Current Affairs

[david63]

I think we are going down a slippery road when we get politically motivated resignation demands from those who have most to gain by such departures

Irrespective of it being politically motivated he must go. He is a high profile figure who totally broke the rules and he is not above the law rules.

The fact that he is a smug looking so and so does not help - just my opinion

[Manoverboard]

I think we are going down a slippery road when we get politically motivated resignation demands from those who have most to gain by such departures

Irrespective of it being politically motivated he must go. He is a high profile figure who totally broke the rules and he is not above the law rules.

The fact that he is a smug looking so and so does not help - just my opinion

It wasn’t, allegedly, a joy ride... more a journey of need to do with his / her / their children and parents.

In the same circumstances I suspect any of us would have taken the same decision and regardless of the rules, maybe he should get a ‘ Warning ‘

[towny44]

I think we are going down a slippery road when we get politically motivated resignation demands from those who have most to gain by such departures

Irrespective of it being politically motivated he must go. He is a high profile figure who totally broke the rules and he is not above the law rules.

The fact that he is a smug looking so and so does not help - just my opinion

I dont believe sacking is a fair punishment, if the police decide he infringed lockdown rules he will be be fined, just like anyone else.

[Onelife]

I think we are going down a slippery road when we get politically motivated resignation demands from those who have most to gain by such departures

Irrespective of it being politically motivated he must go. He is a high profile figure who totally broke the rules and he is not above the law rules.

The fact that he is a smug looking so and so does not help - just my opinion

Hi David, I think it is emerging that there were mitigating circumstances as to why he disregarded the rule of self-isolating…true or not I have no idea. He does come across as a little bit smug but imo we are seeing far too many intellectual thinkers/experts in their field lose their jobs because they thought the rules don't apply to them. As Mob/John have implied, a severe rap across the knuckle or an appropriate fine would be more appropriate…we are "cutting off the nose to spite the face" when we allow some very talented people to be pushed out especially when very few of us deserve a place on the moral high-ground ourselves….you and me being the exception of course .

[Manoverboard]

Even if he was sacked, which as stated earlier shouldn't under any circumstances happen, Boris would invent a newly named job for him before his evening dinner gong sounded

[towny44]

I suppose we have to let the more stupid of our politicians, Ian Blackford fits the description perfectly, get on their high horses and pontificate about why Cummings has to go, but really their main interest is causing maximum embarrassment to the govt.
It will all blow over once the next concern hits the headlines.

[Onelife]

I suppose we have to let the more stupid of our politicians, Ian Blackford fits the description perfectly, get on their high horses and pontificate about why Cummings has to go, but really their main interest is causing maximum embarrassment to the govt.
It will all blow over once the next concern hits the headlines.

Now if there ever was a smug git Ian Blackford would be up there in pole position

[Ray Scully]

Will be a tad surprised if he is still there by Tuesday. It will be interesting the response to questions at the 4.00 Government Covid-19 press conference. No doubt the Sundays, the Marr show and Sophie Ridge on Sky will wade into this, Cummings appears to have few friends amongst the press. BTW it is very noticeable how Murdoch Sky and his other interests have pivoted away from the Mr Johnson and the Government recently. However the main determining factor is going to be public opinion, what will the 80% who have been observing the rules think?

[Manoverboard]

... what will the 80% who have been observing the rules think?

That he should be cautioned or fined as would anybody else ... is my guess

[Gill W]

Irrespective of it being politically motivated he must go. He is a high profile figure who totally broke the rules and he is not above the law rules.

I agree with your take on this. However, he won't resign, and Johnson won't sack him, as Cummings tells Johnson what to do.

Our instructions were perfectly clear, If a person is symptomatic or a member of the household is symptomatic, they should not leave the house for any reason. No ifs or buts, they shouldn't leave the house at all.

If Cummings and his wife were really that ill and couldn't have looked after their child, did they really have nobody in London who could have taken the child? (clue, his wife has a brother that lives in London). Did they really have to drive 270 miles to Durham to find someone? If they were really that ill, how did they manage to drive that distance anyway? Plus they had a 4year old child with them, so they almost certainly stopped at services to go to the loo etc, and maybe buy petrol. Who knows who could have been infected due to their actions.

It should be noted that his wife, Mary Wakefield, wrote in the Spectator about their illness. It would appear she was never incapacitated to the extent that she couldn't look after their son.

https://spectator.us/getting-coronaviru ... ssion=true

This flagrant flouting of the instructions that apply to all of us should make his position untenable. But these are not normal times.

If the above wasn't bad enough, the likes of Gove, Sunak, Raab and Hancock have been wheeled on to Twitter to support Cummings. All with the same theme - its all fine, because it was about 'childcare'. To my mind this has made it worse - By backing him up, they are undermining the rules that they themselves have put in place, and are sticking two fingers up at all those people who've followed the rules to the letter.

Of course, silence from Johnson, but as he's mostly invisible, no surprise there.

[oldbluefox]

It does rather smack of communism where people spy on each other and inform the authorities. If the police did attend, which they say they did, why did they not fine him and send him back from whence he came. That is what happens to everybody else but I have not heard of anybody being sacked for it.
As Mob says, if they do sack him they will find some other job title and appoint him to that.
Truth is, opposition MPs and liberal lefts would love to get rid of him.

[Gill W]

It does rather smack of communism where people spy on each other and inform the authorities. If the police did attend, which they say they did, why did they not fine him and send him back from whence he came. That is what happens to everybody else but I have not heard of anybody being sacked for it.
As Mob says, if they do sack him they will find some other job title and appoint him to that.
Truth is, opposition MPs and liberal lefts would love to get rid of him.

