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politicalbetting.com » Blog Archive » Rishi Sunak – the PB 200/1 tip to be next PM – gets the Chance

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  • nunu2nunu2 Posts: 1,453

    I have no idea why Victoria Derbyshire has no viewership and getting canned....

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HJZzHuZf-DY

    A trick to see if they accidentally name a black person with the wrong name, a crime punishable by death in the world of woke.
  • MaxPBMaxPB Posts: 37,603
    edited February 2020
    rcs1000 said:

    HYUFD said:

    Cyclefree said:

    MaxPB said:

    Cyclefree said:

    kinabalu said:

    Cyclefree said:

    Indeed. Most people think they are worth it. They aren't. Many are good. But they attribute (wrongly) their rewards to their own brilliance rather than to a very large dose of good luck, even if they also work quite hard and well.

    Here's something that has always exercised me. Let's say this is a pure red-blooded "free" market, like they make out. OK, so you and I both know that you could hire any number of bright kids (either from non affluent backgrounds here and/or from other less developed countries) and train them quite quickly to be effective, highly competent sales and trades type operatives. That there are loads of young people out there in the world who would be delighted with such an opportunity and would be very happy to do the job (once trained up) for an annual package inc average bonus of, say, £100k instead of £1m. Yet this not happen on any sort of scale. Fact it doesn't happen. It's almost as if it's not much of a free market at all. Almost as if it's a self-protecting, feather-bedded, quasi cartel pretending to be a rough-as-hell, ultra competitive environment in order to justify the huge sums it is effectively confiscating from those outside its gilded gates.

    Of course it's a cartel. Have you only just noticed? :)
    No more than lawyering.
    Look at what criminal lawyers get paid. If it's a cartel, it's a bloody poor one.
    If you are a criminal QC you can earn £200 000+ a year, if a pupil £15 000 a year, there is a big divide
    I hope there aren't too many criminal QCs. You'd think it was the kind of thing the bar and the police would want to stamp down on.
    I don't know about you, but it sounds like a cartel. Maybe not criminal though...
  • Cyclefree said:

    IanB2 said:

    Cyclefree said:

    There can be no doubt that Boris was extremely annoyed by briefings about HS2. If Boris includes Cummings then that might be so. It was an unwise move of Saj to annoy the PM on the most expensive optional policy of the incoming government.

    Different Point: A few years back I was surprised when I heard that Richmondshire had selected Rishi Sunak as Tory PPC, but I knew at least half a dozen on the Association exec over there so there could be no doubt he would be special.

    What does he know about Workington ? Well quite a lot I would think, and the new Durham seats - you couldn't have a more Northern MP, certainly more Northern than Rory and no less Northern that Timmy.

    BTW Rory should be kicking himself if he has the awareness. He would have been a shoe-in for the elected Mayor of Cumbria, a job he could have made his own.

    Since when is Richmond Yorkshire more northernly than Penrith and the Border?

    Also there is a big difference between Richmond and Workington. Still, I hope Sunak does do something to kickstart regeneration in those parts of the country which have largely been ignored.

    BTW I agree with you about Rory. Nice as it is to see him in London he will not get the Mayoralty and could have used his undoubted energy in Cumbria to good effect.
    Rory's trouble is that he is having to think up more and more gimmicks to attract a little attention. Like this latest stunt of offering to sleep with any Londoner that will have him (sleep in their home, that is).
    He's doing what he did in Afghanistan. It's a bit odd. Endearing. But odd and unlikely to work. Still, he might have a chance at getting into second place. The Tory candidate simply hasn't been heard of.

    I suspect he could be quite a good Mayor of somewhere. But I wonder whether he would not have been better advised staying in Cumbria. Did he burn his boats there I wonder? Or was he seduced into wanting a bigger stage?
    Yes, he has burnt his boats, he would not be countenanced back in Cumbria. I was never his biggest fan - too insubstantial somehow. But there is no denying he was a good MP in the councillor sort of way - hence he could have been a great mayor.
  • BluestBlueBluestBlue Posts: 4,556

    I'm sensing some genuine sympathy for The Saj out there. Poor many was bullied, humiliated and ultimately destroyed by posh Boris and his pet bovver boy. We may look back on today as the moment the Boris magic started to fade.

    Yep. Certainly the honeymoon is over.

    Amongst whom? People who never vote Conservative and love Sajid Javid?

    That's got to be one hell of a small slice of the UK Venn diagram...
  • BluestBlueBluestBlue Posts: 4,556
    rcs1000 said:

    HYUFD said:

    Cyclefree said:

    MaxPB said:

    Cyclefree said:

    kinabalu said:

    Cyclefree said:

    Indeed. Most people think they are worth it. They aren't. Many are good. But they attribute (wrongly) their rewards to their own brilliance rather than to a very large dose of good luck, even if they also work quite hard and well.

    Here's something that has always exercised me. Let's say this is a pure red-blooded "free" market, like they make out. OK, so you and I both know that you could hire any number of bright kids (either from non affluent backgrounds here and/or from other less developed countries) and train them quite quickly to be effective, highly competent sales and trades type operatives. That there are loads of young people out there in the world who would be delighted with such an opportunity and would be very happy to do the job (once trained up) for an annual package inc average bonus of, say, £100k instead of £1m. Yet this not happen on any sort of scale. Fact it doesn't happen. It's almost as if it's not much of a free market at all. Almost as if it's a self-protecting, feather-bedded, quasi cartel pretending to be a rough-as-hell, ultra competitive environment in order to justify the huge sums it is effectively confiscating from those outside its gilded gates.

