Sir Keir’s Kerfuffle

[1andrew1]

Originally Posted by daveeb

I think we know the answer to that ! A bit of a short sighted approach you could say.

Lol.

Last week's approval ratings:
Sir Keir +20 points (plus twenty)
BoJo -1 (minus one)
Source: Pollsters Redfield and Wilton Strategies

[Mr K]

Even the Torygraph is disparaging on Bozza's performance.
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics...son-forgotten/

Traditionally speaking, an Opposition tends to oppose. It scrutinises the Government. Criticises it. Asks it difficult questions. It would be considered highly unorthodox for a Leader of the Opposition to stand up in the Commons and say, “Mr Speaker, I cannot help but observe that the Prime Minister is wearing an especially stylish pair of cufflinks. For the benefit on an admiring nation, could he enlighten us as to where we may purchase such a pair ourselves?”

The next time Boris Johnson prepares for PMQs, it might be worth his while taking this into account. Because today in the Commons, Sir Keir Starmer asked six questions about the Government’s handling of the pandemic. And in response, the Prime Minister seemed to grow more and more put out by the minute.

His voice grew louder and faster, and his manner more irate. With his index finger he stabbed at the despatch box, stab-stab-stab-stab-stab – like an indignant hotel guest, jabbing at the bell on an unmanned reception desk. Judging by his tone – hurt, aggrieved, and even bewildered – he seemed to view Sir Keir’s insistence on questioning him as an unexpected and uncalled-for impertinence.

In his first reply Mr Johnson demanded Sir Keir show him “more signs of cooperation” (to which Sir Keir responded that he’d written to Mr Johnson two weeks earlier, offering his cooperation on schools – and had not heard back). In his second reply Mr Johnson accused Sir Keir of trying to “distract the public” (he didn’t say how). In his third he accused Sir Keir of “casting aspersions” on the people who set up the Government’s track-and-trace system. (Strictly speaking, if Sir Keir was casting aspersions on anyone, it was Mr Johnson, for launching the system before Sir Keir believed it was ready.)

In his fourth reply, Mr Johnson protested that he “really [did] not see the purpose” of Sir Keir’s “endless attacks”. And when Sir Keir asked him why he was easing lockdown with the alert level at four (after pledging only to ease it once the alert level had dropped to three), the Prime Minister almost exploded. “He knows perfectly well that the alert level does allow it!” he blared.

For good measure, he then twice accused Sir Keir of performing “a U-turn”. Unfortunately, this approach was somewhat undermined by his final reply, in which he appeared to perform a U-turn himself – by insisting that, under the controversial new voting system, MPs unable to attend Parliament in person would be permitted to vote by proxy. This concession had not appeared in the motion the Government put to the Commons on Tuesday.

On the whole, the depth of Mr Johnson’s displeasure seemed surprising – not least because Sir Keir had hardly attacked him at all. He hadn’t mocked or insulted him, and his questions were delivered calmly. “Mr Speaker,” he said, “the Prime Minister is confusing scrutiny with attacks.”

In Mr Johnson’s defence, however, you can see how this confusion may have arisen. The Opposition has been AWOL for so long, the Prime Minister may simply have forgotten what its job is.

(What's also interesting is that i seerm to have full access to the Torygraph on my phone app, I don't subscribe, lucky me ! It's good for sport anyway )

[Sephiroth]

Originally Posted by Mr K

Even the Torygraph is disparaging on Bozza's performance.
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics...son-forgotten/


(What's also interesting is that i seerm to have full access to the Torygraph on my phone app, I don't subscribe, lucky me ! It's good for sport anyway )

The writer of that article is Michael Deacon and he always goes for a jugular on events in Parliament. He is not the Torygraph but a beautifully cynical observer. I am an avid follower.

Btw, Deacon is one of James O'Brian's favourites.

[Mr K]

Originally Posted by Sephiroth

The writer of that article is Michael Deacon and he always goes for a jugular on events in Parliament. He is not the Torygraph but a beautifully cynical observer. I am an avid follower.

Btw, Deacon is one of James O'Brian's favourites.

I like the reader comments. They really love him !

[1andrew1]

Originally Posted by Sephiroth

The writer of that article is Michael Deacon and he always goes for a jugular on events in Parliament. He is not the Torygraph but a beautifully cynical observer. I am an avid follower.

Btw, Deacon is one of James O'Brian's favourites.

Deacon seems to have nailed PMQ there. However, I appreciate that BoJo may have got a bit complacent for a while with Jezza in opposition but he needs to raise his game.
Did you pay for Mr K's Telegraph subscription, Seph?

[Sephiroth]

Originally Posted by 1andrew1

Deacon seems to have nailed PMQ there. However, I appreciate that BoJo may have got a bit complacent for a while with Jezza in opposition but he needs to raise his game.
Did you pay for Mr K's Telegraph subscription, Seph?

A beautiful mystery, Andrew.

Although I'm no longer sure what the topic is anymore I'm pretty certain it's not about Covid 19.

Admin Insert(Mick): All Covid related discussion moved to the relevant thread.

[1andrew1]

Sir Keir's centre ground approach seems to be paying off.

Sir Keir Starmer the most popular opposition leader since Tony Blair, poll finds
Sir Keir Starmer is the most popular leader of the opposition since Tony Blair, according to a new poll.
Two months into the role, the new Labour leader is matching the performance of Mr Blair in the 1990s, the data from Ipsos Mori found.
Mr Blair became leader of the opposition in 1994 and went on to win a landslide victory in the 1997 general election...
But whilst the poll will be encouraging for Labour, Boris Johnson is still viewed as a more capable leader of the country than Sir Keir, by 43% to 38%.
The Conservatives also maintain a slight leader over Labour.

https://news.sky.com/story/sir-keir-...finds-12005452

[pip08456]

Blair was such a good leader he took us into an unjust war, can we expect Karmer to do the same?

[peanut]

Originally Posted by pip08456

Blair was such a good leader he took us into an unjust war, can we expect Karmer to do the same?

Eh?

[pip08456]

Originally Posted by peanut

Eh?

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/u...-a7122361.html

[peanut]

Originally Posted by pip08456

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/u...-a7122361.html

What's that got to do with Keir Starmer?

[pip08456]

Originally Posted by peanut

What's that got to do with Keir Starmer?

What part of "can we expect Karmer to do the same? " don't you understand?

[peanut]

Originally Posted by pip08456

What part of "can we expect Karmer to do the same? " don't you understand?

I understood fully, just not sure why the need to compare. Basically you can't help yourself is the gist of it. Very stange.

[pip08456]

Anderws quote reveals a comparison. "Most popular since" is a comparison.