Am I alone in finding this so tawdry?

I really do think that there appears to be a mass amnesia occurring on GN?

The abuse, name calling, and micro examinations of the Conservative Government & Leadership both on here and in the press was appalling.

Priti Patel depicted as a bull anyone?

Boris Johnson, well far too many to mention, his dress sense (lack of) his hair, his education, even his family history was pulled over the coals.

Rishi Sunak abused for his stature, his clothing choices.

It happens if you are the Party in Government you will be criticised and examined in detail, and rightly so!

Perhaps Labour supporters are just not used to their party being in Government?

It cuts both ways though GrannyGravy13! I don’t care what people say personally about any politicians, and long may our critiques continue, but criticising their actions is only right as long as the facts which underpin the argument a poster makes are sound. It does my head in when incorrect information is posted to cause an argument, particularly when it’s very easy to find correct information. The posts about boat migrants is a good example of that.

No mass amnesia, I recall it perfectly well,

but the difference is that the papers -and GN discussions also reported policy actions and decisions by the government and the opposition in detail, not a blank wall as we see now.

So I recall perfectly well all the ideas and plans for Rwanda, the debates over pay in the public sector, funding and benefits issues, and a myriad of others.

Perhaps when we actually have an opposition party it will get better and "news and politics" actually has politics in?

Mr Johnson carefully created an image for himself. I heard a fascinating programe about it on Radio 4. He set about apppealing to the masses, as a distraction to his life of privilige.
The zip wire stunt, Boris ( one of us), a bit of a laugh and so on.
This extended to his appearance, the ill fitting suits, the wayward hair. We were lead to believe that there lurked inwardy some sort of superior intelligence in there. That he would "see us right".

So in terms of criticising his image it was a different ball game.

I am disappointed at the mess we are in. A green trouser suit is the least of our worries right now, in my opinion.

I cannot grasp how a ‘friend’ would offer to pay for clothes and glasses. Reminds me of a bossy aunt insisting on paying for a hat for me when I said I wasn’t intending to wear one to a cousin’s wedding. I chose the hat, wore it and fairly soon after passed it on to someone who asked on Freegle for a wedding hat. She was delighted, I like to think the hat is still doing the rounds!

It depends what you read.
I've read that it was a donation, by a long standing and generous donor, and that it was glasses.

Strange indeed though.

I can't imagine choosing a bagful of glasses for someone else.

It smacks of Del Boy Trotter...
"There ya go, Rodders, feast your mince pies on this little lot!!"

I really do think that there appears to be a mass amnesia occurring on GN?

I think it could be termed 'selective amnesia' Grannygravy13

Allira

^I really do think that there appears to be a mass amnesia occurring on GN?^

I think it could be termed 'selective amnesia' Grannygravy13

Yes.

Allira

^I really do think that there appears to be a mass amnesia occurring on GN?^

I think it could be termed 'selective amnesia' Grannygravy13

Yes indeed.

Sorry you are all correct I should have posted selective amnesia

Tell us specifically what you mean GrannyGravy13?

I haven’t forgotten anything about the past 14 years. At this stage of his PM’ship Johnson was attempting to illegally prorogue parliament

Casdon

Tell us specifically what you mean GrannyGravy13?

It’s more of the surprise of some posters that the media and GN members are picking up on the hypocrisy of KS and his MPs, and publishing the details of freebies of course the Government will be scrutinised.

After all since the beginning of GN we have had the same applied to the Conservatives, which some posters appear to have forgotten.

😁

But GrannyGravy13, the selective amnesia won’t let those suffering from it remember that.
Actually, I’m confused. If anyone is arguing that they can’t remember that, does it matter?

It happened, and I do remember, but as long as Starmer has agreed it’s wrong and he and his cabinet shouldn’t do it, it doesn’t matter to me if people claim they can’t remember.
For me it’s more important that MPs won’t continue to accept freebies, and the media will be keeping a close eye on that.

Mollygo 👏👏👏

You are correct, if KS and his front bench hadn’t continuously commented on and berated the Conservatives for accepting freebies this would have been a non-story.

It’s the hypocrisy I find distasteful.

Stop all freebies for all MPs.

Monetary donations toward election campaigns only, and they have to be itemised for what, where and when the money was used.

Stop all freebies for all MPs

YES

GrannyGravy13

Casdon

Tell us specifically what you mean GrannyGravy13?

It’s more of the surprise of some posters that the media and GN members are picking up on the hypocrisy of KS and his MPs, and publishing the details of freebies of course the Government will be scrutinised.

After all since the beginning of GN we have had the same applied to the Conservatives, which some posters appear to have forgotten.

I do remember, and understand what you’re saying, of course it was bound to be the case that the tables would be turned post election, and any errors by the new government would be picked up by those who don’t support them. As long as people differentiate between the facts of the case and their views about individual politicians I’ve got no issue with it.

I am disappointed at the mess we are in. A green trouser suit is the least of our worries right now, in my opinion.

It isn't the green trouser suit that is the problem, it is the person wearing it.

eazybee

^I am disappointed at the mess we are in. A green trouser suit is the least of our worries right now, in my opinion.^

It isn't the green trouser suit that is the problem, it is the person wearing it.

In what way is that?

Foxie
Casdon totally agree and tbh I am struggling to understand why it's less acceptable to be bought some decent expensive clothes to wear for work and for public occasions than it is to have first class air tickets, expensive hotels or the use of a private helicopter given to you.

But who are you accusing of saying any of those things were/are right?
At the time, it was said they were wrong, so why is it right now regardless of the cost.
That’s very Starmer speak for “wrong if you’re doing it, but OK if I do it”.

Mollygo because of the way it's been reported in the media. Sunak was pilloried for using tax payers money to pay for helicopters, the fact that vile Hester (who supplied him with free transport by helicopters) was donating so much cash to the Tories and the fact he seemed unwilling to travel even fairly short distances by car or train. It was not about accepting donations of free helicopters.
Farage's recent trip to the US was mainly report in terms of the purpose of his trip, when he made a joke in his address to the Reform conference about Starmer's glasses, the Independent brought up his £30+K trip to the US but it wasn't big news and I notice no one has commented on my posts when I've raised this use of donor's money to put Clacton on the world stage, which tbh I find hilarious!

foxie48

Mollygo because of the way it's been reported in the media. Sunak was pilloried for using tax payers money to pay for helicopters, the fact that vile Hester (who supplied him with free transport by helicopters) was donating so much cash to the Tories and the fact he seemed unwilling to travel even fairly short distances by car or train. It was not about accepting donations of free helicopters.
Farage's recent trip to the US was mainly report in terms of the purpose of his trip, when he made a joke in his address to the Reform conference about Starmer's glasses, the Independent brought up his £30+K trip to the US but it wasn't big news and I notice no one has commented on my posts when I've raised this use of donor's money to put Clacton on the world stage, which tbh I find hilarious!

I think it’s because Nigel Farage isn’t the PM. and little chance of ever being elected as such. It was reported, and discussed on GN.

Rishi Sunak could have and in my opinion should have used other forms of transport, he is no longer the PM, it was in the press and on GN, at the time.

Sir Starmer is the PM, and in depth scrutiny comes with the job.

Eliminate freebies as I suggested up thread, simples.