Current Affairs

[Kendhni]

I read that Sunak was considering his position at the weekend due to the row over his family's tax position and his Green Card. Today's fine must surely be the final nail in the coffin - there is a likelihood that he will do the decent thing and resign.

I actually liked Sunak and thought he was above the corruption and buffoonery of his boss. His wife has done nothing wrong, but his (ab)use of a green card though is another matter. I was also disappointed that he chose to tax workers through National Insurance rather than raise income tax (which is what he should have done) to spread the impact more fairly.

But Johnson, the man who made the laws and broke the laws, then lied about it in the House of Commons - the word decency is not on his radar. He will try and cling on my any means necessary.

Misleading the House is a resignation matter. It's simple. he must go.

The most comical bit is that many of the Johnson lackies, that have been trying to play this down, yet ultimately agreed that he should resign if he was found to have misled the house, are now back pedalling furiously in mass hysteria ... their excuses are little more than the same sort of irrelevancies and diversionary tactics one expects from their puppet-master.

Let us see if Johnson's weekend mingling with a true leader of his people, has taught him any form of integrity yet. I doubt it, so my money is that the comeback kid will have something ready to be pulled out of his sleeve and he will ride this out. In a way I hope he does, it would be a shame to have to take British politics seriously again.

[Kendhni]

I'm not allowed to mention Blair apparently. Which presumably means lying to get us into an illegal war, kill innocent people, commit war crimes and exacerbate instability we still feel today is trivial compared to a party. So fair enough I won't mention him.

You can mention him but that would be of the same relevance as as Walpoles misdemeanours of 1712

If you really consider comparing the morals of 2022 with 1712, is in any way similar to comparing them wirh 2002, then I have to doubt anything you have ever commented about in the past.

You don;t understand satire, do you?

[Manoverboard]

If you really consider comparing the morals of 2022 with 1712, is in any way similar to comparing them wirh 2002, then I have to doubt anything you have ever commented about in the past.

Interestingly, or not, the Walpoles are still well regarded in Dorset. There's even a block of retirement cottages built in the former stables and walled garden of 17th-Century Ilsington House, home to the first Lord Walpole.

Is there a well regarded Blair development anywhere I wonder.

[towny44]

I read that Sunak was considering his position at the weekend due to the row over his family's tax position and his Green Card. Today's fine must surely be the final nail in the coffin - there is a likelihood that he will do the decent thing and resign.

I actually liked Sunak and thought he was above the corruption and buffoonery of his boss. His wife has done nothing wrong, but his (ab)use of a green card though is another matter. I was also disappointed that he chose to tax workers through National Insurance rather than raise income tax (which is what he should have done) to spread the impact more fairly.

But Johnson, the man who made the laws and broke the laws, then lied about it in the House of Commons - the word decency is not on his radar. He will try and cling on my any means necessary.

Misleading the House is a resignation matter. It's simple. he must go.

The most comical bit is that many of the Johnson lackies, that have been trying to play this down, yet ultimately agreed that he should resign if he was found to have misled the house, are now back pedalling furiously in mass hysteria ... their excuses are little more than the same sort of irrelevancies and diversionary tactics one expects from their puppet-master.

Let us see if Johnson's weekend mingling with a true leader of his people, has taught him any form of integrity yet. I doubt it, so my money is that the comeback kid will have something ready to be pulled out of his sleeve and he will ride this out. In a way I hope he does, it would be a shame to have to take British politics seriously again.

Following your frivolous comparison of Walpoles morals with those of the 21st century, your comments about Boris and Rishi are deemed worthless, and I have no desire to hear from you again.

[Mervyn and Trish]

I'm not allowed to mention Blair apparently. Which presumably means lying to get us into an illegal war, kill innocent people, commit war crimes and exacerbate instability we still feel today is trivial compared to a party. So fair enough I won't mention him.

You can mention him but that would be of the same relevance as as Walpoles misdemeanours of 1712

I mention him because he is in living memory unless you are much younger than I think, or are sadly suffering dementia. And because you and others apparently think a PM lying is in some way novel.

