Call me a cynic, but I don't think we will ever get the full story of what happened at 10 Downing Street and how much Johnson knew or was involved in it. However, the fact he was fined for breeching his own laws is, in my view, already a resigning offence. The fact he lied about it is doubly so. And, yes, the same applies to Starmer and any other Ministers or Shadow Ministers who are fined for breaking Covid laws/rules. Anything less has/will erode(d) the public's trust in Parliament and will, almost certainly, result in less compliance next time there is a national emergency that needs a concerted public response.
Ben Kentish on LBC has just explained the only plausible explanation for Johnson not getting a fine for the BYOB party which he was at, and for which other attendees were fined. There was a loophole, closed shortly afterwards, that he was 'at home'.
It’s clearly cobblers that all of these parties took place, in the PM’s lavishly decorated home and he was unaware. He attended many, clearly and then lied about it. That will be the verdict of most of the public. The Sue Gray report will add to that clear sense non-radicalised folk have.
A serious question - is it now possible to refer to Johnson as a liar, without fear of being accused of defamation?
What with all the partygate fun and games, nearly everyone's forgotten about those pesky Russkies and their links with the Tories. It turns out Anneliesie Dodds hasn't... https://twitter.com/IanDunt/status/1526824214052864005 ...but unfortunately Oliver Dowden has.
She's not a moron - she's a spiteful moron: https://twitter.com/BBCPolitics/status/1527274391209496576
She was probably just visiting another Tory friend in London, y’know who I mean. Nothing to see here.
Johnson has a private meeting with Sue Gray to discuss the "handling of the partygate report". Independent my ****. https://news.sky.com/story/sue-gray...artygate-report-sky-news-understands-12617829
Dorries will need her own thread soon. Here she is telling the DCMS Committee that she shares her Netflix account with four other households. https://www.theguardian.com/politic...admits-sharing-netflix-account-with-relatives
As a person, yes, he could be a nice guy. As a contributor, no. He used to get stuck into mad arguments for weeks about obvious things, like saying Cummings had done no wrong, or Gavin Williamson was doing a good job. This is a very calm section of the forum now.
You can only admire someone prepared to argue that Gavin Williamson did a good job. Come back soon ZZ
Gavin Williamson was a superb lightning rod for the Tories. It's a much needed function of government, to have someone so crass and stupid, to deflect attention away from others own piss-poor performance. The previous holder of the role was Failing Grayling. Looks like Dorries is the current rod.
Today’s Tory sexual misconduct allegation. https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/politics/top-tory-mp-faces-drink-27030008