Partygate

Why were the No 10 party-goers who were fined only fined £50 when numerous ordinary people were fine thousands (average £6000)?

And why did neither Sue Gray not the Met investigate parties in the PM's flat?

I think all the £1,000+ fines for ordinary people should be quashed or reduced to £50 (which is all Johnson paid). The disparity in fining is a disgrace. What were magistrates thinking of?

I can't bear the thought of watching it. I would be so angry I wouldn't be able to sleep.

Is this a documentary or a drama?

On the one hand, do you believe it given the media hatred of Boris and co, on the other hand, it's possibly the figment of someone's imagination.

What worries me is that there was obviously a culture of heavy drinking and parties before Covid lockdowns and possibly since. Is this how we want the people who run our country to behave?

It is a "docudrama", part real life scenes from the time and part drama. However although the drama included fictional characters and invented dialogue, the scenes were based on facts as evidenced , amongst other things, by the Sue Gray report, which many regarded as letting the party-goers off lightly.

As for the media's "hatred" of Boris Johnson, he was consistently cheered on by The Daily Mail, The Express, The Telegraph, The Sun, The Times and much of the broadcast media.

I think Boris came across as quite a weak and insecure person in Partygate. He didn't seem able to control his team and just let them do as they liked. He was definitely against lockdowns but seemed to be overruled by the 'experts' and went with the flow. Very surprised by this.

I watched it last night and it made me very angry. So much was left under wraps. It makes me wonder how much more the general public have not been told. I agree that either the fines for those in power should be increased to match those of the general public, or the general public should have their's reduced.
What came over as well was the sense of entitlement by the Spads.

I looked for reviews of "Partygate" in various newspapers

The Independent, The Times, The Standard, The Guardian and Metro all gave it a 4* review.

The Financial Times gave it 3* and The Telegraph 2*

I couldn't find a review in The Daily Mail, The Express or The Sun - I wonder why?

It made me very angry and disgusted at the quality of the so called advisers; all from the same pool of talentless, connected people, many destined to be candidates for parliamentary seats in the future. This programme should be compulsory before anyone is allowed anywhere near a voting booth. Frankly, if the Tories are returned to government after this, then this country deserves whatever it gets. This was not just about 'a bit of birthday cake' as some tried to tell us (including quite a few on GN), this was about full scale disrespect for the rules, sneering disregard for those of us who did as we were told to do. I would love to hear the opinion of the Johnson apologists, do you still think it was just 'a bit of birthday cake'?

HousePlantQueen

It made me very angry and disgusted at the quality of the so called advisers; all from the same pool of talentless, connected people, many destined to be candidates for parliamentary seats in the future. This programme should be compulsory before anyone is allowed anywhere near a voting booth. Frankly, if the Tories are returned to government after this, then this country deserves whatever it gets. This was not just about 'a bit of birthday cake' as some tried to tell us (including quite a few on GN), this was about full scale disrespect for the rules, sneering disregard for those of us who did as we were told to do. I would love to hear the opinion of the Johnson apologists, do you still think it was just 'a bit of birthday cake'?

Well, at least one poster on this thread seems to think it's the figment of someone's imagination

Of course, if the 'angry masses' did revolt and took control themselves - we'd still end up with some not very nice people in power, right? In such a 'cauldron', extremism always bubbles up to the top. It wouldn't be all love, light, equality and fraternity either!

You're absolutely correct, Dickens. If you study the well known revolutions of the past, however fine the initial motives for them, they usually end up with years of repression and atrocities against supposed enemies of the revolution. Because, as I pointed out on another thread, governing a country in such a way as to keep it stable is not at all easy, particularly if all the previous government machinery has been torn down. The ultimate weapon of control is force and that it what is usually reverted to.

As you can tell, I didn't study political science - this is just my simplistic view of how we-are-where-we-are. grin

Political science is only theory. Putting it into practice is the problem...

After Neil Ferguson ( he who predicted the amount of deaths if we didn’t adhere to the rules) invited his married girlfriend to his flat for some afternoon rumpy pumpy my attitude was: you can all go and f#@k yourselves.
I carried on supporting my family and 2 elderly neighbours.

I did laugh seeing Wills and Harry from The Windsors as revellers!

EEJit

Is this a documentary or a drama?

On the one hand, do you believe it given the media hatred of Boris and co, on the other hand, it's possibly the figment of someone's imagination.

On the one hand, do you believe it given the media hatred of Boris and co

I believe there's been quite a lot of criticism aimed at Johnson (and certain individuals in his then government) - but I'm struggling to find the hatred?

When he resigned, I got the impression that the RW press editorials and articles which appeared soon after were quite supportive of the view that he'd been the victim of a witch-hunt. Of course, there was - as would be expected - a hard-hitting article in The Guardian on his resignation, there was no love-lost there.

