Boris's Brain is missing

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thirdcrank
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Joined: 9 Jan 2007, 2:44pm

Re: Boris's Brain is missing

Post by thirdcrank »

I know next-to-nothing about newsbiscuit, but I found this:
The articles and features range from satirical takes on current affairs, to various silly and bizarre ideas
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NewsBiscuit
Psamathe
Posts: 17647
Joined: 10 Jan 2014, 8:56pm

Re: Boris's Brain is missing

Post by Psamathe »

thirdcrank wrote: 15 Jan 2022, 4:30pm I know next-to-nothing about newsbiscuit, but I found this:
The articles and features range from satirical takes on current affairs, to various silly and bizarre ideas
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NewsBiscuit
Or from the banner on every page "The UK’s original fake news"

Ian
francovendee
Posts: 3148
Joined: 5 May 2009, 6:32am

Re: Boris's Brain is missing

Post by francovendee »

Cowsham wrote: 15 Jan 2022, 11:58am
pwa wrote: 15 Jan 2022, 7:23am I bring great news.

Radio 4 this morning is saying that Tory MPs are reporting inboxes rammed with angry messages from long term supporters who want Boris out. This has to be the end for Boris. The backing of his MPs will not persist if they perceive that their Tory backing constituents are furious. I expect the number of Tory MPs demanding that he go will rise significantly over the next few days. I think he is toast now.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-60005134

But who next for PM? I can't think of anyone in the cabinet who might look like a breath of fresh air.
Andrea Leadsom
Oh god no!!
Jdsk
Posts: 24635
Joined: 5 Mar 2019, 5:42pm

Re: Boris's Brain is missing

Post by Jdsk »

ConservativeHome's panel votes:

Image
https://www.conservativehome.com/thetor ... n-now.html

Jonathan
User avatar
Cowsham
Posts: 4963
Joined: 4 Nov 2019, 1:33pm

Re: Boris's Brain is missing

Post by Cowsham »

francovendee wrote: 15 Jan 2022, 7:18pm
Cowsham wrote: 15 Jan 2022, 11:58am
pwa wrote: 15 Jan 2022, 7:23am I bring great news.

Radio 4 this morning is saying that Tory MPs are reporting inboxes rammed with angry messages from long term supporters who want Boris out. This has to be the end for Boris. The backing of his MPs will not persist if they perceive that their Tory backing constituents are furious. I expect the number of Tory MPs demanding that he go will rise significantly over the next few days. I think he is toast now.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-60005134

But who next for PM? I can't think of anyone in the cabinet who might look like a breath of fresh air.
Andrea Leadsom
Oh god no!!
Why not?
I am here. Where are you?
pwa
Posts: 17366
Joined: 2 Oct 2011, 8:55pm

Re: Boris's Brain is missing

Post by pwa »

Jdsk wrote: 15 Jan 2022, 8:40am
pwa wrote: 15 Jan 2022, 7:23amBut who next for PM? I can't think of anyone in the cabinet who might look like a breath of fresh air.
Current betting odds (decimal format):
Sunak 2.62
Truss 4.00
Starmer 8.00
Hunt 9.00
Gove 11.00
Javid 13.00
https://sports.williamhill.com/betting/en-gb/politics

Amongst the Conservatives Hunt is the closest to a breath of fresh air.

Jonathan
I agree.
Psamathe
Posts: 17647
Joined: 10 Jan 2014, 8:56pm

Re: Boris's Brain is missing

Post by Psamathe »

I feel unsure. Of course anybody with any moral standards in Johnson's position would resign and he is undoubtedly bad for the country. But if he stays Labour have a pre-made winning General Election campaign. Labour only have to raise Patterson, sleeze and PartyGate (even just the even of Prince Philip's funeral parties) and they'll win.

Replace Johnson and Conservatives have a "fresh start" to bring back most of their wavering voters Johnson's parties have sent to others. Leadsom, Truss would quickly lose many back to others but I think Sunak or Hunt might appear sensible enough to win back their lost votes.

So endure Johnson's bad decisions and damage for a few years to get Conservatives out of replace now and likely get a bit more sensible few years and likely they also win the next election: long term more sensible Conservative majority (if Johnson goes now) vs few years of dire rule and errors to get rid of Conservatives after next General Election?

I'm now more to Johnson is so bad he should go now even if that puts the Conservatives in a better position for next General Election.

