[Boiler]

Another delaying tactic: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-60123850

Westminster has been eagerly awaiting the report from senior civil servant Ms Gray into the list of alleged parties that took place over different lockdowns throughout the pandemic, including the birthday party.

While some Tory MPs have already openly called for Mr Johnson to go, others have said they are waiting to read her report before deciding on the PM's future.

But while the Cabinet Office has said her inquiry will continue at the same time as the Met's, the BBC understands Ms Gray's final report - which had been expected to be published this week - will now be delayed while the police carry out their own work.

And it is not yet clear how long the force's investigation will take.

The first thing is to have a sense of proportion.

When you hear the words, "Met Police, investigation, criminal, Downing Street", that sounds incredibly dramatic.

This is a big development in this story, but we are talking about the potential issuing of fixed penalty notices - fines - not about big criminal trials or people going to prison.

So it is important to keep that sense of perspective.

There are also lots of things we don't know about this police investigation.

We don't know how many of these high-profile parties are now being investigated and crucially we don't know if they were parties attended by the prime minister.

[Bones McCoy]

Merchant banker turned London councillor and one of Johnson's City Hall gang. A crony, bluntly.

Learned Afrikaans to boost his prospects.

[Boiler]

I've just watched Cleverly, Truss and Milling whilst waiting for Rayner's urgent question (to which, once again, the obsequious Michael Ellis is responding).

Yeah...

[Boiler]

Ian Hislop, Solomon Hughes and Richard Brooks of "Private Eye" up before the Parliamentary Standards Committee.

[RedSparrows]

I thought Jenkins had a very valid point. Perhaps not the most convenient time wise, but I don't really get Hislop's sardonic response.

Otherwise, yes, more please.

[Andy McDandy]

If his point was that prospective MPs should have a better understanding of the Nolan principles before running for office, he might want to ask a) why selection committees don't grill prospects on them*, and b) what happens when they get to Westminster and some old timer explains how things really work.

*To my knowledge.

[Tubby Isaacs]

It's really unfair the BBC won't interview me on my preferred choice of subject. And it's not just "parties", is it?

[Cyclist]

I can assure Mr Redwood that the man on the Clapham omnibus is talking about nothing but Johnson and his illegal parties. It is the hottest topic around.

[Bones McCoy]

It's really unfair the BBC won't interview me on my preferred choice of subject. And it's not just "parties", is it?

Piss off Redwood, you and your male voice choir.

[Youngian]

Yes, the Tories and their press lackeys have suddenly become Noam Chomsky. They’ve had enough of frivolous froth from the capitalist media and want to debate the real issues.

[Nigredo]

Jon Gullies leapfrogs to the top of my "Would pay cash to see them skinned alive" list.

EDIT:

[Bones McCoy]

Gullis is the one who returned to part time teaching.

What an example for the kids in his classroom.

[Boiler]

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/h ... 02591.html

US State Department officials have expressed “dismay and frustration” at the British government’s failure to tackle the flow of Russian funds into the city which has been dubbed “Londongrad”, according to The Times.

“The fear is that Russian money is so entrenched in London now that the opportunity to use it as leverage against Putin could be lost,” a source in Washington said. “Biden is talking about sanctioning Putin himself but that can only be symbolic. Putin doesn’t hold his money abroad, it is all in the kleptocrats’ names and a hell of a lot of it is sitting in houses in Knightsbridge and Belgravia right under your government’s noses.”

[Bones McCoy]

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/h ... 02591.html

US State Department officials have expressed “dismay and frustration” at the British government’s failure to tackle the flow of Russian funds into the city which has been dubbed “Londongrad”, according to The Times.

“The fear is that Russian money is so entrenched in London now that the opportunity to use it as leverage against Putin could be lost,” a source in Washington said. “Biden is talking about sanctioning Putin himself but that can only be symbolic. Putin doesn’t hold his money abroad, it is all in the kleptocrats’ names and a hell of a lot of it is sitting in houses in Knightsbridge and Belgravia right under your government’s noses.”

And there's an army of tory leaning city jobs "Butlering" their investments for them.
Some might consider this a touch awkward for the PM.

[Boiler]

Dunno why, but that image upsets me deeply - much more than it angers me.

[davidjay]

Dunno why, but that image upsets me deeply - much more than it angers me.

A lot of us are saying the same. It sums these bastards up - they laugh while we suffer.

[kreuzberger]

The useless mouths, the vulnerable, they are being cut adrift in their droves. It is hard not to have some sympathy for them, despite the fact that they are very much predisposed to vote for the people who are directly responsible for their miserable predicament.

This generation is one which trusted its government to do the right thing by them and by the country.

Perhaps now, with the overwhelming evidence to the contrary, they will start to get angry. Once the Tories lose the dressing room, (god's dressing room), they are well and truly fucked.

And that is the genius of Cold War Steve. The image of this desolate older woman is emblematic of the callous harm, the disrespect, and the wanton disregard of this current clutch of feral beasts.

[Boiler]

From that thread:

No, they voted this bastard in because the thick fucks in Stoke wanted Brexit and felt betrayed by Starmer.

The other reason it upsets me is very personal.

[kreuzberger]

My hatred for those who voted for Johnson and for Brexit knows absolutely no bounds. However, that is simply not going to affect the change which is necessary. "Smug" is not a political position which is in any way sustainable or progressive.

I have mooted on here before that a truth and reconciliation commission will be needed to heal these festering wounds.

Now, I doubt that the country will have a self-awareness to accept that this is the only way forward. So, some kind of national conversation and the reset of the countrywide debate will be necessary. Otherwise. the descent into a very dark place is as good as guaranteed.

[Boiler]

Now, I doubt that the country will have a self-awareness to accept that this is the only way forward. So, some kind of national conversation and the reset of the countrywide debate will be necessary. Otherwise. the descent into a very dark place is as good as guaranteed.

Truth and reconciliation committee? Dream on.

Given that the UK now seems to be becoming polarised ever more strongly into binary factions and is becoming ever more anti-science and anti-education, I think we are still to have our 30/1/1933 moment so the "dark place" is still to come. Look at the people standing in Amess's constituency against the Tory.

There has been a series recently on the hated Trotskyite BBC called "The Death Of Nuance".

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000qlsj