[The Weeping Angel]

Oh it's ok to make this claim because people were mean to Jeremy.

[Tubby Isaacs]

Starmer did prosecute Ian Tomlinson's killer. He was acquitted by a jury.

[Tubby Isaacs]

Dom charges down the track like a tail end slogger going after Bishen Bedi.

"Culture in Downing Street was really good when I was standing in for Boris"
"That doesn't say much about Boris, does it?"

[Malcolm Armsteen]

My MP responds to constituents' concerns with an open letter:

“Thank you for your email about the events at 10 Downing Street.
I should first clarify in no uncertain terms for those who have asked, that I was neither invited to, aware of, nor attended any parties, events, or other forms of these gatherings at 10 Downing Street during lockdown. The first I heard of them, like the rest of the country, was when they were revealed in the news.
Given the fast-moving development of these revelations, I have been awaiting further information to come to light before sending replies to earlier correspondence regarding this matter to avoid my comments being out of date by the time I make them.
However, I think it’s fair to say that my patience has now snapped.
The country has made enormous sacrifices over the past two years and I have been in awe of how Carshalton and Wallington residents have risen to the challenges we faced. Indeed, that is why I set up the Carshalton and Wallington Unsung Heroes’ scheme, to ensure those people who went above and beyond got the recognition they deserved.
I have seen and heard stories that have been both heart-warming and harrowing. From stories of heroes who went out of their way to help others in whatever way they could, from those who felt the extreme effects of loneliness; isolated from their friends, family and loved ones. Everyone has been impacted in some way.
Some of the most difficult stories I have heard have been those who couldn’t visit people in hospital or a care home, or even tragically lost a loved one during the pandemic, not able to properly grieve and say goodbye due to the tight restrictions on funerals.
I cannot and will not turn around to those people, or any of my constituents who sacrificed so much, look them in the eye, and insult them by trying to justify or play down the events that have come to light in the media and are now the subject of a police investigation. Nor do I accept that we must continue to wait indefinitely, and the Sue Gray update on Monday 31st January did not allay my concerns. They are indefensible.
I agree with comments made by others that those who make the rules should be expected to set an example by following the rules. Indeed, I have always held this view throughout the pandemic, which is why I called on Dominic Cummings to either resign or be removed from his position after the allegations of him breaking the rules came out during the first lockdown. Absolutely no-one is above the law.
What saddens me more than anything is that these events have nothing to do with policy or enacting our manifesto commitments, but everything to do with conduct and standards of others, which is something that MPs as individuals have no control over. Indeed, I was proud to stand on our 2019 manifesto. In emerging from the pandemic, I am determined that we get on with delivering on those promises. I am angry that these events have now distracted us from doing so.
When I was elected, I wanted to try and repair trust in politics as much as possible. I remember the 2010 expenses scandal and the subsequent decline in trust in politicians. This became even more important to address in light of the pandemic, as we were relying on people to trust public health messaging. I followed the rules. My constituents followed the rules, but as yesterday’s Sue Gray update reported, there was clearly a failure in leadership from No10.
If I were the Prime Minister, I would be considering my position. I have a one-to-one meeting with the Prime Minister tomorrow where I will be setting out the anger and concerns that Carshalton and Wallington residents have raised with me, as well as my own.
Consequently, I have taken steps, and will take any further steps I see as necessary to restore trust in politics. I will not allow good, hard-working colleagues, nor most importantly my constituents, to feel they’ve been taken for fools by those who set the rules.
We do have a lot to be optimistic about: the fastest growing economy in the G7, more people in work than before the pandemic, the fastest vaccine rollout in Europe, historic climate agreements reached at COP26, tackling crime, fixing the immigration system and action on our manifesto commitments to invest in the NHS, social care, schools and public services. In Carshalton and Wallington we are already seeing these improvements; with £500m to improve St Helier and build a new hospital in the Borough, protecting A&E and maternity locally, more police on our streets and supporting local businesses to bounce back from the pandemic.
Nevertheless, the country is facing challenging times ahead as we emerge from the pandemic, such as addressing Covid backlogs in the NHS, the rising cost of living and tensions on the Ukraine-Russia border. The Party I am proud to be a part of is more than up to the challenge and will face it head on, but to do so, we can have no more waiting.
This needs sorting now, and I have done and will do what I can to bring this about.
Thank you again for taking the time to contact me.
All the best,
Elliot Colburn MP
Conservative Member of Parliament for Carshalton and Wallington”

[Andy McDandy]

Tries to hit the right notes, but boils down to "I'll talk to him and hopefully everything will be fine".

