Boris the PM - a new beginning

[rudebhoy]

Perhaps best to just try a period of "No comment" then.

Can't be accused of double standards that way.

As for PMQ"s the overall consensus seems to be that this week's episode resulted in a victory for Johnson as Starmer was guilty of lack of research and, thus, killer questions.

Early days for complacency on his part I would have thought.

Was that the one where he attempted to defend the NHS surcharge on NHS workers from overseas, only to cave in on it 24 hours later?

The account I read said he had obviously done some prep for a change, and the result was better than the last 2 humiliating knockouts, but was still overwhelmingly beaten on points.

I guess we don't read the same newspapers.

 

[MetalMickie]

Was that the one where he attempted to defend the NHS surcharge on NHS workers from overseas, only to cave in on it 24 hours later?

The account I read said he had obviously done some prep for a change, and the result was better than the last 2 humiliating knockouts, but was still overwhelmingly beaten on points.

I guess we don't read the same newspapers.

I read several.

Like many others I am no Boris fanboy and my comment is in fact directed at Starmer.

After two excellent performances at PMQ's I felt he clearly came across this week as complacent and smug.

The nature of Johnson's performance definitely flustered him as his follow ups showed

This is often a problem for those from a courtroom background. They tend to anticipate the reply and can get confused when the witness goes off script.

 

[Hacker Khan]

Am increasingly wondering how deliberate Bojos continually absence is. Am prepared to cut him some slack as he was struck down with it. Then there was the birth of his 5th/6th/7th child (delete as appropriate). But it's as if he wants to distance himself from our, at very best, distinctly average response to this crisis.

Still, as soon as the R number is rapidly going down and we finally have caught up with many other countries with regard to test, track and trace, I'm sure he'll be back.

 

[pendodave]

Hmmm

Am increasingly wondering how deliberate Bojos continually absence is. Am prepared to cut him some slack as he was struck down with it. Then there was the birth of his 5th/6th/7th child (delete as appropriate). But it's as if he wants to distance himself from our, at very best, distinctly average response to this crisis.

Still, as soon as the R number is rapidly going down and we finally have caught up with many other countries with regard to test, track and trace, I'm sure he'll be back.

Hmmm. I'm not sure. At that point there will be several million unemployed and the realisation that our economy might take years to get functioning again.
Not a particular good news message he'll be wanting to associate himself with.
Given that the cabinet has shown itself to be as underwhelming as expected, I am curious who will be next cab on the rank. Gove? Someone currently exiled to the back benches?

 

[Hacker Khan]

Interesting that it seems Labour voters are closer to Conservative MPs than Labour MPs on some topics. And voters and MPs seem to be a distance away from each other for both parties on some issues.

 

[Hacker Khan]

Then on economics Labour seem to be mostly aligned where as their is more difference in conservatives, with MPs being the most 'right' of the lot.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

Good to see photos of Johnson doing press-ups (eh?)...maybe he should now be focussing on getting his party more aligned with itself.

I guess the photos are intended to dispel myths that having a new child makes you knackered...as perhaps he has been looking of late...just a little

Interesting charts re Labour and Conservative voters and members and how close they are to their parliamentary representatives.

 

[drdel]

Good to see photos of Johnson doing press-ups (eh?)...maybe he should now be focussing on getting his party more aligned with itself.

I guess the photos are intended to dispel myths that having a new child makes you knackered...as perhaps he has been looking of late...just a little

Interesting charts re Labour and Conservative voters and members and how close they are to their parliamentary representatives.

Just perhaps his virus infection was a bit of a wake-up call and he is trying to improve his fitness.

While I recognise you dislike and rightly want to challenge his politics, but is it really necessary to keep on with the personal attacks?

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

Just perhaps his virus infection was a bit of a wake-up call and he is trying to improve his fitness.

While I recognise you dislike and rightly want to challenge his politics, but is it really necessary to keep on with the personal attacks?

Quite honestly - Yes - for as long his deceits and self-serving words, actions and politics merit it.

 

[Hacker Khan]

Just perhaps his virus infection was a bit of a wake-up call and he is trying to improve his fitness.

While I recognise you dislike and rightly want to challenge his politics, but is it really necessary to keep on with the personal attacks?

Eye, and perhaps Putin was practicing his dressage moves when photographers mysteriously appeared out of nowhere...

 

[ColchesterFC]

Just perhaps his virus infection was a bit of a wake-up call and he is trying to improve his fitness.

While I recognise you dislike and rightly want to challenge his politics, but is it really necessary to keep on with the personal attacks?

Wasn't it set up to show that he was now fully recovered from the virus and was no longer suffering from the after effects?

