UK General Discussion:The Rt. Hon Alex Boris de Pfeffel Johnson, Populist Hero

[Blair]

As an aside, Boris Johnson really is the very last person who should be blasé about abusing parliamentary privilege. There are all sorts of unpleasant rumours about him and his personal life and actions over the years floating around that the wider public has never heard a whiff of.

Yes I thought this- I know of at least one that is common enough that many newspapers openly hint at it and there are no doubt countless more. Once you take the stance he has done all it takes is one opposition MP who is retiring and the current benchmark set by Johnson is that everything is fair game.

[Blair]

With Savile I think that much of the commentary is based around the fact that lots of people on the left and centre of British politics are still absolutely terrified of his long running ability to defy political gravity and assume that every gaffe, setback or scandal is either part of a cunning plan or simply won’t affect him.

We saw this a lot after the Paterson affair with the several claims that voters would not care (they did- see the by election!) along with claims that he will bounce back which have actually failed to materialise- he is dangerously close to reaching the point of no-return.

[Blair]

On the reshuffle it was actually quite a defensive and strange one: Spencer and Rees Mogg should have both been sacked after Paterson. As others have said it would’ve given Boris a chance to promote two new people to the cabinet or bring back some disgruntled ex-ministers who had sacked.

Heaton-Harris as chief whip is relatively neutral; not disliked but hardly someone who will bring the ship back around (but then I’m not sure how many Chief Whips over the last 20 years could- with the exception of Nick Brown)

Rees-Mogg as ‘Brexit opportunities and government efficiency’ Minister is a hilariously inept made up job to keep him in the cabinet but shows that the government don’t even trust him to read out the House of Commons order paper every Thursday he will be relegated to talking about crowns on pint glasses.

Spencer as Commons Leader is weird- especially due to recent news stories and his lack of public profile. This could have gone to someone like Leadsom who has many faults but was a relatively on the ball HOC leader on certain issues.

[Silent Hunter]

A minister for government efficiency reminds me of Yes, Minister.

[Torrain]

PMQs felt extraordinarily average today. Given that Parliament starts a 10 day recess tomorrow, all the momentum seems to have gone out of this scandal. The Mirror tried to make news by dropping a new partygate photo right in the middle of PMQs, but all they could muster was a photo of the same quiz they showed earlier in the year, but from a different angle.

Wonder whether it’ll have any life at all when the Commons reconvene on the 21st, or whether this is the start of a period similar to 2017-19 where the default assumption was “the PM is technically safe for now, but unlikely to fight the next election”

[CumbrianLefty]

You still suspect that something is being held back, though.

But yes, it will be a surprise if Johnson isn't at least around for May's elections now.

[Secretary of State Liberal Hack]

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-60318610

How did these people even win a general election when they're blind to the reality in front of them ?

[Filuwaúrdjan]

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-60318610

How did these people even win a general election when they're blind to the reality in front of them ?

Amongst other things, going up up against Late Period Corbyn (at the time of the election the most unpopular politician in the country) and Jo Swinson (just LOL) very much counts as playing on easy mode.

[beesley]

Yes - it was easier than ever to overlook all the wider flaws with Johnson and the Conservatives, and if your interest was getting Brexit done or stopping Corbyn, of course you were going to excuse it (not justifying that).

[Torrain]

Bit of movement on the Met investigation tonight.
https://twitter.com/BethRigby/status/1491490730505818117
Key part here is probably the fact that the Met hopes to make initial contact with everyone they're interested in by the weekend, over 50 individuals.

My questions are largely:

• Presuming Johnson is contacted (hard to imagine he isn't at this point), does it leak? Or does No.10 issue a statement and try to play it off.
• Are any other MPs implicated/contacted? (particularly interested in certain ambitious cabinet members here...)
• Does this prompt any public leaks/admissions from among the 50 individuals of interest? Especially from former Downing Street staff
• Does being contacted prompt any resignations amongst Downing Street staff?
• Does this investigation leak badly (further damaging Johnson), or does the Met finally get its act together?

[Blair]

Hilarious start for the new Commons Leader Mark Spencer who has both confirmed he’s under investigation by the PMs standards advisor while claiming ‘normal people’ don’t care about partygate.

[Joe Republic]

As an aside, Boris Johnson really is the very last person who should be blasé about abusing parliamentary privilege. There are all sorts of unpleasant rumours about him and his personal life and actions over the years floating around that the wider public has never heard a whiff of.

Yes I thought this- I know of at least one that is common enough that many newspapers openly hint at it and there are no doubt countless more. Once you take the stance he has done all it takes is one opposition MP who is retiring and the current benchmark set by Johnson is that everything is fair game.

Do tell.

[Blair]

As an aside, Boris Johnson really is the very last person who should be blasé about abusing parliamentary privilege. There are all sorts of unpleasant rumours about him and his personal life and actions over the years floating around that the wider public has never heard a whiff of.

Yes I thought this- I know of at least one that is common enough that many newspapers openly hint at it and there are no doubt countless more. Once you take the stance he has done all it takes is one opposition MP who is retiring and the current benchmark set by Johnson is that everything is fair game.

