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

[Conservatopia]

The interesting thing and something that lots of people said when it first came out all appears to have come from leaks within the Government.

None of the main leadership contenders seem to have been implicated, so it would probably be one of their supporters. Who benefits from bringing on a leadership contest this year?

This might be a bit tin foil hat but whenever the media says "Downing Street sources" rathet than "sources at No 10" I basically assume it comes from No 11.

I'm not saying that it's Rishi himself doing the leaking but it's well known that the staff of Nos 10 and 11 have been briefing against each other for the last 18 months, maybe longer.

[Blair]

I’ve always thought that Sunak would benefit from Johnson leaving as soon as possible- chancellors don’t tend to do as well if they come off the back of a long partnership with an unpopular Prime Minister.

Equally Johnson has shown himself willing to sack Ministers quite freely.

We’re not at that stage yet but I wouldn’t be shocked if someone from the backbenches does quite well in the leadership race.

[Silent Hunter]

This kind of creating an internal enquiry solely to kill press stories is so precisely “Yes, Prime Minister”. Sad that we can’t ask Eddington and Hawthorne about it…

And to cap it all off, the guy who organised the party is Boris's Principal Private Secretary i.e. his Bernard!

[Conservatopia]

Papers this morning:

Telegraph: Johnson losing Tory support
Sun: Fury as BoJo dodges questions over bash
Mail: Is the party over for PM?
Express: Don't blow it now PM!
Times: Say sorry or doom us all

And that's just the Tory papers...

[President Punxsutawney Phil]

The interesting thing and something that lots of people said when it first came out all appears to have come from leaks within the Government.

"The ship of state is the only ship that leaks from the top" - Sir Humphrey Appleby.

[All Along The Watchtower]

BoJo really going out of his way to be the absolute worst of the (Tory) Prime Ministers post-Blair/Brown - worse than David "accidental Brexit" Cameron or Theresa "very stupid Brexit" May. Kind of impressive, I must say.

[YL]

Anne Marie Morris MP (Newton Abbot) has had the Tory whip removed for voting with Labour on this motion yesterday.

[(no subject)]

Does whip removed mean expelled from the parliamentary party?

[Silent Hunter]

Does whip removed mean expelled from the parliamentary party?

Generally suspended, but it can be permanent.

[(no subject)]

you get the feeling Corbyn’s been involved in a number of cults, both as a leader and a follower. You have more fun as a follower but make more money as a leader.

[beesley]

Does whip removed mean expelled from the parliamentary party?

Generally suspended, but it can be permanent.

Julian Lewis got his back after six months.

[Torrain]

Johnson is at PMQs.
- Admits and apologised for attendance at the lockdown drinks.
- Asks for the investigation to be carried out before conclusions are drawn.
- Looks a little shaken if I’m honest

Starmer openly calling for Johnson’s resignation now.
- To which Johnson stumbles through a mess of an answer.

Edit (12.15)
- Starmer has used Johnson’s words against him again and again, especially concerning Hancock’s departure to try and make his position untenable. It’s pretty emotive for Starmer.
- Johnson can’t even get a full sentence out, he just sounds panicky, and gets shouted down by the opposition back-bench.

[Torrain]

Forgive a tiny bit of leadership election speculation, but…

Truss is sat right behind Johnson, alongside Raab, clearly playing the role of supporter.

Sunak is on the other side of the country, literally putting as much distance between himself and Boris as possible.

[Cassius]

https://youtu.be/GLp7FGHoCIA

0.36 onwards.

[beesley]

Hopefully this really is the back of him. I'll post more when I get home.

Of course Royston Smith fails to do our city proud again. Dreadful response from him. And the first MP to defend Johnson is effing Christopher Chope.

[TheTide]

Sir Roger Gale (North Thanet; one of those who might fall under that overused word 'grandee') has sent a letter to Brady.

[afleitch]

Forgive a tiny bit of leadership election speculation, but…

Truss is sat right behind Johnson, alongside Raab, clearly playing the role of supporter.

Sunak is on the other side of the country, literally putting as much distance between himself and Boris as possible.

'John Major at the dentist' energy.

[Blair]

He’s finished.

Who was the last PM to resign purely over their personal conduct? I’m not sure if Edens morphine addiction counts.

[TheTide]

Getting to the 54 is the key thing. Almost a formality that he'd lose the vote itself, given that Tory MPs won't want the spectacle of giving a green light to a discredited PM in a public way and that it would probably guarantee him at least lasting to the locals (which, if bad enough, would probably lead to a rule change on the 'one year' thing). Also, thus, a strong possibility that he'd resign if Brady announced that he'd received 54, so as to avoid humiliation a la Thatcher.

[CumbrianLefty]

A reminder that May won her confidence vote, though she was still gone within a year.

And some will want Johnson to be the fall guy for this spring's elections - and if they are bad the case for removing him will surely be unanswerable.

[Conservatopia]

Consensus on the Tory side seems to be that he did about as well as could be expected and maybe bought himself sone time but staked it all on the Gray enquiry - which is likely to be critical of him and that that will end him.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

Who was the last PM to resign purely over their personal conduct? I’m not sure if Edens morphine addiction counts.

Amphetamines: had it been morphine then Suez would not have happened

So, Eden and Asquith both resigned (forced out in the case of Asquith really) due to poor decisions made as a result of substance abuse, but neither case really qualifies, as you say, as purely personal conduct. Which means, and this sounds absurd but I think it's true (though will admit that my knowledge of 18th century Prime Ministers is a little hazy at times so may have missed something...), that the answer is arguably Robert Walpole. And even then you can argue that the (many) scandals wouldn't have finished him off had his position not been so undermined by Britain being dragged into The War of Jenkins Ear against his wishes.

[TheTide]

Dross is now calling for the PM to go. He came close to doing so yesterday but that's probably a few more votes against Johnson.

[beesley]

On the other hand, the fact that Christopher Chope is the only one to be supporting the PM is probably a sign of how dire things are. In a better situation, you would at least expect a few of the lobby fodder/PPS' to have something to say.

[Blair]

We’re at the stage where people are surprised that Cabinet members are tweeting support!

Strong 2009 vibes.