canoë or on his jet ski.

Just remind me again how much the French people are paying for their energy compared to the U.K.? Maybe Macron did something about the problem before he took a holiday?

Joseanne Macron is at Brégancon which is the historic summer residence of the French presidents. There has been news footage of him meeting firefighters.
I am sure nobody would mind if Johnson was at Chequers.

The French government including Macron addressed the cost of living issue before going on holiday, . Thus amongst other things energy has been pegged at 4% in 2022 and no rise at all in 2023.

MaizieD

Mamie

Not forgetting that Johnson had already had a holiday in Slovenia.....

And a few days in Cornwall not long ago...

So is it the numerous destinations people are worried about? If Boris had stayed in say Bournemouth all summer, would that have been better?

Yes. There is no comparison with Macron. It is not Macron's last few weeks in office. And France just is not facing the kind of multiple serious issues the UK is. NO comparison.

Mamie

Joseanne Macron is at Brégancon which is the historic summer residence of the French presidents. There has been news footage of him meeting firefighters.
I am sure nobody would mind if Johnson was at Chequers.

The pompiers are doing such an amazing job Mamie in awful conditions. Brittany has been hard hit sadly.

Joseanne

MaizieD

Mamie

Not forgetting that Johnson had already had a holiday in Slovenia.....

And a few days in Cornwall not long ago...

So is it the numerous destinations people are worried about? If Boris had stayed in say Bournemouth all summer, would that have been better?

Well if he'd gone to Bournemouth all summer he'd have been able to pop up to Westminster for Cabinet Meetings.

I'm bemused by this attitude that its summer and they all deserve a holiday. The country is falling apart around them and the best the two candidates for leader can come up with is having a go at the devolved nations and diverting money to Tunbridge Wells.

If you're running the country and said country is disintegrating, put your holiday on hold. Try to do something about it. Too much to hope for from Johnson and his gang, I know.

Ah well, Sunak was visiting in Rutland at the week-end ;) same speech as in Tunbridge perhaps?

I think the point is that if a head of state or PM is at an official residence they can still carry out the full range of their responsibilities. I am not sure that wandering (ineptly) round a Greek supermarket provides quite the same opportunities.
Theresa May visited Macron at the Fort de Brégancon when PM. It is a wonderful historic fortress near Bormes-les-Mimosas right on the Mediterranean.

GagaJo

Just that really. Is he only remaining as official PM to get paid? Because if he has no intention of working, surely he should be taken off the books, as any of us would be if we absented ourselves from work.

They are all on their hols for six and a half weeks, then they go back for a couple of weeks before another jolly conference.

Poor things must be worn out.

He must think he's on gardening leave.

They're not supposed to be on holiday. Recess is a time when they can take a holiday but it's not supposed to be the whole recess. It's a time when they deal with major and minor issues in their constituencies, hold surgeries, help out the people who voted them in. In theory the PM or any cabinet minister has to be on call and ready to return if needed. At the moment the country is lurching from one crisis to another and the PM should be here. It's fine to go on holiday when things are ticking over nicely but they're not and his place is in Downing Street.

Before anyone says that no one else has to do that, there are jobs where people have to be ready to return to work. When I was little my dad phoned work at 9am every morning. If something had cropped up he would be called back. If it was early in our holidays we might stay and he'd collect us later but if it was towards the end or looked like it was something big then that was the end of our holiday. We'd have to pack up and come home.

My dad had an important job but he wasn't as important as the PM. Johnson should be here doing sorting things out, not pretending that he can't do anything because the new PM may not like what he does. The new PM doesn't take over until September. In the mean time the old PM should be steering the ship. Instead we're rudderless and floundering. If he doesn't want to do the job then fine, hand the keys to Number 10 over the the deputy PM and bugger off but don't expect to get paid.

Removal vans outside Downing Street today. Speculation about whether they will strip off the wallpaper.

Alioop

He must think he's on gardening leave.

Then he should be mowing the lawns at No 10 and Chequers ready for the next incumbent.

Excellent post VQ @13.32.

I don't know where people get this idea that Parliament in recess means that MPs are all away on holiday and doing nothing..

Exactly Vampirequeen. My late father was in the Met Police and I can't tell you just how many family trips, events, had to be either cancelled or my Mother take us without him, because all leave would be cancelled. It was the way it was for us growing up, which makes all of those people excusing the lazy git even more irritating as far as I am concerned. As I said a while ago, Johnson always fancied the idea of being PM, and the idea of being an ex Pm with the opportunities that gives. It was the bit in between that he had a problem with. Anyone else notice how the Ukraine president has been dropped from best friends list now that he is no longer useful to Johnson to show off with?

vq, yes and those were the days before Zoom.
I remember DH driving all the way back from our holiday (admittedly in Cornwall, not overseas) for a meeting at work, leaving us all there, then driving back again the next day, problems solved, crisis averted!

Why do we have a Deputy Prime Minister? It seems to be pointless, but then, it's not a salaried position.

Number 10 Libby briefing had confirmed that the lazy oik is not in constant touch, isn’t not working remotely, or, indeed, at all.

He will only be contacted if something urgent happens.

I wonder what, in his world, would count as urgent? I doubt it’s be anything affecting anyone other than himself.

Grrrr. Lobby.

In answer the the WP the Guardian has kindly reported:
www.theguardian.com/politics/2022/aug/15/boris-johnsons-summer-of-fun-what-has-the-pm-been-doing
Lots of jolly hollies with pay.

He's giving the populace a great big 'f**k you' for rejecting him. Taking the pay and every perk he can wring out while he can.