Do tell.

Oh no I’m not brave enough for politics.

[Zinneke]

As an aside, Boris Johnson really is the very last person who should be blasé about abusing parliamentary privilege. There are all sorts of unpleasant rumours about him and his personal life and actions over the years floating around that the wider public has never heard a whiff of.

Yes I thought this- I know of at least one that is common enough that many newspapers openly hint at it and there are no doubt countless more. Once you take the stance he has done all it takes is one opposition MP who is retiring and the current benchmark set by Johnson is that everything is fair game.

Do tell.

It almost certainly involves shagging.

[CumbrianLefty]

Hilarious start for the new Commons Leader Mark Spencer who has both confirmed he’s under investigation by the PMs standards advisor while claiming ‘normal people’ don’t care about partygate.

MPs telling "normal people" what they should care about has an excellent track record, after all.

[Flyersfan232]

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-60318610

How did these people even win a general election when they're blind to the reality in front of them ?

labour was even more blind

[TheTide]

DICK IS OUT

[TheTide]

https://twitter.com/Steven_Swinford/status/1491847834987020294?s=20&t=b5htAs...

[Torrain]

DICK IS OUT

Sigh. *recommends*

[Torrain]

Who gets the job now? Given they'll have some oversight over the Downing Street investigation, I hope this doesn't get Trumpian - the last thing this situation needs is a UK version of the Bill Barr appointment.

I just hope Khan has played his cards right here. If he and the Home Office have a public spat over the new commissioner, the whole thing could get messy. Wonder whether there is a primary candidate (or shortlist) in mind, or whether this is going to drag on...

From what the BBC (specifically Kuennsberg) is saying, it sounds like Dick is staying until a replacement is found, but there's no word on the timescale. As awful as Dick has been, it may be less awkward if the investigation completes before her successor is appointed.

[beesley]

Good riddance.

But I agree with Torrain's comments.

[Blair]

Hilarious given she did an interview this morning saying how great the Met is, how she’s going to survive and that the Mayor actually privately supported her.

I expect the last part contributed to it- it was essentially insulting Sadiqs authority as mayor. Listening to his comments on R4 yesterday this seemed like the eventual outcome but it’s a surprise it happened so quickly.

[Blair]

Who gets the job now? Given they'll have some oversight over the Downing Street investigation, I hope this doesn't get Trumpian - the last thing this situation needs is a UK version of the Bill Barr appointment.

I just hope Khan has played his cards right here. If he and the Home Office have a public spat over the new commissioner, the whole thing could get messy. Wonder whether there is a primary candidate (or shortlist) in mind, or whether this is going to drag on...

From what the BBC (specifically Kuennsberg) is saying, it sounds like Dick is staying until a replacement is found, but there's no word on the timescale. As awful as Dick has been, it may be less awkward if the investigation completes before her successor is appointed.

I think it’s a quasi civil service led process e.g a long list and a shortlist, with the Home Sec required by law to consider the Mayors view.

There will be a Priti Patel backed candidate but I wouldn’t be shocked if it’s someone relatively experienced and competent (while being a headbanger) in order to beat the internal candidates from the Met.

I might be very wrong but I’m not really sure how someone could be worse- the Met already back the Governments draconian policing bill, they clobber peaceful protestors, have sat on politically sensitive cases and aren’t willing to carry out even modest reforms around the law on drugs or misogyny.

The only further regression possible is around the internal recruitment in the Met.

[Blair]

I would imo not be shocked if Patel looks at reforming the Met- partly as a way of screwing over the Mayor of London but also because while she is a reactionary Patel has shown a willingness to challenge the traditional HO thinking.

Set up a commission, go back to 32 borough policing under a new ‘police London’ badge and create a national police force directly accountable to the Home Sec that deals with counter terrorism, serious fraud etc

It would at least be change!

[Torrain]

Who gets the job now? Given they'll have some oversight over the Downing Street investigation, I hope this doesn't get Trumpian - the last thing this situation needs is a UK version of the Bill Barr appointment.

I just hope Khan has played his cards right here. If he and the Home Office have a public spat over the new commissioner, the whole thing could get messy. Wonder whether there is a primary candidate (or shortlist) in mind, or whether this is going to drag on...

From what the BBC (specifically Kuennsberg) is saying, it sounds like Dick is staying until a replacement is found, but there's no word on the timescale. As awful as Dick has been, it may be less awkward if the investigation completes before her successor is appointed.

I think it’s a quasi civil service led process e.g a long list and a shortlist, with the Home Sec required by law to consider the Mayors view.

There will be a Priti Patel backed candidate but I wouldn’t be shocked if it’s someone relatively experienced and competent (while being a headbanger) in order to beat the internal candidates from the Met.

I might be very wrong but I’m not really sure how someone could be worse- the Met already back the Governments draconian policing bill, they clobber peaceful protestors, have sat on politically sensitive cases and aren’t willing to carry out even modest reforms around the law on drugs or misogyny.

The only further regression possible is around the internal recruitment in the Met.

That's reassuring.

Apologies for the slight panic in my previous post, my understanding of the Met is pretty thin on the ground - feel very provincial out here in the North.