Updated: Boris resigns as party leader

Originally Posted by OLD BOY

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?

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

Originally Posted by Pierre

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

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.

[OLD BOY]

Originally Posted by 1andrew1

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

[BenMcr]

Originally Posted by OLD BOY

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

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

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

When I went into that garden just after six on 20 May 2020, to thank groups of staff before going back into my office 25 minutes later to continue working, I believed implicitly that this was a work event.

With hindsight I should have sent everyone back inside. I should have found some other way to thank them.

I should have recognised that even if it could be said technically to fall within the guidance, there are millions and millions of people who simply would not see it that way, people who have suffered terribly, people who were forbidden from meeting loved ones at all inside or outside, and to them and to this house I offer my heartfelt apologies.

[ianch99]

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

[jfman]

Originally Posted by ianch99

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

As a last stand it’s magnificent.

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

Originally Posted by Pierre

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

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

[BenMcr]

Originally Posted by BenMcr

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

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

And Carrie obviously did think it was a party

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

Robert Peston
@Peston
Of course @BorisJohnson could have asked his wife, Carrie Johnson, who was with him and drinking (gin, I’m told), whether they were at a party, if he wasn’t sure

[papa smurf]

Originally Posted by OLD BOY

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?

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 ----------

Originally Posted by Hugh

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.

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

[GrimUpNorth]

Originally Posted by OLD BOY

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.

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.

[daveeb]

Originally Posted by papa smurf

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 ?

"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.

[1andrew1]

Originally Posted by GrimUpNorth

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.

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:

Originally Posted by Sephiroth

I'm at a loss to understand why you set your self up for the fall like this.

Originally Posted by Pierre

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.

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.

[Sephiroth]

It's so dead simple for me.

1. You can't bring booze to work. So they couldn't have been at work.

2. They were invited to bring a bottle/booze. So it was a party.

3. A party would have been illegal at that time.

4. If the investigation finds otherwise all political hell will break loose.

[1andrew1]

Originally Posted by Sephiroth

It's so dead simple for me.

1. You can't bring booze to work. So they couldn't have been at work.

2. They were invited to bring a bottle/booze. So it was a party.

3. A party would have been illegal at that time.

4. If the investigation finds otherwise all political hell will break loose.

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

[Sephiroth]

Originally Posted by 1andrew1

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

OB's lost it, much to my disappointment. Boris's statement was so weasel worded, avoiding the legal point that everyone wants him to acknowledge.