Re: That No.10 Christmas Party
 

Oh, ye of little faith. They are digging in…

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics...olation-email/

Boris Johnson will not resign, a minister insisted on Tuesday, as pressure continued to grow over an email inviting more than 100 people to drinks at Downing Street at the height of the first lockdown.

The email was sent by Martin Reynolds, Mr Johnson's Principal Private Secretary, and emerged on Monday night.

It asked staff to attend a "bring your own booze" party in the Downing Street garden on May 20, 2020 from 6pm onwards, and urged them to "make the most of the lovely weather" at a "socially distanced drinks reception".

Asked if Mr Johnson would resign if he broke the law, Michael Ellis, the paymaster general, told MPs: "The Prime Minister is going nowhere.

"He seeks to draw me into making a supposition about the result of any inquiry, but the Prime Minister retains the confidence of the people of this country and he did so two years ago with the biggest majority in decades."

Mr Reynolds will stay in his role as principal private secretary and has the "full confidence" of Mr Johnson, No 10 has said.

It came as Sir Keir Starmer, the Labour leader, accused Boris Johnson of "lying to the British public" and urged him to "come clean" on what had happened at Downing Street.

Re: That No.10 Christmas Party
 

Re: That No.10 Christmas Party
 

The fact Boris won’t resign is of negligible impact on the longevity of his political career at this point.

Re: That No.10 Christmas Party
 

Because he has passed it to the inquiry, presumably. Anyway, why should he indulge the arguments of his opponents?

Re: That No.10 Christmas Party
 

Now there's a knob if ever you've seen one, wig of the year contender.:D

Re: That No.10 Christmas Party
 

True - but I think he should go not just because of these persistent party allegations, because he's got a very large seat majority and he's squandered chances to do vital stuff and also done stuff that I do not agree with like vaccine mandates for carers and now NHS staff.

Re: That No.10 Christmas Party
 

Here’s a thought. Does Boris still think he’s a net positive? And worse for the party what if he’s right?

He’s killed off UKIP to the right, yet gained ground to the left. He’s “delivered Brexit” ending the great schism in the party. Can anyone else do that? Or do they rip open old wounds.

Re: That No.10 Christmas Party
 

I don't think Johnson takes Government seriously. I think he likes the idea of being Prime Minister more than the job itself and so is more likely to be willing to resign if it all gets too much.

Re: That No.10 Christmas Party
 

Your name is Muhammad Saeed al-Sahhaf and I claim my ten Pounds! :D

Re: That No.10 Christmas Party
 

Re: That No.10 Christmas Party
 

Because he’s an elected politician, not a God-Emperor - he’s answerable to the public and the House of Commons.

Re: That No.10 Christmas Party
 

And he's now bring asked to answer it directly by his own party

https://news.sky.com/story/just-answ...rinks-12513756

Re: That No.10 Christmas Party
 

Re: That No.10 Christmas Party
 

One of you best goalpost moving posts of all time. The first line has exoneration as certain as certain can be. Then less than 4 dozen words later in the same post you're covering your ass by advocating he should resign!!! Classic Old Boy at its best.

Re: That No.10 Christmas Party
 

But if he answers the question and says he was not there, they still wouldn’t believe him. That’s why he’s set up the inquiry.

The Opposition would love him to be found wanting - he's a huge barrier for them to overcome.

This whole issue has a distinct whiff of the mischievous Cummings.

Re: That No.10 Christmas Party
 

If Johnson admitted he attended now, his position as Prime Minister would be untenable. Delaying matters with an enquiry may marginally increase his chances of survival, but I doubt even Johnson can wriggle out of this mess.

---------- Post added at 23:41 ---------- Previous post was at 23:34 ----------

Johnson is more of an asset to the Labour Party now. He's not a barrier to be overcome by any stretch of the imagination. You are behind the curve by about a year on Johnson's popularity.

64% of the public think he's incompetent and 69% think he's untrustworthy.
https://yougov.co.uk/topics/politics...ntent=trackers

Re: That No.10 Christmas Party
 

oh, and here's me been thinking for years that they all tell porkies :rolleyes:

anyway, if Bojo goes then everyone at the knees up must go also, seeing as they all broke the rules . . that'll really shake things up :D

Re: That No.10 Christmas Party
 

Where’s a successful Guy Fawkes when you need him…….

