Kwasi Kwarteng at the Queen’s funeral.

Whitewavemark2

Whitewavemark2

Maybe the government has slapped a D notice on the episode?

Well the government has a sort of “arrangement” with the press. The government advise the press which stories they don’t want published often because of so called national security, but I think it goes further than that tbh.

It isn’t legally binding and is a British arrangement. The press always comply as far as I can see.

Along the lines of when Prince Harry was in Afghanistan - there was 'an arrangement' for the British press not to query his whereabouts, as he surely would have been missed by the royal watching press.

It was an Australian outlet that let the cat out of the bag.

There was a daft, click baity thing in the Times Online asking ‘why was Kwarteng laughing?’
But it didn’t offer any explanation at all, just repeated that he’d been seen laughing.
Not much has been made of the clip where he put his whole hand over his face. Others have described it as ‘wiping his face’, but he wasn’t.
He looked really off his nut in that clip.

I’m away FannyC with occasional WiFi so not heard news but caught up via newsprint
I think you’re right whitewave, it’s been slapped with some kind of injunction. I can’t work out how it isn’t in the public interest to expect an explanation of some kind

Well I never. I thought that I was quite knowledgeable about the press etc
Thank you WW
So, for instance, if Nick Abbot had read out the offending text, he would have been in trouble with his bosses, but not breaking any actual ‘rule’.
And LBC would be risking access to interviews with Tory politicians etc

Sorry wrong quote?

Whitewavemark2

Maybe the government has slapped a D notice on the episode?

Well the government has a sort of “arrangement” with the press. The government advise the press which stories they don’t want published often because of so called national security, but I think it goes further than that tbh.

It isn’t legally binding and is a British arrangement. The press always comply as far as I can see.

Saw this on Reddit earlier

Sorry, WW, what does that mean?
Whatever they have done, it’s working admirably

Maybe the government has slapped a D notice on the episode?

Iam64 it’s so intriguing and frustrating isn’t it!

Interesting why and how would he be ‘working’ at a state funeral?

And his actions this week don’t speak to me as being the actions of a man ‘uncomfortable’ with ‘wasted money’, or indeed a bloke with any sort of social conscience.

Have you been listening to the news at all?

Maybe he was laughing at the serfs who think the money hidden by the the rich abroad and tax lost does not make any difference to their lives.

www.theguardian.com/news/2017/nov/05/revealed-queen-private-estate-invested-offshore-paradise-papers

Maybe he was uncomfortable seeing the huge amount of money being wasted and possibly was working unlike the other lazy Conservatives who after wasting months fighting each other in internal elections have decided to skive off for a week, why? The Queen's not their close relative. I found the whole funeral and the BBC reporting distasteful when there are children and parents and pensioners in the UK wondering how they are going to pay their bills and making decisions about food or warmth.

That’s interesting FannyC. That sounds like some kind of news black out. How and why?

Listening to Nick Abbot last night/ tonight.

Nick started reading out a text from a listener about KK, he tailed off, and stopped reading it.

It went like this:
‘something something…Kwateng laughing at the…no…I can’t read that…’

So something is definitely going on.
Abbot doesn’t shy away from controversy at all.
Very odd indeed

Perhaps he was laughing at the thought of the mini-Budget he was going to unleash on us and all the money he and his friends might make out of it.
☹

Iam64

Daisymae

I saw the video today and he is clearly laughing. It's extremely odd and he should offer an explanation. He is a senior member of the government, this was an official engagement?

Exactly so.
I’m not a Tory voter but I’m not tribal enough to raise concerns because I don’t agree with Kwateng’s politics. As a senior member of our government, his behaviour needs explaining

I think the only explanation can be either he had an earpiece connected to his mobile and is laughing at something someone's said during a conversation, or he was having some kind of emotional / mental 'struggle' which caused him to behave inappropriately.

Considering the backlash Corbyn received for not singing the national anthem in St Paul's on the 75th anniversary of the BOB as a member of the Opposition, then QK should explain himself. At least Corbyn stood in respectful silence.

I'll personally give him (QK) the benefit of the doubt and assume he had a reason, but he should be held to account.

Daisymae

I saw the video today and he is clearly laughing. It's extremely odd and he should offer an explanation. He is a senior member of the government, this was an official engagement?

Exactly so.
I’m not a Tory voter but I’m not tribal enough to raise concerns because I don’t agree with Kwateng’s politics. As a senior member of our government, his behaviour needs explaining

I saw the video today and he is clearly laughing. It's extremely odd and he should offer an explanation. He is a senior member of the government, this was an official engagement?

I feel sick at the way he is borrowing while slinging more money towards the wealthy and expecting people on UC to actively seek extra hours or have their benefit cut. Now UC is supposed to be calculated by ”What the law says you need to live on” How on earth have we got back to Victorian values where the poor working all the hours god sends, deserved to be poor because they were lazy?

Theoddbird

So nobody ever wipes their face and sways? I did once when I felt unwell. As none of you were there I don't think any of you have the right to judge. A newspaper picture could have easily been altered.

I too think that nobody should judge the man without knowing the real reason.It is all supposition after all.
Feeling unwell, very tired, panicked and claustrophobic are all reasons, it is unfair to say ‘he was high’ as we do not know that.

Could have had an earpiece for phone in ?

He's clearly laughing. Again I repeat, Suella Braverman glances at him and looks uncomfortable. Of course the government won't comment on it. They rarely did when others behaved poorly in public. Some people on here seem to want to downplay his behaviour.

Perhaps he suffers from ADHD!

MayBee70

Theoddbird

So nobody ever wipes their face and sways? I did once when I felt unwell. As none of you were there I don't think any of you have the right to judge. A newspaper picture could have easily been altered.

It was a video. Not a photo.

I did give him the benefit of the doubt and thought he might be wiping away a tear.