Ian
djnotts
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Joined: 26 May 2008, 12:51pm
Location: Nottingham

Re: Boris's Brain is missing

Post by djnotts »

While my heart would love to see him brought down in humiliation (though he wouldn't feel it), my head says "a few years of dire rule and errors to get rid of Conservatives after next General Election?" a much better outcome.
Jdsk
Posts: 24635
Joined: 5 Mar 2019, 5:42pm

Re: Boris's Brain is missing

Post by Jdsk »

Bonefishblues wrote: 11 Jan 2022, 2:51pm It's so fundamentally wrong to be able to select one's own Investigator, never mind one where loyalties may be strained.
Yes. DAG's wrap-up of the many things that are wrong with this:

"A critical, general overview of the Sue Gray investigation":
https://davidallengreen.com/2022/01/a-c ... igation-2/

Jonathan

PS: I suspect that her report is rapidly becoming irrelevant.
Bonefishblues
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Location: Near Bicester Oxon

Re: Boris's Brain is missing

Post by Bonefishblues »

Jdsk wrote: 15 Jan 2022, 8:51pm
PS: I suspect that her report is rapidly becoming irrelevant.
I agree. I think that even Canute Johnson is failing to stop the tide of public opprobrium from rising this time.

.. but mainly he's no longer an election winner and we know what that means in the Conservative Party.
djnotts
Posts: 3036
Joined: 26 May 2008, 12:51pm
Location: Nottingham

Re: Boris's Brain is missing

Post by djnotts »

".....mainly he's no longer an election winner and we know what that means in the Conservative Party."

2 years is a LONG time in politics. He is likely to be a winner again in the medium term. There is no Labour alternative - Starmer is another "grey" man and no traditional Labour voter could vote for him, including me. Only a Lib-Lab coalition, with the promise of proportional representation might win.
pwa
Posts: 17366
Joined: 2 Oct 2011, 8:55pm

Re: Boris's Brain is missing

Post by pwa »

djnotts wrote: 15 Jan 2022, 10:45pm ".....mainly he's no longer an election winner and we know what that means in the Conservative Party."

2 years is a LONG time in politics. He is likely to be a winner again in the medium term. There is no Labour alternative - Starmer is another "grey" man and no traditional Labour voter could vote for him, including me. Only a Lib-Lab coalition, with the promise of proportional representation might win.
Regarding Starmer, as a left-leaning voter who would not vote for Corbyn, I would vote for Starmer if asked tomorrow. And if Boris were still the only serious alternative, I'd make sure I got my vote for Starmer in. Starmer is grey and boring, but steady and reliable, and that is just what I want from my next PM. He would also preside over a cabinet of decent folk that would include Nandy, Rayner and the like, who sound more appealing than Gove, Raab, etc. Bring it on!
Jdsk
Posts: 24635
Joined: 5 Mar 2019, 5:42pm

Re: Boris's Brain is missing

Post by Jdsk »

djnotts wrote: 11 Jan 2022, 7:54pm "He's done nothing squared v-a-v levelling up."

He can't without a regional/economic policy, long since abolished. Death thereof was begun by Thatcher on instructions of Keith Joseph and finally killed off by Brexit, having only (just) survived so long via EU Structural Funds.
"State of the North 2021/22":
https://www.ippr.org/publication/state- ... excellence

Guardian coverage:
https://www.theguardian.com/society/202 ... new-report

“However we measure investment in levelling up – whether we compare with Germany’s successful efforts to rebalance its economy, or to London-level investment – it’s clear that central government simply hasn’t put its money where its mouth is when it comes to rebalancing the economy. Levelling up will be consigned to the list of hollow, unmet promises made to people in regions like the north for a long time now, if it isn’t underpinned by investment and, crucially, fiscal devolution.”

Jonathan
Last edited by Jdsk on 17 Jan 2022, 4:13pm, edited 1 time in total.
Jdsk
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Joined: 5 Mar 2019, 5:42pm

Re: Boris's Brain is missing

Post by Jdsk »

francovendee wrote: 14 Jan 2022, 12:37pm
Jdsk wrote: 14 Jan 2022, 9:04am
francovendee wrote: 14 Jan 2022, 8:53am I wonder if anyone else finds that the idea of staff having a drink in their workplace on Friday as normal is very unusual.
I'm not suggesting people getting drunk but anyone doing it where I've worked would be spoken to.
Friday after work we would go to the pub but never drink at work.
There seems to be a very strange culture in No 10 but then they were working incredibly hard!!!!
There's enormous variation.

Colleagues from the USA are often surprised to see English people drinking at lunchtime. As we are to see French and German colleagues smoking. In the biggest hospital in Copenhagen beer was sold in the canteen at lunch, and I think all day.

I think that it's decreasing rapidly... any good data out there?
I'm looking at this from the viewpoint of the UK as that's where I spent my working life. Unheard of to drink at work.
An exSpAd on the drinking culture in Whitehall:
https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/202 ... nk-problem

Jonathan
francovendee
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Re: Boris's Brain is missing

Post by francovendee »

Cowsham wrote: 15 Jan 2022, 7:53pm
francovendee wrote: 15 Jan 2022, 7:18pm
Cowsham wrote: 15 Jan 2022, 11:58am

Andrea Leadsom
Oh god no!!
Why not?
Her opposition to wind farms and renewable energy.
An ardent pro supporter of brexit and I suspect someone who would find walking away from any deal with the EU as quite acceptable.
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