Conservative leadership election

[Filuwaúrdjan]

Brady is the most blatant 'I know I am of average height but I look around and don't see any giants' contender imaginable.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

It appears that Hugh Steeply's late bid failed, only securing the backing of four MPs.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

If everyone is honest about their support...

Ah yes, the famously honest Conservative parliamentary party.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

If everyone is honest about their support...

Ah yes, the f, amously honest Conservative parliamentary party.

I  don't doubt that, but we're working with what we have to go on.

Oh I know. I'm fascinated as to whether there will be large discrepancies or not and if so in what direction.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

Under the new rules, the top FOUR candidates go to a ballot of the general public?

No - that change was considered and rejected.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

The thing about Johnson is that he is first and foremost a bunco artist. A lot of politicians have flashes of that about them, and right now such politicians are more prominent than usual, but he's unusual in that that is his primary nature. Which isn't the same thing as saying he has no principles, no ideology. He does. He believes in Property and in some loose sense of Britain's Greatness. But that is about all.

He is also a lucky man and has been his whole life. Things just tend to work out for him; opportunities arise almost unbidden, and when he makes mistakes (which is often) they are reliably negated by the mistakes and miscalculations of others. On some level he will now believe that there is very little that he cannot get away with. When his downfall - his final downfall, the one that sticks - occurs there is little doubt that this will be the principle cause. But for now he will keep on believing that he will always roll sixes and this will encourage him in his shamelessness.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

So there's some news that has just broken. May develop in a big way, may not. Sort of story that one wishes to be careful of until the facts are clear. Anyway.