Re: That No.10 Christmas Party
 

Love that this is an “issue” v’s all the other shit going on ……… some one’s winning!

Re: That No.10 Christmas Party
 

I doubt it will, but I love your optimism. ;)

Re: That No.10 Christmas Party
 

Fully agree, a targeted campaign carried to ridiculous levels by (yet again) the media frenzy. Probably that nice Mr Cummings has the reach of friends in places where damage can be done, he's a sore loser if ever I saw one :D

Re: That No.10 Christmas Party
 

As we need someone to deal with all the other stuff going on then we need to trust their judgement and not lie or cover up.

Re: That No.10 Christmas Party
 

It may have escaped you notice, but this forum, along with much of the internet, seem to have a problem with their judgment when it comes to things like Covid, Brexit, Global Warming etc etc :D

or were you meaning the 'enquiry'?

Re: That No.10 Christmas Party
 

A career-threatening situation demands another distraction!

Does Johnson know anyone with contacts in Russia who can persuade Putin to ramp up the pressure in Ukraine? Failing that, perhaps pick a fight with the EU and trigger Article 16?

In the midst of either situation, the investigation may report back but won't get so much attention. And he could then argue that now is not the time to disrupt government by steeping down whilst such a situation is happening, and make a vague, waffly promise to seriously consider stepping down in the autumn which he has no intention of doing.

Re: That No.10 Christmas Party
 

Maybe we're due another shortage of something . . is it too soon for Easter eggs & Daffodils?

Perhaps a Nuclear Power station going critical would help eh . . or a plane crash in the Andes, a cruise ship hitting a rogue iceberg, . . no wait, I've got it . . it's perfect . . another 'possibly' dangerous Covid variant :D

Re: That No.10 Christmas Party
 

The 'bojo' variant ?


:angel:

Re: That No.10 Christmas Party
 

Wasn’t that Kent/Alpha?

Re: That No.10 Christmas Party
 

The general statement is still true, even if it's difficult to apply without severe irony at times (the same is true whichever party is in power unfortunately)

Re: That No.10 Christmas Party
 

Re: That No.10 Christmas Party
 

only just saw this thread, he needs a good boot in the ballix. lying toad.

Re: That No.10 Christmas Party
 

looks like kier starmer will be at PMQ'S to grill boris about the team meeting in the garden.

Re: That No.10 Christmas Party
 

Best for Starmer to grill him about team meetings and not the parties. Johnson is Starmer's useful idiot, so he wants him in power as long as possible. ;)

Re: That No.10 Christmas Party
 

Johnson is making a statement before the session so see what he says. Starmer is probably going to have different sets of questions depending on what that statement is.

Re: That No.10 Christmas Party
 

Maybe some kind of apology for the party being allowed to take place under his watch and the enquiry will report back soon?

Re: That No.10 Christmas Party
 

I think you’re crediting Starmer with a lot more strategic nous than he deserves. There’s no doubt his poll lead depends entirely on BoJo remaining in power, but the idea that he’s sufficiently in control of events to ‘use’ him is fanciful.

Re: That No.10 Christmas Party
 

I suspect Starmer would love to be the person who takes him down but he would also love to be strategic and keep him limping on.

But as much as he might love to be strategic, I doubt the Labour rank-and-file would tolerate him going easy on Johnson.

But if papa is right in his assertion that Starmer will instead be grilling him about team meetings, then it shows he's playing strategically. I don't know if papa is being sarcastic or not.

How Starmer fares in the polls against another Conservative leader presumably depends on how clean they come out of the 12 alleged rule-breaking events. (See 10.36am here.) If they'e strongly implicated then he should benefit.

Re: That No.10 Christmas Party
 

I think Starmer's strategy is pretty obvious. Detoxify the party from Corbyn and then seem like a safe and competent alternative to the Tories to capitalise on their mistakes.

You look at Labour's messaging from the summer and it clearly focused on two things with Johnson: 1) He isn't serious 2) he can't be trusted. Clearly, the right messaging for them.

It's a strategy based on the idea that oppositions don't win elections, Governments lose them. Might not be the smartest political plan even calculated but not stupid either.

