[Tubby Isaacs]

Was that the one Johnson took his wife to? When it stipulated no gatherings should take place?

Yep, and not during elections either.

[Watchman]

Was that the one Johnson took his wife to? When it stipulated no gatherings should take place?

And her interior designer

[Tubby Isaacs]

Wasn't Lulu Little just at the cake? I think he means the one in the garden with the photo of people slumped about.

[Watchman]

Oh yeah, good point

[mattomac]

Yeah the garden one sorry, the one that happened when us plebs could only go out for 30 minutes exercise or our twice weekly shop, not when I was enjoying several beers in the beer garden which is what I did 4 days prior to the work dinner Starmer was having.

I’m angry at this, angry at the media, angry at those who should know better in the media and angry at how corrupt it all looks. And if the hard left bring Starmer down trust me whoever comes next will have them proscribed quicker than it took to ambush Johnson with a cake. Starmer, the NEC and Evans have remember basically fudged the future election of a Labour leader and no one will be lending their votes to Long Bailey or Burgeon.

If he is fined which based on this I’d find it very hard to do so (the party of 30 has already been sliced into half and now it’s a work dinner which after it he tweeted which would suggest he was still working and it has guidance around Covid on it).

Then he needs to stick it out go for a leadership election maybe offer one up himself or stand aside for someone like Nandy and basically squeeze those far left bastards into next week.

Fuck em they need eradicating, this country needs a progressive government that Labour could provide with support from the LDs. America learnt on the 6th of January 2021 what happens when you tolerant corruption at the very top and that’s what Johnson is, this lot are no different from the Republicans and their press support are Fox News lite. Those who believe they are on the right side should be wary of this story but sadly too many aren’t listening to legal experts and seem more obsessed with a work gathering in 2021 than a loss of near 500 seats or as the mail call it, a disaster.

[Nigredo]

Sunday Times say they have a witness who said it was basically a piss up, and nobody went back to work. It is though caveated with a "to my knowledge".

Wasn’t he also an embittered student leaping to conclusions because lockdown ruined his student piss ups?

[mattomac]

Sunday Times say they have a witness who said it was basically a piss up, and nobody went back to work. It is though caveated with a "to my knowledge".

Wasn’t he also an embittered student leaping to conclusions because lockdown ruined his student piss ups?

He also claimed it was thirty which has gone down to 15 already, probably be 5 when the dust settles he is about as believable as Putin’s news channels.

[Tubby Isaacs]

Sunday Times say they have a witness who said it was basically a piss up, and nobody went back to work. It is though caveated with a "to my knowledge".

Wasn’t he also an embittered student leaping to conclusions because lockdown ruined his student piss ups?

No idea.

Doesn't sound like anybody would be able to disprove the claim that they were working. Even if Mary Foy had knocked a few back, how does he know she's not talking to people about the elections?

[Oboogie]

A lawyer's opinion on Labour's Hartlepool canvassing event.

[Tubby Isaacs]

[
He also claimed it was thirty which has gone down to 15 already, probably be 5 when the dust settles he is about as believable as Putin’s news channels.

Looks from this that 30 came from the curry house delivery man, who presumably came up with £200 too. If he exists, of course. It would great if Starmer was playing "rope a dope" with this stuff. I'm not entirely relaxed about it yet, mind.

[Tubby Isaacs]

Well indeed. Surprised we're not on to Sir Keir's posh curry.

[Oboogie]

A glance at the size of the redacted names on the itinerary indicts far fewer than 30 attendees, my guess is 15 provided none of them had particularly long names.

[Andy McDandy]

Reading newspapers, rule 94.

What is the absolute limit of technical accuracy of any statement?

The classic being "Comedian tells joke we don't approve of". Bet your bottom dollar the article will say "while some laughed, many were appalled". Some, many, vague amounts. Never "most", because most means more than 50%.

[Abernathy]

I’m reasonably confident that despite all the fevered media speculation, Starmer will not receive a Fixed Penaly Notice from the Durham rozzers and will not have to resign. Why?

1. The Durham rozzers have already investigated this once and concluded that there was no wrong-doing. The supposed “new evidence” that has become available to “prove” that Starmer’s meal break was not a legitimate part of a work schedule seems to be [checks notes] a copy of the actual work schedule, including the scheduled meal break.

2. The Durham rozzers may only, in my view, have agreed to re-investigate in order to appear even-handed with respect to both political parties and to get the rabid Tory attack dogs called off. I think it’s likely that they’ll conclude in short order that their original conclusion of no wrong doing was entirely correct.

3. Keir Starmer was the Director of Public Prosecutions - the top lawyer in all England. He knows about laws, and stuff. It is supremely improbable that he would be so careless as be in breach of vitally important public health legislation(unlike Johnson, who does not give a fuck). Equally, were he to have accidentally breached any rules, it is supremely unlikely that he’d tell lies about it. Again, unlike Johnson.

4. The Covid rules in place at the time of the Hartlepool by-election specifically allowed for the sort of meal break at which Starmer necked his San Miguel.

5. The Tories are a bunch of mendacious cunts.

That is all.

[Andy McDandy]

I know a few cops. I'm reading "yes, we'll look into it again" in very much a Chief Wiggum* voice.

*Lazy police chief from the Simpsons, m'lud.

[Youngian]

Huge effort has been put into this flimsy shot at Starmer. It has no good outcomes for the government even if it forced Keir’s resignation. There’s at least five LOTO candidates who could run rings around a further wounded Johnson.

[Youngian]

I know a few cops. I'm reading "yes, we'll look into it again" in very much a Chief Wiggum* voice.

*Lazy police chief from the Simpsons, m'lud.

Then pretend to be investigating alleged new evidence for a few weeks to keep Tory wankers of their backs.

[Oboogie]

@Abernathy Agree with all you say apart from the apparent fact that Durham police have delegated six officers to the investigation for at least six weeks. So this is going to drag on and on.

[Boiler]

[
He also claimed it was thirty which has gone down to 15 already, probably be 5 when the dust settles he is about as believable as Putin’s news channels.

Looks from this that 30 came from the curry house delivery man, who presumably came up with £200 too. If he exists, of course. It would great if Starmer was playing "rope a dope" with this stuff. I'm not entirely relaxed about it yet, mind.

Accidentally admitted Starmer couldn't eat at hotel which stopped serving too early.

Could be worse: he could have done a Clarkson...

[Boiler]

@Abernathy Agree with all you say apart from the apparent fact that Durham police have delegated six officers to the investigation for at least six weeks. So this is going to drag on and on.

Which is what they want. Deflection from the shitshow the daily lives of people are turning into and hopefully mortally wounding someone who could ruin Johnson's ambitions.