Other people in high profile roles who flouted the rules weren't sacked - they did the decent thing and resigned. See Christine Calderwood and Neil Ferguson

[towny44]

It does rather smack of communism where people spy on each other and inform the authorities. If the police did attend, which they say they did, why did they not fine him and send him back from whence he came. That is what happens to everybody else but I have not heard of anybody being sacked for it.
As Mob says, if they do sack him they will find some other job title and appoint him to that.
Truth is, opposition MPs and liberal lefts would love to get rid of him.

Other people in high profile roles who flouted the rules weren't sacked - they did the decent thing and resigned. See Christine Calderwood and Neil Ferguson

Might it have been that they were pi***d off with their roles and decided this the best way out for them?

[Manoverboard]

Other people in high profile roles who flouted the rules weren't sacked - they did the decent thing and resigned. See Christine Calderwood and Neil Ferguson

The Guardian published ...

" Catherine Calderwood steps down after visiting second home twice despite advice to stay in "

The circumstances are totally different to that of the Cummings household and yet without any evidence whatsoever you are ready to hang him out to dry. Some would say that was victimisation, surely ?

plus ...

Neil Ferguson was guilty of travelling for a bit of nooky

[oldbluefox]

He doesn't look the resigning type to me, more likely a two fingered salute to the baying crowd of lefties and liberals....... and Scotland's answer to the Telly Tubbies, Ian Blackford.
"When asked by reporters if his trip to Durham during lockdown "looked good", he added: “Who cares about good looks. It’s a question of doing the right thing. It’s not about what you guys think.” So there you have it.

[screwy]

Do people not go to the toilet before going on a journey.? Depending on the vehicle,260 miles is easily reachable on a tank of fuel. If a young child needed pee I’m sure I’ve spotted many doing it at the side of the car.! Pretty sure contact with others would have been avoided. I’m not saying it was right but c’mon let’s get some perspective on this. Some act like children because they didn’t get their wishes on other matters.

[Gill W]

Other people in high profile roles who flouted the rules weren't sacked - they did the decent thing and resigned. See Christine Calderwood and Neil Ferguson

The Guardian published ...

" Catherine Calderwood steps down after visiting second home twice despite advice to stay in "

The circumstances are totally different to that of the Cummings household and yet without any evidence whatsoever you are ready to hang him out to dry. Some would say that was victimisation, surely ?

plus ...

Neil Ferguson was guilty of travelling for a bit of nooky

Without evidence? He's not denying that he did it

The problem is, he took this action in complete disregard to the instructions that we were given, and that most people have done their utmost to adhere to, even in difficult circumstances.

[oldbluefox]

If I had a 4 year old child and my wife and I started showing signs of Covid 19 I would have probably done the same to ensure my child was safe. Just saying.
As for lockdown, what I have seen it's a joke anyway. It bears no resemblance to that imposed on other countries.

[screwy]

Let’s get things in perspective. Calderwood visited her second home on at least 2 occasions, Ferguson,well ,he was shagging his mistress.Cummins believed he was doing right by his family,rightly or wrongly.

[Ray Scully]

He doesn't look the resigning type to me, more likely a two fingered salute to the baying crowd of lefties and liberals....... and Scotland's answer to the Telly Tubbies, Ian Blackford.
"When asked by reporters if his trip to Durham during lockdown "looked good", he added: “Who cares about good looks. It’s a question of doing the right thing. It’s not about what you guys think.” So there you have it.

Yip and that will most probably be the attitude going forward of those with no concern for social distancing etc. Who would want to be a police officer trying to now manage this.

[david63]

But surely the point is that Cummings was probably instrumental in formulating at least the wording of the rules if not the actual rules

[Ray Scully]

If I had a 4 year old child and my wife and I started showing signs of Covid 19 I would have probably done the same to ensure my child was safe. Just saying.
As for lockdown, what I have seen it's a joke anyway. It bears no resemblance to that imposed on other countries.

Not a joke for some OBF, particularly when a close friend has passed.

[Manoverboard]

Other people in high profile roles who flouted the rules weren't sacked - they did the decent thing and resigned. See Christine Calderwood and Neil Ferguson

The Guardian published ...

" Catherine Calderwood steps down after visiting second home twice despite advice to stay in "

The circumstances are totally different to that of the Cummings household and yet without any evidence whatsoever you are ready to hang him out to dry. Some would say that was victimisation, surely ?

plus ...

Neil Ferguson was guilty of travelling for a bit of nooky

Without evidence? He's not denying that he did it

The problem is, he took this action in complete disregard to the instructions that we were given, and that most people have done their utmost to adhere to, even in difficult circumstances.

I am very pleased that you posted a response, so much better than firing a bullet and then retiring to the safety of the bunker like wot you did when we were all discussing Boris's leadership qualities. I will provide a post number if required.

I do agree with you that he disregarded the edict from above and that he is guilty of something ... but what is he actually guilty of ?

I would suggest, without evidence, that he was trying to protect his family. I would have done the same and sod the rules providing that I made every effort to avoid making contact with anybody along the way apart of course from the members of my family who had agreed to help me in my hour of need.

[oldbluefox]

Not a joke for some OBF, particularly when a close friend has passed.

I wasn't inferring it was funny at all Ray. That is your interpretation but there is no way this lockdown has been taken seriously compared to other countries.

[Onelife]

Bloody hell'''you lot have been busy I've only been go a couple of hours...anyway I'll have a good read...my fry ups ready...coming love!!