Johnson: bang to rights

I’m not sure he’s not right though about the latest EU deal. Arlene Foster isn’t impressed either.

Sorry to divert WhiteWave!

Back to topic ... with all the text revelations from that shirtbutton Hancock I’ve read quite. A few of the transcripts and Boris seems thoughtful, measured and questioning in his exchanges with Vallaance and Whitty. I was surprised too to read that Whitty thought face masks were ‘pretty much a waste of time’.

Oreo

Of course he lied tho 😆

Oreo, I suggest you read through the interim report that came out today, for which Maisie put up a link. Most particularly, I suggest you look at the footnotes, which refer to the evidence that has made them come to these interim conclusions.

Of course, Johnson may have an answer for all the comments made by his staff and recorded over that time.

Urmstongran

Boris is going in to bat though. Foolhardy?
He will go in and say ‘sorry, sorry’ and say he was acting on the advice of advisers.
I think he’ll get away with it and just get his wrists slapped.

Tell me again how he couldn't possibly have known the rules and could only act on the advice of advisors.

Section 20 of the report:

20. Mr Johnson’s knowledge of the rules and guidance is evidenced by the continuous statements he made at press conferences and to the House outlining and reaffirming rules and guidance that were in force at the time. A selection of these statements includes:

• On 11 May 2020, Mr Johnson said in the House that people should be “limiting contact with others [and] keeping your distance to 2 metres apart where possible”, and that “we are working together as a country to obey the social distancing rules, which everybody understands”. He also noted that the Government was introducing covid guidance for workplaces, saying: “If you must go to work and cannot work from home, you should do so, provided […] that your workplace is covid secure, and that you observe the rules on social distancing. We are publishing further guidance on that”.
• On 10 June 2020, at a Covid press conference, Mr Johnson said: “I urge everyone to continue to show restraint and respect the rules which are designed to keep us all safe […] So please, to repeat what you’ve heard so many times before, stay alert, maintain social distancing and keep washing your hands.”
• On 9 November 2020, at a Covid press conference shortly after the introduction of a second national lockdown, Mr Johnson said that: “Neither mass testing nor progress on vaccines […] are at the present time a substitute for the national restrictions, for social distancing, for hand hygiene and all the rest. So it is all the more important to follow the rules.”
• On 30 December 2020, at a Covid press conference, Mr Johnson outlined the ‘Tier 4’ restrictions which had recently been imposed on several areas of England, and which were analogous to the national lockdown restrictions subsequently imposed in January 2021, saying: “That means not meeting up with friends or family indoors, unless they are in the same household or support bubble, and avoiding large gatherings of any kind.”

I suggest that you read the report, Ug. I don't think this committee is impressed by 'The big boys made me do it', and they're not going to do any wrist slapping.

We shall have to wait and see MaizieD.
You could well be right. However if I were a betting woman ...

Urmstongran

I’m not sure he’s not right though about the latest EU deal. Arlene Foster isn’t impressed either.

Sorry to divert WhiteWave!

Back to topic ... with all the text revelations from that shirtbutton Hancock I’ve read quite. A few of the transcripts and Boris seems thoughtful, measured and questioning in his exchanges with Vallaance and Whitty. I was surprised too to read that Whitty thought face masks were ‘pretty much a waste of time’.

I don't think it's his education that is in question Urmstongran. He should have been able to ask thoughtful and measured questions.

It is his morals, his inability to tell the truth, that is under consideration.

True DaisyAnne.

Urmstongran

I’m not sure he’s not right though about the latest EU deal. Arlene Foster isn’t impressed either.

Sorry to divert WhiteWave!

Back to topic ... with all the text revelations from that shirtbutton Hancock I’ve read quite. A few of the transcripts and Boris seems thoughtful, measured and questioning in his exchanges with Vallaance and Whitty. I was surprised too to read that Whitty thought face masks were ‘pretty much a waste of time’.

It’s not over till the fat lady sings (in this case via the Telegraph)
www.itv.com/news/2023-03-03/plenty-more-to-come-journalist-warns-of-hancock-and-sunak-expos
It remains to be seen if Johnson (or Sunak) come out of it well.

Oreo

MaizieD

Have they finished their investigation?

I thought there was quite a way to go yet, with televised witness examination sessions coming up.

This is so.
Whitewavemark2 is a bit premature.

Enthusiastic rather than premature. I think all the rubbish about Sue Gray gives insight into the deep hole Johnson has dug for himself.

Of course, whatever punishment the committee suggest should he be found guilty, it will be Parliament who will vote, after a debate. He could be guilty and still walk away if the Conservatives choose to let him to that.

If Boris gets a two week suspension then a by-election can be called in his constituency! Just heard that on GB News by someone being interviewed. That’d do it.
😱

Urmstongran

If Boris gets a two week suspension then a by-election can be called in his constituency! Just heard that on GB News by someone being interviewed. That’d do it.
😱

I can assure you that every political animal already knows that! It was widely discussed during the Owen Paterson case.

Most of them are keeping their fingers crossed.

Oh.
I didn’t, so I thought I’d share.
I must be more of a political amoeba .... punching above my weight on here.
😊

How lovely when we agree Urmstongran

(lol joking!)

Brendan Clarke Smith is currently on tv defending Johnson. Do they think we’re stupid?

So was Rees-Mogg earlier on!

The Last Leg should be good tonight!

Something else Johnson didn’t mislead anyone on.

OK , prove it

varian

OK , prove it

Where to begin 😄😄😄

twitter.com/SkyNews/status/1631689846443102208?t=q0Ys065ZYBs1QCQC2jQSdg&s=19

Johnson defends himself but not very successfully according to the comments.

MayBee70

Brendan Clarke Smith is currently on tv defending Johnson. Do they think we’re stupid?

It would appear so.

Boris Johnson looked very uncomfortable in that last interview, stumbling over his words and repeating his lies as if by doing so would make them the truth. His body language says the opposite of his words.

Same old nastiness being trotted out by the same few. I can imagine that in a previous life, you sat knitting whilst waiting for the executioner.

ExperiencedNotOld

Same old nastiness being trotted out by the same few. I can imagine that in a previous life, you sat knitting whilst waiting for the executioner.

Yup. I could do a nifty cap of Liberty...

Too right ENO I have just finished knitting a lovely Boris doll and am now fashioning a guillotine from a cereal packet and some sticky backed plastic.

BoJo's defence (if one could call it that) is worthless bluster compared with the interim findings of the Privileges Committee. Some Tories are saying the report should not have been published before interviewing him but the Committee wrote that they were publishing to give Johnson advance notice of their thinking based on evidence before he appears before them. Note this Committee has a Tory majority despite being chaired by Harriet Harman whom they appointed. Johnson is trying to imply Sue Gray's report was biased but the Committee have independent evidence from the Met and photos.