Boris's Brain is missing

[mjr]

16th April 2021, two parties at Downing Street with booze and dancing.
17th April 2021, HM Queen sits alone at her husband's funeral.
https://www.thejournal.ie/johnson-numbe ... 7-Jan2022/

Even the bluest of Tories will probably turn against Johnson now? He was reportedly at Chequers when these two happened, but this makes it look like the partying at No 10 was completely out of control, living under a different set of rules.

[Psamathe]

16th April 2021, two parties at Downing Street with booze and dancing.
17th April 2021, HM Queen sits alone at her husband's funeral.
https://www.thejournal.ie/johnson-numbe ... 7-Jan2022/

Even the bluest of Tories will probably turn against Johnson now? He was reportedly at Chequers when these two happened, but this makes it look like the partying at No 10 was completely out of control, living under a different set of rules.

Plus he was in charge. If he had taken a responsible attitude staff would never have thought about such partying in No 10 (even if he wasn't there as word might get back to him ...). But they knew he was fine with them, turned-up to some so it was regarded as acceptable practice. A fish rots from the head.

Ian

[661-Pete]

Spotted a brilliant post in the Grauniad today:

GET BOREXIT DONE.

[Psamathe]

Microsoft adds "Letter of No Confidence in the PM" to Word templates
Conservative MPs who've updated their copies of Microsoft Office have found a new time saving template built-in to the new version.

One Tory MP explained; "I fired up a blank document in Word this morning to write a letter to a constituency, I got as far as typing 'Dear...' when it popped up a window saying 'It looks like you're writing a letter of no confidence to Boris Johnson. Would you like help?' There was my old friend Clippy, but bent in the shape of a hangman's noose.

"I thought 'Why not?' and select the 'Yes' option and the document wrote itself with a comprehensive list of misdeeds that any other prime-minister would not only resign for, but for most people have to change his name and leave the country. When I printed it off, I had to load an extra pack of paper - it's going to cost a fortune to post."
...

Attribution: apepper https://www.newsbiscuit.com/profile/64f ... f4/profile
Ian

[Cowsham]

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!!!!

I'd get frog marched to the gate -- I'd never be allowed back -- this happened to some employees many years ago at Xmas time. It would be less tolerated now than it was then.

[Cowsham]

Now it transpires that immediately after his "appology" (for giving the appearance of ...) he was in the Commons Tea Room claiming he did nothing wrong and was "taking the blame" for the wrongdoing of others. And even Ministers are not denying this happened!

Minister won’t deny Boris Johnson privately says he did nothing wrong over No 10 lockdown party
...
And several papers report the same thing today. “MPs were also irritated by the prime minister appearing less contrite in private conversations after his Commons appearance than he had been in public,” the Guardian reports.
...
The Times (paywall) reports the same thing. It says:
Within minutes of delivering a “heartfelt” apology to the Commons for attending a drinks event in the garden of No 10 during the first lockdown, Boris Johnson had a somewhat different message for Tory MPs in the tearoom.

The prime minister was, according to those present, far from contrite. He told colleagues that “we have taken a lot of hits in politics and this is one of them”, adding: “Sometimes we take the credit for things we don’t deserve and this time we’re taking hits for something we don’t deserve.”
....

In my opinion the appology wasn't an appology and the "excuse" was the most ludicrous concoction anyway but to back-track on it within minutes is just beyond belief.

Ian

With friends like that who needs euthanasia!

[Psamathe]

Now it transpires that immediately after his "appology" (for giving the appearance of ...) he was in the Commons Tea Room claiming he did nothing wrong and was "taking the blame" for the wrongdoing of others. And even Ministers are not denying this happened!

Minister won’t deny Boris Johnson privately says he did nothing wrong over No 10 lockdown party
...
And several papers report the same thing today. “MPs were also irritated by the prime minister appearing less contrite in private conversations after his Commons appearance than he had been in public,” the Guardian reports.
...
The Times (paywall) reports the same thing. It says:
Within minutes of delivering a “heartfelt” apology to the Commons for attending a drinks event in the garden of No 10 during the first lockdown, Boris Johnson had a somewhat different message for Tory MPs in the tearoom.

The prime minister was, according to those present, far from contrite. He told colleagues that “we have taken a lot of hits in politics and this is one of them”, adding: “Sometimes we take the credit for things we don’t deserve and this time we’re taking hits for something we don’t deserve.”
....

In my opinion the appology wasn't an appology and the "excuse" was the most ludicrous concoction anyway but to back-track on it within minutes is just beyond belief.

Ian

With friends like that who needs euthanasia!

The problem he's got is that his "friends" are already supporting him so he does not need to convince them. It's his non-friends that need convincing and that same group who pass what he says to the Press (as they want him gone).

Ian

[francovendee]

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?

Jonathan

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.

[bikerider]

I have recently gained knowledge of party night at no 10. My understanding is that Mr and Mrs Johnson looked out of the window and were shocked to see a table laden with food and alcohol with office staff wandering the garden in an informal manner.
They immediately went down to find out what was going on, Mr Johnson interrogated staff to find the organiser of this event and made him call a halt to proceedings, sent the staff home and suspended Mr X for a week citing improper behaviour.
A full report edited for national security reasons will be released shortly. thanks must go to Sue Gray who is retiring shortly on an enhanced
pension and a mention in the new years honours list. So all you cynics have it - the truth.

[661-Pete]

I'm loving this!! Lots of people hard at work, mind you! - testing out blonde wigs for the hairdressing industry, no doubt...

[reohn2]

I just feel sorry for the poor sod who has to move into his apartment

[francovendee]

I just feel sorry for the poor sod who has to move into his apartment

And his neighbours!

[Cowsham]

I have recently gained knowledge of party night at no 10. My understanding is that Mr and Mrs Johnson looked out of the window and were shocked to see a table laden with food and alcohol with office staff wandering the garden in an informal manner.
They immediately went down to find out what was going on, Mr Johnson interrogated staff to find the organiser of this event and made him call a halt to proceedings, sent the staff home and suspended Mr X for a week citing improper behaviour.
A full report edited for national security reasons will be released shortly. thanks must go to Sue Gray who is retiring shortly on an enhanced
pension and a mention in the new years honours list. So all you cynics have it - the truth.

Doesn't explain the suitcase though.

[Psamathe]

Operation Save Big Dog: Boris Johnson draws up plan for officials to quit over partygate so he can keep job
Boris Johnson is drawing up a list of officials to offer resignations over partygate in a bid to salvage his premiership, The Independent has learned.

Dubbed “Operation Save Big Dog” by the prime minister himself, the blueprint includes a drive to work out which heads should roll following the publication of senior official Sue Gray’s findings, as well as highlighting the prime minister’s achievements, according to sources.

Dan Rosenfield, Boris Johnson’s chief of staff, and Martin Reynolds, his private secretary and author of the ‘BYOB’ email, have both been noted as possible departures.

While putting names to the plan is a matter of hot debate, a more broadly accepted idea is that at least one senior political appointee and a senior official must be seen to leave Downing Street over the affair, as both groups share blame, two Whitehall sources said.
...
The “save big dog” plan includes a communications “grid” in the lead up to the investigation’s conclusion and beyond. This comprises lines for supportive ministers to take in press interviews, emphasising a contrite prime minister and listing his achievements amid the difficult choices posed by the pandemic.
...

Ian

[thirdcrank]

Boris Johnson is drawing up a list of officials to offer resignations over partygate in a bid to salvage his premiership

Will the package include a leaving do ?