[Boiler]

I've just seen the co-chair of the Scum Party explaining to Kay Burley that "there have been difficult headlines over the past few months". He doesn't appear to have considered why these headlines have been "difficult". Tory losses are obviously down to the press being mean, nothing to do with the Tories being cunts.

Considering the papers are mostly Tory, I think he's really got his sights on the broadcasters.

[Andy McDandy]

Never admit you might be at fault, a standard rule of politics owing much to its origins in "gentlemanly" codes of behaviour instilled at public schools. Never your fault, never admit weakness, never give an opponent a gap to exploit*. Hence the "electorate didn't pick up on our message" excuse. Oh yes they did, just not in the way you wanted.

*Another takeaway from Jess Phillips' book is that if we knocked this nonsense on the head, we might have more appreciation for the complexities of politics and trust in representatives, and restore engagement with the system. So don't expect it any time soon. Casting the business as an arcane tradition not meant for the likes of you and me and in which everyone is as bad as each other is precisely what the establishment want.

[Boiler]

Apologies if this has already been posted, but:

https://www.newstatesman.com/chart-of-t ... -of-europe

Screenshot 2022-05-06 at 09-31-40 The UK is once again the sick man of Europe.png (19.69 KiB) Viewed 1927 times

Did I also not hear warnings from the BoE yesterday of inflation topping 10% in the next year or so? Looks like a good time to ask for that 14% hourly rate rise I was planning...

[Youngian]

Never admit you might be at fault, a standard rule of politics owing much to its origins in "gentlemanly" codes of behaviour instilled at public schools. Never your fault, never admit weakness, never give an opponent a gap to exploit*. Hence the "electorate didn't pick up on our message" excuse. Oh yes they did, just not in the way you wanted.

If you play the honest bloke who can take it on the chin too often, you’ll look like a loser. Not as much as blaming the electorate, though.

[Bones McCoy]

I took a brief stroll to ConservativeHome.

The Conservative Ladies, the Bufton-Tuftons and the anti-globalist Libertatians there are having a fit of the vapours.

The answer (they remain reticent about the question) seems evenly balanced between LordFrost MP and Wogs Out.

[Tubby Isaacs]

Never admit you might be at fault, a standard rule of politics owing much to its origins in "gentlemanly" codes of behaviour instilled at public schools.

Not sure this is true. Public schools build a lot of confidence in people really shouldn't have so much of it, but I think the never apologize never resign thing is more recent.

Sam Freedman notes that Gove in 2010 made a horlicks of the changes to Building Schools For The Future, and came to the Commons to make a proper apology. He got it in the neck from all sides. Not to defend Gove as honourable, obviously, but the experience might have made anyone watching think "Hmmm, not doing that , I'll bluff it out"

[Youngian]

I took a brief stroll to ConservativeHome.

The Conservative Ladies, the Bufton-Tuftons and the anti-globalist Libertatians there are having a fit of the vapours.

The answer (they remain reticent about the question) seems evenly balanced between LordFrost MP and Wogs Out.

According to the Telegraph, unnamed alleged friends of Lord Frost* are urging him to stand in the forthcoming Devon by-election to add ‘star quality.’ A dismal hack like Frost renouncing expenses for life would have to be very sure of his own talents to stand. Worth a punt on him doing so.

* A quote revealed Lord Frost is known to his friends as Lord Frost.

[Tubby Isaacs]

The last two Tories with "star quality" are Johnson and Jeffrey Archer. Even if Frost had it, the omens aren't good.

[Andy McDandy]

I wonder if being named after a legendary groundbreaking journalist and broadcaster gave him something of an inferiority complex. So many years of saying "no, not the famous one"?

[Bones McCoy]

I took a brief stroll to ConservativeHome.

The Conservative Ladies, the Bufton-Tuftons and the anti-globalist Libertatians there are having a fit of the vapours.

The answer (they remain reticent about the question) seems evenly balanced between LordFrost MP and Wogs Out.

