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

[Filuwaúrdjan]

Ironically I was going to say it’s been a relatively quiet week with Bojo abroad.

Pincher is a very close ally of the PM- albeit it with no talent beyond being one of these MPs who seems to live for intrigue as a whip.

!!!!

https://twitter.com/thhamilton/status/1542587248348172291

[Blair]

I would be surprised if he still has the whip by this time on Monday… but let’s see!

[afleitch]

Would be an interesting by-election. Since he first contested (and lost) in 2005 he turned a Labour majority of 6100 to a Tory majority of 19,600.

Nothing for Labour to squeeze here; would have to have a solid swing from the Tories.

[YL]

I think the Tories would hold Tamworth in a by-election.

But it probably won't happen; scandals rarely cause by-elections unless they approach the recall criteria.  That said, I didn't expect Neil Parish to resign either.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

Would be an interesting by-election. Since he first contested (and lost) in 2005 he turned a Labour majority of 6100 to a Tory majority of 19,600.

Nothing for Labour to squeeze here; would have to have a solid swing from the Tories.

It is a rather peculiar constituency that has changed a lot in recent decades (but then it did before: very much a case of 'what demographic change giveth, demographic change taketh away' from a Labour perspective) but it's worth noting that until 2019 majorities were not greatly larger than for its predecessor constituency in the 1980s, and also that the Labour MP defeated in 2010 (who was first elected at a by-election in 1996) was well regarded and appears to have had a sizeable personal vote that disappeared when he ceased to be the candidate (2015).

[Blair]

Tory Minister on the broadcast round basically said he should lose the whip but it’s not his (the Ministers) decision.

I expect the usual u-turn.

[morgieb]

ayyyyy lmao

[CumbrianLefty]

Denser than plutonium

[Zinneke]

what do we think of Boris getting a blowie during work hours by his then mistress now wife and offering her a job as chief of staff at the FCO during that period? In any other country it would have been the talk of the town.

[CumbrianLefty]

Number 10 saying that Pincher admitted it, so there doesn't need to be any further investigations or sanctions. I do wonder just how long this self-evidently risible "line" can prevail.

[Blair]

Is it just me or is it a bit weird to see a journalist (at the FT no less) use the PM to promote their book

https://mobile.twitter.com/SebastianEPayne/status/1542854686297972738?ref_src=tw...

[Filuwaúrdjan]

It isn't as if anyone is going to buy it anyway.

[Blair]

It isn't as if anyone is going to buy it anyway.

He seems to have been appointed envoy to the Red Wall by the Lobby and broadcasters. Not sure why!

[EastAnglianLefty]

what do we think of Boris getting a blowie during work hours by his then mistress now wife and offering her a job as chief of staff at the FCO during that period? In any other country it would have been the talk of the town.

The main thing that's notable about it is that Private Eye seems to have stopped using 'discussing Ugandan affairs' as shorthand.

[Silent Hunter]

what do we think of Boris getting a blowie during work hours by his then mistress now wife and offering her a job as chief of staff at the FCO during that period? In any other country it would have been the talk of the town.

The main thing that's notable about it is that Private Eye seems to have stopped using 'discussing Ugandan affairs' as shorthand.

It does turn up on Page 30 of the current issue in the humour section, specifically about the Rwanda policy.

[Zinneke]

Is sex in the office a sackable offence in the UK?

[Silent Hunter]

it can be deemed gross misconduct and that's been supported by employment tribunal decisions:

https://www.mytipsandadvice.co.uk/2014-02/sex-at-work-out-of-hours-is-it-gross-misconduct-UKTAPSAR_EU16050201

The Parliamentary Estate has it own rules though. Or so it seems.

In any event, wouldn't be the first time it's happened by a long chalk. The sex that is.

[EastAnglianLefty]

Who's going to sack him? Yes, it was grossly unprofessional behaviour, but he's got away with things that are actual criminal offences and the Tory party haven't seen fit to remove him.

[Torrain]

Number 10 saying that Pincher admitted it, so there doesn't need to be any further investigations or sanctions. I do wonder just how long this self-evidently risible "line" can prevail.

Neil Parish has, pardon the phrasing, screwed them.

By losing the whip, and then resigning over a bad, but not that bad scandal, he’s inviting comparisons whenever a colleague subsequently does something worse.

[Torrain]

Update to the above. Before this afternoon, Parish was just inadvertently screwing the Tory party. Now he’s doing it on purpose:

https://mobile.twitter.com/DanielHewittITV/status/1542879739433689088
Sure, he’s bitter about having to resign. But somehow, he’s made a more consistent, and reasonable argument on penalties for abusive MPs than either the PM or the leader of the SNP have in the past fortnight.

Tractor porn man has almost become the voice of reason. What an absolute state we’re in.

[Leading Political Consultant Ma Anand Sheela]

It isn't as if anyone is going to buy it anyway.

He seems to have been appointed envoy to the Red Wall by the Lobby and broadcasters. Not sure why!

He's from Gateshead, dontcha know.

[Blair]

Pincher has lost the whip- only took 24 hours. Clearly the new fabled no.10 operation.

Imo assuming there’s an investigation it makes a by-election more likely.

[An American Tail: Fubart Goes West]

Chris Pincher, yes that’s his name, has resigned as deputy chief whip after an incident last night.

Will post more once his letter is released…

Nominative determinism it appears.

It’s almost the inverse of his name haha. Gropeham would’ve been even better.

[Blair]

It was reported the MP named Peter Bottomley said he hoped pincher would return to Government on a WhatsApp group.

I won’t tell you the name of his wife- that would ruin the joke.

[JimJamUK]

He seems to have been appointed envoy to the Red Wall by the Lobby and broadcasters. Not sure why!

He's from Gateshead, dontcha know.

Privately educated of course, not that it’s done his analysis any good.