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

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A bombshell report has been released that will undermine one of the most popular politicians of this century.

It shows that Jackie Weaver did not in fact "have the authority" and should indeed have read (and understood) the standing orders.

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Obviously it shouldn't be difficult to guess my views on this and I don't wish to rack up more infractions but what I will say is he's not exactly a model MP and Bridgend was already a seat for which I hope (and expect) will be a Labour gain at the nect election.

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The past year has all had a very Back to Basics feel about it...

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The idea that the "Teflon Tories" are electorally unbeatable has stained the lens through which both parties view politics.

On the right it has lead to a situation where everyone feels like any scandal can just be ignored, rode out, and gotten away with. However it also means that the focus is always on electability and being the "winningest party" rather than pursuing what Appleby would describe as "brave" (let it be stated that Hacker's ideas were sometimes good), the government instead tinkers about without enacting any real change, particularly if it means tilting more towards the right-wing. It also means that the usual fabled regicidal tendencies of the party are more muted than usual as there is a belief that no matter the scandal, the Tories will still win in the end.

On the left it's the inverse. People act as though Starmer can get nothing right because he's just a sacrificial lamb, a "transitional" leader (hey a trans leader), who will inevitably be annihilated by the Tories at every electoral test. Therefore people, both politicians amd public, don't take him seriously enough and he can't get that mythical "cut through". His opponents feel justified in hitting him for every little thing and seem to feel that no matter what he does, he's just a joke who can't win.

The media are mostly to blame of course. (Put your recommends below, CumbrianLefty.) Our media, and one reporter in particulaura, are quick to ask whether or not the public will care about each new foible and generally conclude that they won't. I wasn't alive for "Back to Basics" but looking at the reporting back then it's clear Fleet Street thought differently about scandals compared to now.

Of course, like all misguided notions, the "Teflon Tories" one is grounded in truth. There's no doubt that they are good at winning and the fact that they still control more councils than any other party is just one example of that. However, as noted above it has become a self fulfilling prophecy that we cannot escape from. It's not healthy for either party or for the country. Perhaps the military should step in... No, who am I kidding, they'd mess things up too.

I'm aware I'm preaching to the choir here but I thought I need to do the occasional #analysis to break up my sh**tposting.

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Whilst he is publicly contrite, behind the scenes Rishi thinks he has been treated unfairly over partygate. I agree and do do many of his detractors in government apparently.

Basically he only attended the surprise birthday party right at the end, only attended because it was a work meeting (with a surprise celebration tacked onto it) and he didn't partake in the celebration apart from singing Happy Birthday.

The whole surprise birthday one is a silly one. Boris can't be expected to resign because he forgot to boycott a surprise celebration at the end of a genuine meeting.

The other parties are much more serious, this one is a nothingburger. It's the other ones that we should be focussing on and it's a shame the Met released the fines for this one first.

TLDR: these fines aren't fair but the coming ones for the other parties are fair. If he's fined for the other ones Boris should resign but if not then it doesn't really make sense to.

[Conservatopia]

Does anybody else know/ have suspicions of the identities of the accused MPs? I think I know who the Tory one is.

[Conservatopia]

Does anybody else know/ have suspicions of the identities of the accused MPs? I think I know who the Tory one is.

Did you get it right?

No I didn't but there's a twist.
I know of another Tory MP who did something similar.

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Another reason I'll never be able to become an MP is my love of tractors.

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Why don't they just put all of the MPs in jail and then let out the few who are innocent?

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Multiple journalists reporting that Theresa May has turned up to vote - wearing a ballgown.
Not sure whether she's finally embraced camp as an aesthetic, or she just has a fancy dinner reservation.

Up there with Dominic Grieve leading a Brexit rebellion in tails.

Remember when Cameron had to rush back to Parliament from a formal occasion at City Hall and was wearing a dinner jacket? It was some rebellion by JRM and Labour during the Coalition.

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At least the Tories have moved on from the original claim that they were "Labour's Strikes". Given the undeniable fact that the RMT are not affiliated to the party, I actually wonder if lawyers had a word.

Literally 10 seconds ago I received an email from the party saying that they needed help to "stop Labour's strikes" with a mockup of a gormless looking Starmer gesticulating at a train station.

The solution was of course to give the party money.

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I was surprised today that nothing had been bungled or gone horribly wrong for a few hours.

The PM spent this morning under general anesthetic.

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Take this with a pinch of salt but I know of an MP from the north (though not "red wall" whatever that means) who is suspect number one for leaving the party and possibly joining Labour, although that latter might be a stretch.

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Take this with a pinch of salt but I know of an MP from the north (though not "red wall" whatever that means) who is suspect number one for leaving the party and possibly joining Labour, although that latter might be a stretch.

There have been public denials of plans to defect from Dehenna Davidson and Caroline Nokes today, but neither of those MPs seen to fit the hints in your post. There’s a report in the Telegraph that three unnamed, male, Northern, Tory MPs are considering defections, so maybe it’s one of them?

I’ve got to say, if this is all a rumour, or opposition game, then Labour seem to have played it pretty effectively. Party sources fabricate a story about further defections, triggering Downing Street paranoia, and focusing unwanted attention on centrist Tories in marginal seats, who are forced to defend their role in the government amidst the ongoing scandals - possibly damaging their moderate credentials in the eyes of swing voters in the process.

Obviously- the odds of defections happening are low. But forcing marginal MPs to defend Johnson’s government still provides the opposition with pull-quotes for 2024 campaign literature, and possible TV clips for online advertising.

I wish Caroline Nokes would defect - she's seems to be on the wrong side of every issue.

With respect I think you might be overthinking this - I don't think this is really a Labour strategy, rather it's just Fleet Street being Fleet Street. After all, some of the names floated don't even make sense. Dehenna Davison? Yes she's a bit of a weird MP who rebels more often than some others but her positions are fairly coherently centre-right liberal. Not to mention that as a so-called 'rising star' and 2019-er with a tidy majority she probably doesn't really want to jeopardise her career that way. Same goes for any other higher profile MP (from either party). Wakeford was a nobody so it was easier for him to hop. Maybe I'll be proved woefully wrong in a week or two.

I guess pretty soon we will hear that Iain Duncan Smith is planning on defecting just because he's outside the economic conservative mainstream. Or maybe that insufferable self-styled friend of the workers Robert Halfon.

[Conservatopia]

For all of you excited for Boris' hopefully imminent demise, just remember that one of the first things that the new PM will do will likely be the implementation of "true conservative policies" to please the base.

Hope you're all on board with that. I can't wait for a swing to the right.

[Conservatopia]

For all of you excited for Boris' hopefully imminent demise, just remember that one of the first things that the new PM will do will likely be the implementation of "true conservative policies" to please the base.

Hope you're all on board with that. I can't wait for a swing to the right.

The fact that you continue to see politics as a football match while your party expose themselves as corrupt sexual assaulters tell us all we need to know about the median Evangelical. By their own standards some of these Christians will burn in hell.

 

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Carrie Johnson will be resigning as Prime Minister's Spouse.

Rumours that Nadine Dorries considered likely replacement.