Criticism is not hatred, even if harsh. Do you think the RW media really do hate him? I get the impression more that they have forgotten him as they've moved on to other high-profile politicians, and more recent events.

Hatred is a really strong emotion isn't it? I personally dislike him intensely and all he stands for but I cannot bring myself to hate the man.

Not watched this, but reading comments I would recommend watching the wonderful Yes Minister and Yes Prime Minister. Paul Eddington as the minister and the wonderful Nigel Hawthorne as the civil service chap . I think these were made in the 1970's but oh how up to date they are and can be watched and enjoyed still. They are well written, and really make you laugh and you could just picture Johnson Sunak and all in the situations. What a shame Spitting Image is not still going strong. Yes minister is great to remove your fury and frustration . I dont need to watch this programme . Can see the idiots in real life!!

I loved the comment

“They (presumably the little people) need boundaries, but that doesn’t mean us”

Entitled little twerps.

Whitewavemark2

I loved the comment

“They (presumably the little people) need boundaries, but that doesn’t mean us”

Entitled little twerps.

Ah yes and wasn’t she one of the ‘far backs?’

When queried she explained it’s when one’s family goes far back. In her case her father was an hereditary peer.

The kind of comment you’d expect to see in a Jilly Cooper bonkbuster which would be funny if it wasn’t so serious.

They were fictional characters though as if that makes any difference. 🤔

Oh merlotgran that must have been heartbreaking for you.
💐

Similar happened to a friend of mine in Yorkshire. Married 61 years. Nursed her husband at home best she could, till she couldn’t. The ambulance came and as he was guided inside, she gave his hand one last squeeze. And cried herself back up her garden path. He died two days later. And the funeral was no comfort to her. Her only living family (a sister) had to sit socially distanced during the poignant service. Beyond sad.

I couldn’t watch it.We lost three family members during the lockdown.The upset of not being allowed to visit my 93 year old father in law will never go.We have found being reminded of those days has brought the trauma and upset right back

Those advising our politicians looked like a load of alcoholics. And who paid for all the booze and the wine fridge!? As for the fines. £50 for the No. 10 drunks. £10,000 for young people at a snowball fight. I would fight that if I were them.

Urmstongran

Oh merlotgran that must have been heartbreaking for you.
💐

Similar happened to a friend of mine in Yorkshire. Married 61 years. Nursed her husband at home best she could, till she couldn’t. The ambulance came and as he was guided inside, she gave his hand one last squeeze. And cried herself back up her garden path. He died two days later. And the funeral was no comfort to her. Her only living family (a sister) had to sit socially distanced during the poignant service. Beyond sad.

These little snippets from people's lives bring home the reality and the poignancy of the suffering that so many experienced. Unbearably sad.

That is why it's so hard to forgive those that with seeming indifference indulged themselves, breaking rules that they should have been upholding to the nth degree, if only for the sake of common decency.

TBH, I'm tired of the 'Partygate' tag - these were acts of self-gratification and indulgence, showing contempt not only for the 'little people' but the underlying principles of parliamentary law. And then, to lie, deflect and obfuscate and show little to no remorse when held to account is, IMO, a black stain on our parliamentary history. For me, that is worse than the actual 'partying'.

My OH was rushed to hospital during lockdown with a raging infection - I remember his confused expression as they were closing the ambulance doors... "aren't you coming with me?" he said, looking worried and alarmed. I left the paramedics explaining gently to him that "I'm afraid it's not allowed, don't worry, we'll look after you". Nothing compared to what some people went through. He was home 2 days later - still unwell, but they needed the beds.

I have a relative who is fiercely anti-monarchy, but he said that photo' of the Queen sitting alone in the corner at her husband's funeral, in retrospect, reduced him to tears almost. He's aware she had a huge support network (and Andrew I think was sitting not too far away) but it was the fact that she stoically adhered to the rules set by her government because of her sense of duty, that made it so movingly sad. And their self-indulgence so reprehensible.

What about the Queen and the way she sat alone at Prince Philip's funeral?

madeleine45

Not watched this, but reading comments I would recommend watching the wonderful Yes Minister and Yes Prime Minister. Paul Eddington as the minister and the wonderful Nigel Hawthorne as the civil service chap . I think these were made in the 1970's but oh how up to date they are and can be watched and enjoyed still. They are well written, and really make you laugh and you could just picture Johnson Sunak and all in the situations. What a shame Spitting Image is not still going strong. Yes minister is great to remove your fury and frustration . I dont need to watch this programme . Can see the idiots in real life!!

Actually, I did not find "Partygate" funny. Comparing it to a 70s comedy, however well written, is to miss the point completely.