[Tubby Isaacs]

[Bones McCoy]

The only thing that can boost his numbers now is a war.

[Boiler]

Somebody put 50p in Lindsay Hoyle:

Speaker rebukes Boris Johnson for remarks about Starmer and Savile

Johnson for making a false insinuation that Keir Starmer refused to prosecute the serial sex offender Jimmy Savile, but stopped short of demanding an apology.

Lindsay Hoyle’s intervention came after the Tory former chief whip Julian Smith became the most senior Conservative to urge Johnson to withdraw the insinuation about Starmer.

Two cabinet ministers have defended Johnson’s decision to use the false claim in the Commons but one admitted they could not substantiate it.

The deputy prime minister, Dominic Raab, said it was part of the “cut and thrust of parliamentary debates and exchanges” but said he was not prepared to repeat the allegation.

“I don’t have the facts to verify this … I don’t have the facts to justify that. I can’t substantiate that claim,” Raab told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme.

Here you go, you demented twat; https://www.reuters.com/article/factche ... SL1N2RP200

The culture secretary, Nadine Dorries, told Channel 4 News: “I have no idea of the background of Keir Starmer … The prime minister tells the truth.”

;et that sink in.jpg (76.32 KiB) Viewed 2233 times

[kreuzberger]

The only thing that can boost his numbers now is a war.

Oh..!

[Abernathy]

Well, hmmmmmm..

[Boiler]

The only thing that can boost his numbers now is a war.

Oh..!

Well, looking at BBC News earlier I'd say it was imminent - they've sent the Marchioness of Misery (Lyse Doucet) to Kyiv...

[Oboogie]

My MP responds to constituents' concerns with an open letter:

She was doing really well right up to "We do have a lot to be optimistic about:" then she started trotting out the same lies as Johnson, Raab, Dorries etc etc so bollocks to her.

[Oboogie]

Well, hmmmmmm..

I want to know who the woman behind Dorries is, she appears to be stifling a snigger.

[The All New KevS]

Tobias Ellwood submitting a letter.

Also, seeing a fair few Tory MP's really not impressed with the Savile comment.

[Youngian]

Tobias Ellwood submitting a letter.

Also, seeing a fair few Tory MP's really not impressed with the Savile comment.

About ten MPs have submitted letters, that's under three percent. The other 97% are sitting back to see if the Trumpian Savile smears land and can woo back the BlueKip nutter vote from the 'Don't know' category.

[RedSparrows]

Tobias Ellwood submitting a letter.

Also, seeing a fair few Tory MP's really not impressed with the Savile comment.

Tobias Ellwood: 'We’re better than this, we must seek to improve our standards and rise above where we are today.'

No mate. That's the fucking point. You aren't.

[Crabcakes]

The number of letters is disappointingly low, but the slow drip isn't. It keeps it in the news. Plus last night's revelations that there was a party after he cancelled Christmas (which he needn't have done if he'd had the firebreak lockdown everyone recommended months earlier) is really going to annoy a fuckload of people. Probably quite a few of them supporters of Boris the Lad, if they realise they got their booze-up canned while his ones went ahead.

[Abernathy]

Ellwood is that increasingly rare thing- a Tory MP who is also a decent human being. Remember his heroic attempts to save the life of the policeman stabbed by a terrorist in Westminster Yard?

Also interesting is Ellwood's observation that Johnson could esily put an end to his ever more likely death by a thousand cuts by following the example of one of his predecesssors and calling a confidence vote himself. Major dared the EU-skeptic "bastards" to "put up or shut up". Johnson, though, has no such moral backbone or courage.

[Nigredo]

[Boiler]

Johnson all but saying "you apologised for Savile" as though that's an admission of guilt.

Sounds like that cunt Gullis has had a warning.