[davidjay]

Rachel looks like a Michael Fabricant tribute act.

[Andy McDandy]

There's another shot from the same set doing the rounds, of Johnson with Carrie and Dorries in the same pose.

Dorries looks like she's been sucking a nettle.

Must. Not. Make. Obvious. Joke.

[Samanfur]

I was expecting somebody to.

[Crabcakes]

VONC reached:

[Andy McDandy]

Jesse Norman's letter. Ouch.

[Arrowhead]

What do we think is the best outcome for the opposition parties right now? Presumably a Johnson victory but with, say, very roughly a third of his own MPs rebelling against him?

Johnson is so duplicitous, even if he achieves only a narrow win tonight I suspect he'll just shrug his shoulders and refuse to budge.

[Andy McDandy]

Pity he's not got his old mucker Dom with him still. The thought of them expelling rebel MPs is just so juicy. Petulant, childish, spiteful, and so very him.

[davidjay]

It's too early. There isn't a critical mass against him, and I wouldn't be surprised if some of the votes are from his supporters to ensure he's safe for another twelve months.

[Boiler]

I have no doubt whatsoever that he will win the VoNC and he will continue in post, as did his predecessor: and even without Moscow Dom present I would wager there will be expulsions.

As @davidjay has pointed out - this is too early and not only makes him safe in position for the next twelve months, it allows an attack strategy to be formed.

Oh, I rather liked all the Jubilee fluff compared to this....

[Oboogie]

It's too early. There isn't a critical mass against him, and I wouldn't be surprised if some of the votes are from his supporters to ensure he's safe for another twelve months.

Winning a no-confidence vote didn't make Theresa May safe.

[Arrowhead]

Paul Mason just likened Johnson’s position to that of a beached whale, which is a pretty neat summary of where we’re likely to end up after the vote tonight.

[Crabcakes]

I think he’ll win tonight but not by as much as he thinks, and that this is the beginning of a long, drawn out and excruciating (for Tories) death rattle. He won’t go voluntarily, will promote even more lackeys, but will be so weakened that the counter-briefing and backstabbing will be near constant. More and more will leak and come out, and the denials and defences on TV will look ever more ridiculous.

Let’s not forget he thinks he is entitled to the job, and values loyalty and popularity above all else. He’ll be livid this has even happened, and will be out for revenge. And in doing so he will destroy the Conservative party for probably a generation. An early GE now could decimate the Tory ranks. Hanging on risks things getting even worse. There’s no solution. Labour are 20 points clear in Wakefield. Johnson’s electoral magic - which was never much more than not being Corbyn or May - has gone and will not return.

Live by the Boris, die by the Boris.

[Andy McDandy]

Part of his appeal was that he could engage with people in a way most MPs can't - essentially a sleb MP, whatever he was doing in any official capacity was simply background to him doing stunts, gladhanding crowds and putting on his act. The problem there is that while people might say "they're all the same", and vote in a Kipper council or a Johnsonite MP as a protest vote, they never last long. They invariably fail to do their jobs, seem only to be interested in the freebies, and get booted out first chance.

As Jesse Norman said, he exists in campaign mode only. He doesn't appreciate that whipping up crowds is only part of a politician's job - the other bit is actually getting shit done. And you can't just sit there screaming "I WANT!", even if you're the PM.

[Crabcakes]

Hat. Ring. In.

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/20 ... SApp_Other

[Cyclist]

While this Johnson stuff is all well and good, I can't help wondering what the Corbynites are going to do to try and put Labour in the headlines in a bad way, and divert media attention away from the scum party. You just know they'll do something stupid.

[Boiler]

Beer Korma's questionnaire?

I'm wondering if Johnson will try to arrange a "6th January" rather than leave if he gets booted out (which, as I have said before, he won't).

But I can expect rebels to be sent to Siberia by him.

[Bones McCoy]

Hat. Ring. In.

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/20 ... SApp_Other

How far have we come when "Warwick" Hunt is seen as the best option.

[Boiler]

Toynbee writes.

Rebels warn that if he won’t budge, they will boycott all his legislation. Johnsonites retaliate by warning the whip will be withdrawn from rebels, so they can’t stand as Conservatives again. And then there is the nuclear threat: if too many vote against him, he might launch a shock general election, just to lose them all their seats in revenge. Après moi, le déluge – the thinking of every megalomaniac.

[Boiler]

Hat. Ring. In.

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/20 ... SApp_Other

How far have we come when "Warwick" Hunt is seen as the best option.

Any excuse.

[Bones McCoy]

Beer Korma's questionnaire?

I'm wondering if Johnson will try to arrange a "6th January" rather than leave if he gets booted out (which, as I have said before, he won't).

But I can expect rebels to be sent to Siberia by him.

I know I shouldn't.
The prospect of a bunch of gammon faced yokels and Tommeh fanboys getting truncheoned by the Met sounds like top class entertainment.

Better, certainly than the Jubilee celebration.
Comparable with the Countryside Alliance's ill advised trip to the capital.