[Gill W]

I'm not astonished at all, that there are certain people on this forum who still aren't willing to stand up and say Johnson broke the law and misled
Parliament, and that this behaviour is unacceptable and that he should resign.

I'm even less astonished that these certain people are just shrugging their shoulders and pretending that this doesn't matter.

Is it apathy, is is that Johnson held is to a different standard cos 'he's Boris, what can you expect' or is it that you accept low standards from all politicians, If the later is the case nobody can ever moan about Blair, Starmer or Walpole ever again

[Mervyn and Trish]

I really don't care whether Boris resigns or not. I'd be sad to see Rishi go because I saw him as a future leader with more potential to keep Sir Hindsight away from power. That's probably of course why they've been digging like fury to find some dirt on him. I think the attacks on his wife have been disgraceful. I thought we were in an enlightened era where women were no longer seen as chatels of their husbands and were allowed to have their own opinions and make their own decisions. Not in Hindsight's entourage apparently.

[Mervyn and Trish]

And to add, controversially, I'm still a lot more worried about World War 3 than parties.

[Gill W]

The most comical bit is that many of the Johnson lackies, that have been trying to play this down, yet ultimately agreed that he should resign if he was found to have misled the house, are now back pedalling furiously in mass hysteria ... their excuses are little more than the same sort of irrelevancies and diversionary tactics one expects from their puppet-master.

Very true, they were keen to abide by the outcome of the Sue Gray report (now that will be interesting to read, if we ever see it) or to accept the outcome of the police investigation - now..... not so much !

[Onelife]

He told bare faced lies and in doing so he has tarnished the credibility of his position. If the PM is allowed to get away with telling lies what example does that set to the rest of his cronies who will think its fine to follow his example. It’s a slippery slope in politics when you surround yourself with those who think loyalty overrides integrity.

[towny44]

I really don't care whether Boris resigns or not. I'd be sad to see Rishi go because I saw him as a future leader with more potential to keep Sir Hindsight away from power. That's probably of course why they've been digging like fury to find some dirt on him. I think the attacks on his wife have been disgraceful. I thought we were in an enlightened era where women were no longer seen as chatels of their husbands and were allowed to have their own opinions and make their own decisions. Not in Hindsight's entourage apparently.

I suspect hindsight would prefer Angela Raynor to be a demure old fashioned lady.

[Manoverboard]

I will stand up and say that he misled Parliament but I believe that the House rather than Social media activists should deal with it. For me it is not a resigning matter.

His shortcomings were in the middle of a very difficult pandemic period and he deserves recognition for his leadership regarding this and the delivery of Brexit. Basically I think we owe him one so I am happy to look the other way for a while.

[towny44]

The most comical bit is that many of the Johnson lackies, that have been trying to play this down, yet ultimately agreed that he should resign if he was found to have misled the house, are now back pedalling furiously in mass hysteria ... their excuses are little more than the same sort of irrelevancies and diversionary tactics one expects from their puppet-master.

Very true, they were keen to abide by the outcome of the Sue Gray report (now that will be interesting to read, if we ever see it) or to accept the outcome of the police investigation - now..... not so much !

I dont believe I ever agreed to abide by the Sue Gray report, I always considered party gate to be a storm in a teacup, and not really worth being concerned about, and cerainly not worth getting my knickers in the twist like so many Boris haters.

[Gill W]

I really don't care whether Boris resigns or not. I'd be sad to see Rishi go because I saw him as a future leader with more potential to keep Sir Hindsight away from power. That's probably of course why they've been digging like fury to find some dirt on him. I think the attacks on his wife have been disgraceful. I thought we were in an enlightened era where women were no longer seen as chatels of their husbands and were allowed to have their own opinions and make their own decisions. Not in Hindsight's entourage apparently.

Who are the 'they' who have been digging for dirt on Sunak?

I rather thought that the leaks came from someone on the inside, like Johnson. Sunak had become a threat, it is within the bounds of likelihood that Johnson's 'people' stirred everything up

[Mervyn and Trish]

Well of course you always have inside info denied to the rest of us, so if you say so.

