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"Today" after 8 a.m. interview exposes Never Ready Government led by Never Ready PM

(11 Posts)
PippaZ Tue 05-Oct-21 08:57:24

In many ways, it was the usual interview. Waffle, waffle to make it seem as if Nick Robinson was interrupting him - he wasn't. Suggesting the blame for his own decision not to go on Today for the last two years lay with the BBC. But more than that the "usual" telling us that this government has put "this" money in here and "that" money in there but at no point saying there is any sort of structured plan.

I then notice on my phone an article headed "Why mortgages are going to more expensive" and memories of the incoming Thatcher administration, raising interest rates to 17 per cent in 1979. flooded in.

This led to a country of those who thrived and those who only barely survived. Heaven help us as this PM is no administrator but believes, more than Thatcher ever did, that the markets must be left to sort things out having already set those markets up for failure.

ayse Tue 05-Oct-21 09:06:09

Just caught a bit of the rerun. Boris waffling as usual about Sarah Everard with no plan to do anything, just enforce the current law.

ayse Tue 05-Oct-21 09:11:38

He doesn’t live in my world but a world where money is no object and I’m alright policy!

Whitewavemark2 Tue 05-Oct-21 09:13:12

Gosh even Robinson seems fed up with his obfuscation and waffle and managed to shut him up, to a degree.

Kuenssberg then went on to say that there does not appear to be any plans in place. And she is normally so supportive of the government.

Scones Tue 05-Oct-21 09:22:13

His justification for not making misogyny a hate crime was that by "widening the scope of what you ask the police to do, you will just increase the problem".

What can he mean by that? Surely you don't increase the problem, you just expose it?

The misogyny we see for example amongst incels and amongst the group of policemen who were part of Couzens Whatsapp group is hate crime isn't it? If the exact same level and type of hatred was targeted at a group of people on the basis of race, sexual orientation or religion it would be a hate crime. Why is it different for women?

Why isn't he making misogyny a hate crime?

Blinko Tue 05-Oct-21 09:29:40

Scones

His justification for not making misogyny a hate crime was that by "widening the scope of what you ask the police to do, you will just increase the problem".

What can he mean by that? Surely you don't increase the problem, you just expose it?

The misogyny we see for example amongst incels and amongst the group of policemen who were part of Couzens Whatsapp group is hate crime isn't it? If the exact same level and type of hatred was targeted at a group of people on the basis of race, sexual orientation or religion it would be a hate crime. Why is it different for women?

Why isn't he making misogyny a hate crime?

Exactly.

PippaZ Tue 05-Oct-21 09:31:23

I was going to say "who knows" Scones. However, we do know. All they are interested in is the "look" of what they are doing but that is wearing very thin.

We have wonderful people in both the private and public sector who are picking up the pieces - including the majority of the police. However but if you give this sort of laissez-faire leadership within a completely stucture and aim free set-up thing do and are starting to crumble. This is not likely to end in actual planning very quickly, as far as I can see.

silverlining48 Tue 05-Oct-21 09:51:22

His first interview on the Today programme since becoming PM two years ago having refused all invitations up to today. In fact I recall he didn’t come on the programme when he was electioneering, which in itself is astonishing.
It really wasn’t very good was it. He is unable to inject confidence, or inspire and his waffling umming and erring is very irritating. I was delighted when Robinson told him to stop talking, and he very obediently did. For a short moment.

Riverwalk Tue 05-Oct-21 10:24:45

"Your choice, not ours"

The retort from Nick Robinson when Bozzer was waffling and said something like he hasn't spoken to Today listeners for two years.

It's not astonishing silverlining - he knew he wouldn't stand up to scrutiny from seasoned interviewers. And let's never forget he bottled the interview with Andrew Neil after seeing what a mauling Corbyn got.

The man is a phoney.

PippaZ Tue 05-Oct-21 10:45:35

Scones Apparently, Patel's star is waning among the activists at the conference. Although, no doubt, on the small stage with the small audience (only Johnson gets the big one) she will be cheered in a good Conservative manner.

This is a paragraph from an email that drops into my box each morning. It's the Stephen Bush "Morning Call" from the New Statesman but I'm not sure if it is "reprinted" on their website. Worth a look though. So ...

The central reason why Patel's stock is not as high as it once was among Conservative activists is the perception that her department is failing: that she is unable to prevent more people coming here on boats in search of a better life, that we have de facto decriminalised most crimes other than murder and speeding, that the Metropolitan Police is poorly run, and so on.

This cannot be a surprise. That trite old saying that "If you fail to plan you plan to fail" may be annoying but it's still accurate. And this government has unequivocally "fails to plan".

silverlining48 Tue 05-Oct-21 15:15:36

Indeed Riverwalk, I wasn’t astonished, as my opinion of BJ couldnt really be lower, but it is astonishing that he clearly had so little confidence that he has refused all invitations to speak on a prime political news affairs programme like Today.
I can’t think of a previous PM, or would be PM, refusing an interview and it speaks volumes about his ( little) ability.