[COVID-19] General Discussion

[General Melchett]

Ministers and MPs are texting terms with journos. If nothing has been leaked before the briefing then he's not going anywhere....today at least.

 

[Not Mike Brown's Sock]

Ministers and MPs are texting terms with journos. If nothing has been leaked before the briefing then he's not going anywhere....today at least.

I'm sure they can keep it quiet for an hour or two?

 

[Reiser99]

I'm sure they can keep it quiet for an hour or two?

Dunno, Maajid Nawaz on LBC has a theory (and he admits it's only a theory) that the Times hostility towards Johnson is because Gove writes for them and there are manoeuvrings behind the scenes to try and set him up as the successor to Johnson, whilst undermining Johnson at the same time. Wouldn't be the first time he's stabbed Johnson in the back.

 

[Not Mike Brown's Sock]

Dunno, Maajid Nawaz on LBC has a theory (and he admits it's only a theory) that the Times hostility towards Johnson is because Gove writes for them and there are manoeuvrings behind the scenes to try and set him up as the successor to Johnson, whilst undermining Johnson at the same time. Wouldn't be the first time he's stabbed Johnson in the back.

That would be almost soap opera esque, wouldn't be surprised to be honest... Starmer would spit roast him

 

[ncurd]

Kunnesberg hasn't even tweeted in over 24 hours. I imagine all phones have been confiscated. People like Preston are saying they can't see a way round this. They can announce an inquiry but it's unlikely that will work.

Plus Johnson is terrible at taking questions he's going to make Shapps look goodm

 

[Not Mike Brown's Sock]

Kunnesberg hasn't even tweeted in over 24 hours. I imagine all phones have been confiscated. People like Preston are saying they can't see a way round this. They can announce an inquiry but it's unlikely that will work.

Plus Johnson is terrible at taking questions he's going to make Shapps look goodm

They've really screwed shapps over here, he had a **** day yesterday and then had to go on Marr this morning whilst the rest of the cabinet can stay kind of quiet whilst fulfilling CCR

 

[General Melchett]

Dunno, Maajid Nawaz on LBC has a theory (and he admits it's only a theory) that the Times hostility towards Johnson is because Gove writes for them and there are manoeuvrings behind the scenes to try and set him up as the successor to Johnson, whilst undermining Johnson at the same time. Wouldn't be the first time he's stabbed Johnson in the back.

That's real House of Cards stuff. Pretty unsubtle way of bringing Johnson down. Surely Gove isn't that stupid. In any case I think Rishi Sunak would be hard to beat in a leadership contest.

 

[Reiser99]

Kunnesberg hasn't even tweeted in over 24 hours. I imagine all phones have been confiscated. People like Preston are saying they can't see a way round this. They can announce an inquiry but it's unlikely that will work.

Plus Johnson is terrible at taking questions he's going to make Shapps look goodm

Tbh inquires and official looking stuff are irrelevant now. You have millions of people across the country following the guidance and rules trying to do the right thing, whilst a member of Johnson's inner circle appears to be flouting the rules and giving ordinary people the finger. They can try to spin it how they want, the majority of the public will be ****** off by this and the longer they try to justify it with excuses and loopholes will only make it worse. The government's support was dropping already and this will only hasten that.

 

[Reiser99]

That's real House of Cards stuff. Pretty unsubtle way of bringing Johnson down. Surely Gove isn't that stupid. In any case I think Rishi Sunak would be hard to beat in a leadership contest.

If I remember correctly I think it actually has less to do directly with Gove and Johnson and more with the Telegraph and the Times. The Telegraph can claim they are the paper of the prime minister and I think the Times are hoping they can take that away from them if Gove gets into power. They have certainly been more hostile towards Johnson in particular. They are really pushing the story about how he personally didn't attend meetings. However I only heard it briefly yesterday and he did say it's just a theory.

 

[General Melchett]

If I remember correctly I think it actually has less to do directly with Gove and Johnson and more with the Telegraph and the Times. The Telegraph can claim they are the paper of the prime minister and I think the Times are hoping they can take that away from them if Gove gets into power. They have certainly been more hostile towards Johnson in particular. They are really pushing the story about how he personally didn't attend meetings. However I only heard it briefly yesterday and he did say it's just a theory.

Could well be paper led. Johnson is still (or at least until recently was) the darling of grass root Tory party members and so if I were Gove I'd be steering clear of any behinds the scenes shenanigans (particularly after last time) and hoping someone else stabs Johnson in the back or that he ends up hanging himself. The Tory party members will be unforgiving of any Judas behaviour in any resulting leadership contest. There is no doubt that the Times articles will be costly for Johnson, nothing more damaging than being held responsible for the loss of life. I still doubt he'll see out the five year term.

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

Sturgeon's now calling for Cummings to go.

I can't see how he can possibly stay. But if he does the heat will really be on Bojo who must have used up 8.5 of his 9 lives already.

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

Neatly sums up Bojo's conundrum....

 

[ncurd]

https://twitter.com/Simon_Pegg/status/1264507003503869953?s=19

 

[Which Tyler]

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

Johnson standing by him. Fool.

 

[Bada-Bing!]

 

[Gavin]

BoJo backs Cummings at the press conference.

Load of rubbish.

 

[Not Mike Brown's Sock]

Whyyyy

 

[Reiser99]

Not a good start though...I'm here to address whether there are one set of rules for the public and whether there are another set for senior government figures. Actually I won't actually answer that, but just spout out the rhetoric that he was protecting his family blah, blah blah. Also 'some' of the allegations are false, but I won't clarify which parts.

So which parts of the allegations are true?

 

[General Melchett]

Guess Johnson realised that if Cummings goes Johnson would have to take over as PM.

I hope the journos are ready to pick holes in Johnson's opening statement.