[Kendhni]

I'd be sad to see Rishi go because I saw him as a future leader with more potential to keep Sir Hindsight away from power. That's probably of course why they've been digging like fury to find some dirt on him. I think the attacks on his wife have been disgraceful.

The interesting part of this is that his wife's non-dom status has been well known about, it was never hidden (in fact this "story" was actually broken on March 3rd but only came to the fore last week????). She has done absolutely nothing wrong; she has worked within the laws of this country; laws that only recently were debated and all parties agreed to maintain the ability to have non-dom status.

The bigger issue his use of green card status to avoid tax. Again not illegal but morally reprehensible and will likely destroy any aspirations of becoming PM.

[Kendhni]

I will stand up and say that he misled Parliament but I believe that the House rather than Social media activists should deal with it. For me it is not a resigning matter.

Erskine May Para 11.40
"Ministers who knowingly mislead Parliament will be expected to offer their resignation to the Prime Minister;"

So strictly speaking he has to offer his resignation to himself and I suppose he is perfectly at liberty to reject it.

[Kendhni]

His shortcomings were in the middle of a very difficult pandemic period and he deserves recognition for his leadership regarding this and the delivery of Brexit. Basically I think we owe him one so I am happy to look the other way for a while.

Pure comedy gold

[Manoverboard]

So strictly speaking he has to offer his resignation to himself and I suppose he is perfectly at liberty to reject it.

Exactly ... now, be honest ... what would you do in his shoes

His shortcomings were in the middle of a very difficult pandemic period and he deserves recognition for his leadership regarding this and the delivery of Brexit. Basically I think we owe him one so I am happy to look the other way for a while.

Pure comedy gold

Glad you enjoyed it

[Kendhni]

So strictly speaking he has to offer his resignation to himself and I suppose he is perfectly at liberty to reject it.

Exactly ... now, be honest ... what would you do in his shoes

Do you think he would have the intelligence to reject his own resignation.

[Bensham33]

The first sitting Prime Minister to be found to have broken the law. The laws that he and his cabinet put into place and laws that millions of people in this country, including Her Majesty the Queen followed. (I'll never forget that picture of her sitting alone at Phillip's funeral). I don't care about him attending a party, get together, call it what you will. It's the lying that is wrong. Had he came out and said yes it happened and that he was sorry all this would have gone away months ago but he didn't. He lied to parliament and to the British people. That ain't right.

You can dismiss this as it was only a fine, so what, but try telling that to those that had to bury loved ones and were not able to say goodbye because they were following the rules.

Sir Keir gets it and he is quite right to call for resignations. He is doing his job.

Johnson won't go. He will hide behind Ukraine, but come the next general election in 2024 people won't forget his lies.

[Kendhni]

... but come the next general election in 2024 people won't forget his lies.

Agree with most of your post but not so sure about the above, for 4 reasons
1. the British public have shown they are a fickle and vindictive group when it comes to elections, often preferring to give a two finger gesture to 'the system' rather than voting for what they want.
2. Some people are willing to accept incredibly low standards when it comes to their elected representatives.
3. too many people are too heavily invested in the non-stop lies from Johnson ... those indoctrinated through his inculcation of lies will forgive anything he does
4. I can't think of anyone that could reliably take over. Sunak has shot himself in the foot (more than once); Patel (the Tory answer to Diane Abbott) couldn't organise a p*ss-up in a brewery; Hunt, Raab and Truss are serial under achievers; Gove, Javid and many others are embroiled in too much cronyism and corruption

Even outside of the Tories I struggle to find a true leader for this country.

[oldbluefox]

Even outside of the Tories I struggle to find a true leader for this country.

And therein lies the dilemma. Whatever the problems of the Tories the alternatives are worse.

[Kendhni]

Even outside of the Tories I struggle to find a true leader for this country.

And therein lies the dilemma. Whatever the problems of the Tories the alternatives are worse.

I don't believe there is any evidence that the alternatives are 'worse' ... but equally there is no evidence they will be any better.

[oldbluefox]

Of course there's no evidence but you only have to listen and watch to form an opinion and my opinion is that the alternatives are worse than the current incumbents and I don't agree with everything they do.