Re: That No.10 Christmas Party
 

What he says and when he says it will no doubt be influenced by if and when he manages to line up some rich supporter to pick up any fines that may be coming his way and to chip in towards the removal costs and the decoration of his new digs.

Re: That No.10 Christmas Party
 

No sponsor has time for yesterday's man.

Re: That No.10 Christmas Party
 

He attended it for 20/25* minutes, but didn’t realise it was a party?

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/uk-5...ost_type=share


He’ll have difficulty using the "Captain Hindsight" jibe any more…

*he’s mentioned both

Re: That No.10 Christmas Party
 

The garden was an extension of the office space due to the requirement for ventilation, and all there were in a work bubble.

Re: That No.10 Christmas Party
 

He probably won't need to if his Party secures his resignation.

Then kids in the future will see pictures of Johnson and ask "What is a BYOB party, daddy? It must be a bad thing."

Re: That No.10 Christmas Party
 

Absolute rubbish - it was against the law for people to socialise.

Re: That No.10 Christmas Party
 

A workplace meeting was within the rules.

Re: That No.10 Christmas Party
 

That was awful, he must be gone surely?

---------- Post added at 12:27 ---------- Previous post was at 12:22 ----------

I think the worst thing in all this is he let OLD_BOY down. :( ;)

Re: That No.10 Christmas Party
 

Never seen anything this bad before.

Re: That No.10 Christmas Party
 

I think that’s all he has to prove. It wasn’t a party, it was working time out in the fresh air rather than cooped up in the office.

What’s safer - working inside or working outside?

Re: That No.10 Christmas Party
 

Haha come on. You must be on a wind up at this point surely?

Re: That No.10 Christmas Party
 

It wasn’t a work meeting, it was people meeting after work to socialise, relax, and have drinks.

Re: That No.10 Christmas Party
 

It's too late for technicalities, Old Boy.

Perceptions count and the public and his Party have found him guilty and want his head.

Re: That No.10 Christmas Party
 

Do you two take it in turns, or can you both fit up there at the same time?

Re: That No.10 Christmas Party
 

Just sayin’…. :D

I still want to see the result of the inquiry before passing judgement, but I agree it’s not a good look.

Re: That No.10 Christmas Party
 

Damien's right, they're both in a gentle wind-up mode!

Re: That No.10 Christmas Party
 

https://www.cableforum.uk/board/atta...2&d=1641991417

https://twitter.com/garius/status/14...860695041?s=21

Re: That No.10 Christmas Party
 

Are you disappointed that he has now admitted to being at the party?

Re: That No.10 Christmas Party
 

Much like the family Pierre did with friends and neighbours at the same time.

Re: That No.10 Christmas Party
 

You aren't the ones who made it illegal to do so.

Re: That No.10 Christmas Party
 

I know, and that's the reason he'll probably not get out of this but I wouldn't criticise as that would make me a hypocrite.

Along, I'm sure, with millions of others that also ignored the rules that are currently putting the boot in.

Re: That No.10 Christmas Party
 

Send him packing immediately!


The fact he dismissed the idea of telling the truth for so long shows how much he contemplates lying to us all.


This is not how a leader of a country should be.

---------- Post added at 13:31 ---------- Previous post was at 13:29 ----------




Are you one of the people he has obviously brain washed?
It was a party to reward his staff. You don't have alcohol in a business meeting!

Re: That No.10 Christmas Party
 

I'm sure the majority of the UK did follow the rules, and have the ability to rightly outraged that those in charge didn't.

---------- Post added at 13:35 ---------- Previous post was at 13:32 ----------

Indeed. My work had literally everyone they could working from home including lots of people that previously didn't have the option.

https://www.virginmedia.com/corporat...work-from-home

All office gatherings were banned unless it was essential and a 40+ meeting would not have met that criteria. Anything that needed a 40+ attendance would have been a video conference.

Re: That No.10 Christmas Party
 

Frame this and put it on your office wall alongside “there are no tanks in Baghdad”.

Re: That No.10 Christmas Party
 

Pretty sure you didn’t think it was a work meeting when you turned up and they were all there…

Anyway, I wonder if the 60-70 staff members who didn’t turn up for Johnson’s "work meeting" were disciplined for non-attendance.

Re: That No.10 Christmas Party
 

He has admitted that he was there, but not that it was a party, which is the essential issue here.