According to the Telegraph, unnamed alleged friends of Lord Frost* are urging him to stand in the forthcoming Devon by-election to add ‘star quality.’ A dismal hack like Frost renouncing expenses for life would have to be very sure of his own talents to stand. Worth a punt on him doing so.

* A quote revealed Lord Frost is known to his friends as Lord Frost.

Star Quality: Is Lord Frost the Timmy Mallett of Brexit?

[satnav]

If Lord Frost is the answer then it but be a bloody stupid question.

Frost has never stood for elected office in his life. He has the charm and charisma of a sloth and very few redeeming features.

Presumably he is currently enjoying the benefits of a gold plated civil service pension and £300 a day for just turning up to the House of Lords. What has he got to gain from giving up his peerage in order to fight a by-election that he could easily lose?

[Andy McDandy]

"Ooh, he be off that thing on the tellybox with Pete and Dud!"

[mattomac]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-61372423

I assume no one saw this coming…

[Watchman]

https://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/news ... ys-7058790

Looks like there may be a coordinated bit of bandwagon jumping

[Boiler]

Kunt Malthouse spekes:

PM should not have to copy any Starmer resignation, says minister

Asked on LBC if Johnson should follow suit if the Labour leader was issued with a penalty and does resign, Malthouse, a longtime ally of Boris Johnson, said: “Not necessarily, no.”

He told LBC: “Obviously in any situation where, you know, the rules were moving around, there were misunderstandings or mistakes were made, and apologies are made and they are accepted, then people of all walks of life should be able to keep their jobs. But Keir Starmer has to speak for himself and set his own standards.”

[Cyclist]

This twat just can't help himself. Every time he opens his gob...


(From the politics live blog in the Grauniad)

Tory MP Lee Anderson says no massive need for food banks in UK, and real problem people not being able to cook properly
In his contribution to the Queen’s speech debate the Conservative MP Lee Anderson said that a food bank in his Ashfield constituency operated a “brilliant scheme” whereby people accepting a donation had to register for a budgeting course and a cooking course. He went on:

We show them how to cook cheap and nutritious meals on a budget. We can make a meal for about 30p a day, and this is cooking from scratch.

When an opposition MP put it to Anderson that food banks should not be needed in 21st century Britain, Anderson agreed. He went on:

This is exactly my point. I’ll invite you personally to come to Ashfield, look at our food bank, how it works. And I’ll think you’ll see first hand that there’s not this massive use for food banks in this country. We’ve got generation after generation who cannot cook properly. They can’t cook a meal from scratch. They cannot budget. The challenge is there.

From the context, it is clear that when he said there was not a “massive use for food banks”, he meant no massive need for them.

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/li ... st-updates

[Nigredo]

Another bellend from the 2019 intake, thanks Jeremy.

[mattomac]

One of those former Labour members who thinks he speaks for the people when in fact he speaks for himself and a few mates he knows down the pub.

He is one of those outside the Cabinet that I will enjoy if/when he finally loses.

[Watchman]

Same drawer as Bridgen

[Bones McCoy]

This twat just can't help himself. Every time he opens his gob...


(From the politics live blog in the Grauniad)

Tory MP Lee Anderson says no massive need for food banks in UK, and real problem people not being able to cook properly
In his contribution to the Queen’s speech debate the Conservative MP Lee Anderson said that a food bank in his Ashfield constituency operated a “brilliant scheme” whereby people accepting a donation had to register for a budgeting course and a cooking course. He went on:

We show them how to cook cheap and nutritious meals on a budget. We can make a meal for about 30p a day, and this is cooking from scratch.

When an opposition MP put it to Anderson that food banks should not be needed in 21st century Britain, Anderson agreed. He went on:

This is exactly my point. I’ll invite you personally to come to Ashfield, look at our food bank, how it works. And I’ll think you’ll see first hand that there’s not this massive use for food banks in this country. We’ve got generation after generation who cannot cook properly. They can’t cook a meal from scratch. They cannot budget. The challenge is there.

From the context, it is clear that when he said there was not a “massive use for food banks”, he meant no massive need for them.

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/li ... st-updates

I've a 'modest proposal' that puts red wall tories front and centre of relieving hunger in their constituencies.