[The Red Arrow]

Pushed before he could jump, it would seem...

Defence minister Johnny Mercer dismissed from government
Junior minister had indicated he was preparing to quit over concerns about prosecutions of Northern Ireland veterans

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/20 ... -resigning

[RedSparrows]

What do we think of this current sleaze season then? How bad is it for the fuckers?

[Andy McDandy]

I'm not sure. Plenty of anger from the grassroots and the fringe media, but not from the heavyweight media. Labour need to head up coordinated response and an united front with other opposition parties. Let;s see how things go at 12.00 today.

Local elections in England don't really matter in the grand scheme, but will be taken as a bellwether. The problem here is as much from the left as from the right. Labour gains will need to be massive, Tory losses catastrophic. Anything else will be painted as a narrow escape for Johnson, humiliation for Starmer.

[Samanfur]

I'm not so sure about the Labour gains. Word on the doorstep around here is that people're quite willing to vote Tory locally, but Labour nationally.

[Nigredo]

I can't remember exactly what Oliver Dowden was questioned about on Today this morning but he whined that it was unreasonable to get him to pass comment because he was too busy saving football in this country.

The snivelling shitestain

[Bones McCoy]

What do we think of this current sleaze season then? How bad is it for the fuckers?

It's becoming apparent that Keir is trying to do too much by himself.
What's lacking is the image of a tight knit frontbench who can tag-team all these "Bad Tories" messages and keep then on the airwaves.
This might reflect genuine party division, or just his preferred working style.
I think it needs addressing as it's damaging his effectiveness.

Contrast with Johnson, who always has another schmuck to send out on bad news day.

[Nigredo]

Perhaps he thinks he needs to be a constant public public presence due to Allotment Jesus hiding for most of the Brexit bullshit?

It is a little weird that most of the critical comment has been made by Starmer (and occasionally Jess Phillips), it makes the shadow front bench seem non-existent and Starmer seem to be flip-flopping and a persistent gadfly on the news.

[Malcolm Armsteen]

The snivelling shitestain

I got put into Facebook jail for a similar comment.

Good man, bravo, keep it up.

[The Red Arrow]

He is inexperienced compared to Liz (Truss). He needs to show that he can play at this level.

No, groovers - I honestly didn't make that up. Somebody, somewhere actually said this.



‘Bizarre’ UK comments about Australia’s trade minister a ‘serious setback’ to talks
Allies of UK trade secretary Liz Truss accused of launching an ‘unprovoked attack’ on Dan Tehan on the eve of their meeting

https://www.theguardian.com/australia-n ... k-to-talks

[Tubby Isaacs]

Australians famously like being patronized by the British like that. We might as well give the job to Douglas Jardine.

Her counterpart isn't at all inexperienced.

Tehan worked with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade from 1995 to 1998 and then was a member of the diplomatic service from 1999 to 2001.[1] He was posted to Mexico City and was also involved with Central America and Cuba.[3] In 2002 he was seconded to the office of Trade Minister Mark Vaile. When Vaile became deputy prime minister in 2005 Tehan remained with him as a senior adviser. He later served as chief of staff to Fran Bailey, the Minister for Small Business and Tourism. After the defeat of the Howard Government, he served as director of trade policy and international affairs with the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (2007–2008) and deputy state director of the Liberal Party in Victoria (2008–2009).[1]

While he was doing that little lot, this is what Truss was doing.

After graduating in 1996, Truss worked for Shell as a commercial manager and Cable & Wireless as economics director, and became a qualified management accountant.[14]

After losing her first two elections, Truss became the full-time deputy director of Reform in January 2008

[kreuzberger]

Australians famously like being patronized ...

Another Mailwatch post that makes Phoenix-Shagging an eminently worthwhile pursuit.

[mattomac]

I can't remember exactly what Oliver Dowden was questioned about on Today this morning but he whined that it was unreasonable to get him to pass comment because he was too busy saving football in this country.

The snivelling shitestain

As Stephen Bush pointed out, he said he would do everything to stop the super league and when pressed he suggested a “windfall tax”, which of course would mean it had started.

[Bones McCoy]

I can't remember exactly what Oliver Dowden was questioned about on Today this morning but he whined that it was unreasonable to get him to pass comment because he was too busy saving football in this country.

The snivelling shitestain

As Stephen Bush pointed out, he said he would do everything to stop the super league and when pressed he suggested a “windfall tax”, which of course would mean it had started.

He was also very specific about "people's property".
Meaning

Owners own the clubs so there's fuck-all we can do.

But a bit of virtue signalling never hurt the polling base.

[Youngian]

While he was doing that little lot, this is what Truss was doing.

Truss was working in ‘the real world’ whereas Tehan was a no-nothing politician and bureaucrat. Liz is not only hailed as a conquering hero in the Tory party for cut and pasting trade deals, she’s regarded as a leading intellectual in the cabinet.

[Youngian]

It's becoming apparent that Keir is trying to do too much by himself.
What's lacking is the image of a tight knit frontbench who can tag-team all these "Bad Tories" messages and keep then on the airwaves.

Lisa Nandy doing some sterling work on Russia. Perhaps the most high profile shadow cabinet member on a story that would be headlines for months if Corbyn and Milne were taking money from Russians within Putin’s circle. But just tumbleweed.

[Youngian]

Pushed before he could jump, it would seem...

Defence minister Johnny Mercer dismissed from government
Junior minister had indicated he was preparing to quit over concerns about prosecutions of Northern Ireland veterans

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/20 ... -resigning

Mercer’s a snivelling little worm who was happy to piss on peace in Ireland to achieve Brexit. He’s not the brightest bulb but this appears to be a specialist area for him. Or at least giving a pass to state sanctioned torturers in the Troubles.

[Samanfur]

But Johnson pushing him hopefully won't play well with the plucky patriots who believe that if are boyz can't shoot unarmed untermenschen in the back in broad daylight, then the terrorists have already won.

[Andy McDandy]

Just to be sure - I don't agree with Mercer's stance on troops and trials. Yet, the enemy of my enemy etc...

The problem, as I see it, seems to be that Johnson is intent on kicking this into the long grass, while Mercer demanded action now. I'm sure that Johnson isn't so much secretly on the side of accused soldiers as he's profoundly annoyed that there's yet another thing demanding his attention, and that little gobshite Mercer wouldn't stop banging on about it. This is more about his laziness and willingness to say whatever he needs to at the time, than any political conviction.

[Samanfur]

Absolutely. Johnson just wants to eat and shag, even according to his own former colleagues. And then be told how exceptional he is for doing it.

As far as his view on the issue itself goes, I'm going to bet that he's of the Groucho Marx school: these are his principles, and if whoever he needs to use to get what he wants doesn't like them, he has others.

[Youngian]

Just to be sure - I don't agree with Mercer's stance on troops and trials. Yet, the enemy of my enemy etc...

The problem, as I see it, seems to be that Johnson is intent on kicking this into the long grass, while Mercer demanded action now. I'm sure that Johnson isn't so much secretly on the side of accused soldiers as he's profoundly annoyed that there's yet another thing demanding his attention, and that little gobshite Mercer wouldn't stop banging on about it. This is more about his laziness and willingness to say whatever he needs to at the time, than any political conviction.

Oh yes, we can stir the pot on this one without endorsing this rancid proposal. Mercer as an ex-military man views leadership integrity as a matter of life and death. And discovered the hard way Johnson has none. Would you trust Bozo to have your back on the battlefield? Is a fair question to put to voters who’ve served in the military.