 

[ColchesterFC]

Quite honestly - Yes - for as long his deceits and self-serving words, actions and politics merit it.

What about using the play the post not the poster rule from the forum? You can attack his policies and words without sinking to the level of personal attacks on the man himself. Plenty left to criticise about him without getting personal.

 

[pendodave]

Interesting that it seems Labour voters are closer to Conservative MPs than Labour MPs on some topics. And voters and MPs seem to be a distance away from each other for both parties on some issues.

View attachment 31402

This is interesting, and perhaps explains why the Conservatives keep getting elected. (Not intended as a pejorative statement, more a reflection of the task facing Starmer).

 

[pauldj42]

What about using the play the post not the poster rule from the forum? You can attack his policies and words without sinking to the level of personal attacks on the man himself. Plenty left to criticise about him without getting personal.

I doubt the PM posts on here.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

What about using the play the post not the poster rule from the forum? You can attack his policies and words without sinking to the level of personal attacks on the man himself. Plenty left to criticise about him without getting personal.

Which bit of him being a proven deceitful charlatan is out of bounds...and we know that he is self-serving as, for example, he only chose between Leave and Remain when he decided which route would best serve his own ends. I consider it perfectly acceptable to call someone out for what I consider deceits and lies when these deceits and lies impact the lives of others to the poorer.

 

[spongebob59]

This to replace pmq's 😂

https://news.sky.com/story/sir-keir...es-boris-johnson-to-press-up-contest-12017471

 

[howbow88]

I bumped into Keir Starmer in December, and I would probably stick my money on him. He had a sort of Westwood physique - big, but kind of strong looking.

 

[Hobbit]

Which bit of him being a proven deceitful charlatan is out of bounds...and we know that he is self-serving as, for example, he only chose between Leave and Remain when he decided which route would best serve his own ends. I consider it perfectly acceptable to call someone out for what I consider deceits and lies when these deceits and lies impact the lives of others to the poorer.

Can't disagree with much of that Hugh.

Here's a thought. In America they have a President that originally wanted to be put forward by one party but when that didn't happen he jumped buses to the other party to satisfy his own personal ambitions. In the UK there is a Prime Minister who was a Remainer but jumped to being a Leaver to satisfy his own ambitions. In America they have a President who lies and fires off incendiary media messages. And in the UK there's a Prime Minister, sacked from a high profile job for lying and not afraid to fire off "letter box" racist comments. In America they have a President who doesn't seem capable of grasping the depth of situations, and the UK has a govt led by someone that doesn't seem capable of strong leadership in times of crisis.

Earlier in the thread I've called Boris Trump-lite. I've not seen much to change that view.

In the UK so many people see Trump for what he is, a dangerous liar and bully yet so many of those people can't see the same in Boris. The lazy lies, the incendiary newspaper articles he penned. The backstabbing his way to the top and, at times, a leadership that seems lacking in detail and substance.

Thankfully the UK's system of govt means it isn't quite the politics by personality that the US enjoys but it is worrying to see that someone of Johnson's character can make it to the top. But let's not conflate supporting a party to supporting its leader. The run up to the last election saw voters leaving Labour because of a distrust in Corbyn. Lets just hope that if the Tories do win another term it isn't with Trump-lite at the helm.

 

[howbow88]

Whilst I think that is a great post, I also think we are very much are about personality politics in this country now. I just couldn't see either party put in charge someone like John Smith, or William Hague these days - their images don't work for a big PR campaign.

In terms of recent history though; May was a poor PM, but her general election was an utter disaster. Johnson was up against the exact same leader of the opposition, and blew him away.

What I find odd about the Johnson popularity is the fact that he is a proven liar, but no one seems to care too much about it. If you had a guy like that working for you, you would try and get rid of them asap.

 

[Hacker Khan]

Whilst I think that is a great post, I also think we are very much are about personality politics in this country now. I just couldn't see either party put in charge someone like John Smith, or William Hague these days - their images don't work for a big PR campaign.

In terms of recent history though; May was a poor PM, but her general election was an utter disaster. Johnson was up against the exact same leader of the opposition, and blew him away.

What I find odd about the Johnson popularity is the fact that he is a proven liar, but no one seems to care too much about it. If you had a guy like that working for you, you would try and get rid of them asap.

For whatever reason people seem less bothered about that kind of thing nowadays, especially if he is 'one of yours' . I think it is very similar to supporting a football team, one of your players uses their guile to deceive the ref and it's fine as that's part of the game. One of the players for your rivals does it and he's a dirty cheating *&%£*&$£* Same in politics. And the politicians know it and then keep pushing it until you end up with Trump. And the frightening thing is that if this continues, in 10 years time we may look back on the Trump era as relatively measured and coherent.