Why would I be disappointed that the PM has answered the question?

Let’s now see what the inquiry concludes so we have all the facts and then we can make a sensible judgement.

We need answers to questions about that invitation to the event, whether there was any retraction and clarification of that, and what actually happened at the event.

I’m sure you can hold it together for another few days so you can speak on this with some credibility. Making judgements based on allegations without having the submission from the other side is never a wise move.

Re: That No.10 Christmas Party
 

It's not whether it was a party, it said he didn't think it was a party.

https://www.theguardian.com/politics...08b14fee0b27d0

Re: All those No.10 lockdown parties
 

I am turning up here just for OB's posts :) Solid gold ...

Re: All those No.10 lockdown parties
 

As a last stand it’s magnificent.

---------- Post added at 14:21 ---------- Previous post was at 14:14 ----------

When your behaviour becomes the barometer for acceptability rather than sociopathy we are all done for.

Re: That No.10 Christmas Party
 

And Carrie obviously did think it was a party

https://twitter.com/Peston/status/1481248235670974465

Re: That No.10 Christmas Party
 

No music no dancing no vol-au-vent's, nope it's not a party.

---------- Post added at 14:50 ---------- Previous post was at 14:44 ----------

Did the email say it was mandatory to attend the meeting that wasn't organised by Johnson ?

Re: That No.10 Christmas Party
 

You're on good form today.

If the bloke running the show can't tell the difference between a work meeting and an after work drinks session then it really does look like the Conservative's need an injection of some new genes in what looks like a pretty small and getting smaller pool (pun intended).

Surely you're disappointed he answered the question because only yesterday you were telling us he wasn't answering because he was tacking the piss out of and pulling the pud of the opposition to sucker them in to the trap he had set.

So if our opinion is contrary to yours we need to wait for the facts before we express our disgust in the actions of the lying snake oil salesman while you don't need to wait for the facts to shout his innocence from the rooftops.

Re: That No.10 Christmas Party
 

"I'm going to have to rethink a lot of the "safe working" events I attended in the 80's and 90's mistakenly assuming they were parties.

Re: That No.10 Christmas Party
 

Agreed, Old Boy is tripping himself up in as many contradictions as Johnson. No mean achievement.

I leave it to Seph to speak for me:

Re: That No.10 Christmas Party
 

Depends on what you criticise him for. If you criticise him for meeting up because it could increase the transmissibility of the virus then yeah that would make you a bit hypocritical.

However, if you were to criticise him for putting you under the threat of committing a criminal offence for something he was doing then I don't think you would be.

That he broke lockdown rules is small fry compared to the charge of hypocrisy and outright lying that is making these stories so toxic for them.

It's the same as the expenses row. The actual money taken by MPs is rather small all things considered. What outraged people was the abuse of their position and the contempt they had for the public in so flagrantly taking advantage of the system for their own selfish ends.

Re: All those No.10 lockdown parties
 

Re: All those No.10 lockdown parties
 

https://www.cableforum.uk/board/atta...5&d=1642001732

Will be interesting to see which of you is right out of you and Old Boy. My money's on you.

Re: All those No.10 lockdown parties
 

Re: All those No.10 lockdown parties
 

Not technically true, many a Friday afternoon office meeting has been spent with beers & spirits. the joys of working for a startup. Ah, how i miss them

---------- Post added at 15:59 ---------- Previous post was at 15:57 ----------


Also, it pretty much destroys any credibility he has on any other subject.

Reminds me of the Python's argument sketch.

Re: All those No.10 lockdown parties
 

Re: All those No.10 lockdown parties
 

Can we take the nuclear codes off him .. just to be sure? :)

Re: All those No.10 lockdown parties
 

Teflon Boris will ride this out. Labour aren’t really making any ground, and there isn’t anybody in the Tory party making any ground on him either.

Regardless of anything the Tories want to win the next election, Boris will only be challenged if it looks like he can’t win and/or someone with better prospects magically appears.

Re: All those No.10 lockdown parties
 

I think that you are right.

Re: All those No.10 lockdown parties
 

Labour have taken the lead for a sustained few weeks in the polling now. I don't think the idea Johnson is a vote winner for the Tories holds true anymore. The party's polling has gone down, his own ratings have tanked and most people want him to resign it seems.

Re: All those No.10 lockdown parties
 

Its not often I read your posts and smile, but that one did the job. :D

Thats not entirely true, Ive attended work meetings where its been provided by the company (or byo if you preferred). ;)

Re: All those No.10 lockdown parties
 

Have you had a chance to look at the various polls over the last few months? If not, then pour yourself a good strong drink before doing so!
https://yougov.co.uk/topics/politics...pproval-rating
https://inews.co.uk/opinion/boris-jo...ys-off-1357719
https://www.politico.eu/europe-poll-...nited-kingdom/
https://inews.co.uk/news/politics/tw...candal-1395002

Re: All those No.10 lockdown parties
 

Lies, damned lies and statistics. ;)

Re: All those No.10 lockdown parties
 

I think the Labour party are secretly hoping he does survive this. Atm he's their best vote winner.
Anyway, wonder what's next on Cummings leak list ....

Re: All those No.10 lockdown parties
 

Crikey, you and Chris are in total agreement.

This truly is the thread that keeps on giving. ;)

---------- Post added at 18:40 ---------- Previous post was at 18:39 ----------

They never asked me. :D

Re: All those No.10 lockdown parties
 

What views? He took ages to decide which side he was on and wrote a pro remain article for the Times https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.sta...296.html%3famp
He then saw the power opportunity for himself and grabbed it just like the latest bit of skirt.
He has no belief in anything.

Re: All those No.10 lockdown parties
 

So, in summary, Johnson has gone from -

1) Denying there were parties
2) Saying that even if parties happened, all COVID rules were followed
3) Saying he personally didn’t break rules
4) Denied he attended a party
5) Denying knowledge the party he attended was a party.

And as for his "apology" - it was basically "I hope you don’t realise that I am apologising for people misunderstanding what was happening, and if they thought I had done something wrong, i’m sorry they felt that way"…

Re: All those No.10 lockdown parties
 

So what your saying is it was a workplace meeting.

Re: All those No.10 lockdown parties
 

Polls, polls, and more polls, we'll see what happens when the election comes up.;)

Re: All those No.10 lockdown parties
 

Just watched Boris doing a party political broadcast on the BBC. Came across as very self congratulatory and smug.

Re: All those No.10 lockdown parties
 

No

Re: All those No.10 lockdown parties
 

Believe me, if it went to the polls in a week Labour would lose again, convincingly.

Yes, people are pissed off on this particular non-issue, but if it came to a GE and everybody weighed it all up. The Tory’s still win, easily.

Re: All those No.10 lockdown parties
 

That'll be doubtful with Bozo at the helm. The longer he stays the worse it'll be for the Tories. He's now too much of a liability so he'll be gone soon enough.

Re: All those No.10 lockdown parties
 

A legitimate work gathering political broadcast surely ?

---------- Post added at 19:44 ---------- Previous post was at 19:44 ----------

Speculation, conjecture and no supporting evidence.

Re: All those No.10 lockdown parties
 

The only person I’m less likely to believe on this forum is Old Boy.

---------- Post added at 19:55 ---------- Previous post was at 19:53 ----------

All friends Pierre had at his garden party.

Re: All those No.10 lockdown parties
 

:D:D:D

---------- Post added at 20:29 ---------- Previous post was at 20:27 ----------

Agreed. It's based on little more than wishful thinking.

---------- Post added at 20:29 ---------- Previous post was at 20:29 ----------

:D

---------- Post added at 20:33 ---------- Previous post was at 20:29 ----------

The leadership election? Bring it on. July isn't it? Who do you reckon I should put my money on? Truss? Sunak?

Re: All those No.10 lockdown parties
 

Duh…. Of course it is…..it’s called an opinion. Do you have one?

Re: All those No.10 lockdown parties
 

https://www.cableforum.uk/board/atta...7&d=1642020550

Very unfair - forgot to include his mistresses/ex-mistresses…

Re: All those No.10 lockdown parties
 

Now, now, Don’t be like that.

Indeed, joined by …Fun, happiness, inconsequence, brevity.

We had a great discussion, and got pissed. Everybody had a great time.

Were you inside your bedsit, drinking a tennents super, in your underpants on your tablet? You should’ve given me a shout, you could have come round.