    Of course it's a cartel. Have you only just noticed? :)
    No more than lawyering.
    Look at what criminal lawyers get paid. If it's a cartel, it's a bloody poor one.
    If you are a criminal QC you can earn £200 000+ a year, if a pupil £15 000 a year, there is a big divide
    I hope there aren't too many criminal QCs. You'd think it was the kind of thing the bar and the police would want to stamp down on.
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jvlEqAjg8aU

    'When the going gets tough, you don't want a criminal lawyer. You want a CRIMINAL lawyer.' :smile:
  • I did not dislike Theresa Villiers but she seemed fairly vacant as DEFRA Secretary. George Eustice should be a good choice, as Farming minister, like Bob O'Neill he gave the impression he knew a little bit about the subject. Will the industry support him or will it the NFU bods try to score cheap shots for their own advantage ?

    On the strength of her performance at DEFRA the only job I would give to Liz Truss would be minister for the far side of the moon and I would insist that she took up residence there straight away.
  • justin124justin124 Posts: 11,527

    I'm sensing some genuine sympathy for The Saj out there. Poor many was bullied, humiliated and ultimately destroyed by posh Boris and his pet bovver boy. We may look back on today as the moment the Boris magic started to fade.

    Yep. Certainly the honeymoon is over.

    Amongst whom? People who never vote Conservative and love Sajid Javid?

    That's got to be one hell of a small slice of the UK Venn diagram...
    Today's events are likely to reinforce the sense that Johnson is unreliable and more than a little unstable.
  • ChameleonChameleon Posts: 3,886
    Japan seems to be struggling with coronavirus, they relaxed the testing requirements yesterday and now cases are popping up everywhere. Looks like it's in the wild in Japan. Goodbye Olympics, I wonder where their backup is.
  • SandyRentoolSandyRentool Posts: 20,393

    I'm sensing some genuine sympathy for The Saj out there. Poor many was bullied, humiliated and ultimately destroyed by posh Boris and his pet bovver boy. We may look back on today as the moment the Boris magic started to fade.

    Yep. Certainly the honeymoon is over.

    Amongst whom? People who never vote Conservative and love Sajid Javid?

    That's got to be one hell of a small slice of the UK Venn diagram...
    Which party is it that is perceived to have a problem with Islamophobia?
  • GallowgateGallowgate Posts: 19,072
    It’s been mentioned before but dailymail.com isn’t so great for the PM.
  • rcs1000 said:

    HYUFD said:

    Cyclefree said:

    MaxPB said:

    Cyclefree said:

    kinabalu said:

    Cyclefree said:

    Indeed. Most people think they are worth it. They aren't. Many are good. But they attribute (wrongly) their rewards to their own brilliance rather than to a very large dose of good luck, even if they also work quite hard and well.

    Here's something that has always exercised me. Let's say this is a pure red-blooded "free" market, like they make out. OK, so you and I both know that you could hire any number of bright kids (either from non affluent backgrounds here and/or from other less developed countries) and train them quite quickly to be effective, highly competent sales and trades type operatives. That there are loads of young people out there in the world who would be delighted with such an opportunity and would be very happy to do the job (once trained up) for an annual package inc average bonus of, say, £100k instead of £1m. Yet this not happen on any sort of scale. Fact it doesn't happen. It's almost as if it's not much of a free market at all. Almost as if it's a self-protecting, feather-bedded, quasi cartel pretending to be a rough-as-hell, ultra competitive environment in order to justify the huge sums it is effectively confiscating from those outside its gilded gates.

    Of course it's a cartel. Have you only just noticed? :)
    No more than lawyering.
    Look at what criminal lawyers get paid. If it's a cartel, it's a bloody poor one.
    If you are a criminal QC you can earn £200 000+ a year, if a pupil £15 000 a year, there is a big divide
    I hope there aren't too many criminal QCs. You'd think it was the kind of thing the bar and the police would want to stamp down on.
    Like when Jules & Sandy turned their hands to being solicitors: "we're mostly engaged in a criminal practice...".
  • SandyRentoolSandyRentool Posts: 20,393
    HYUFD said:

    Cyclefree said:

    HYUFD said:

    Andy_JS said:

    MaxPB said:

    The reshuffle has definitely seen the rise of British Indians. Sunak, Sharma and Braverman are all Indian in a round about way. Indians also hold two of the four great offices of state. That's got to be a first.

    Enoch Powell was right.

    Non whites have got the whip hand over native white Brits.
    And Boris is Turkish.
    Boris is Catholic and Raab is Jewish, there is not one white Anglo Saxon Protestant holding the top offices of State now as the Tories are much more multicultural, Starmer is a white working class origin Anglican though
    Boris was baptised as a Catholic but then became Anglican. Though I doubt he is religious in any sense whatsoever.
    If you are baptised Catholic the Catholic church consider you are always Catholic, if lapsed or very lapsed in the case of Boris
    Seems strange that an event over which I had no control when I was a baby should be relevant in how the church considers me now.
  • I'm sensing some genuine sympathy for The Saj out there. Poor many was bullied, humiliated and ultimately destroyed by posh Boris and his pet bovver boy. We may look back on today as the moment the Boris magic started to fade.

    Yep. Certainly the honeymoon is over.

    Amongst whom? People who never vote Conservative and love Sajid Javid?

    That's got to be one hell of a small slice of the UK Venn diagram...
    The whole episode makes Boris look like a shallow and vindictive thug, who used the hapless Saj for his own ends before forcing him out through some nasty manoeuvrings. It's a long way from the cheeky chappy with his Love Actually placards. Boris suddenly seems a fair bit stranger.
  • HYUFD said:

    Cyclefree said:

    HYUFD said:

    Andy_JS said:

    MaxPB said:

    The reshuffle has definitely seen the rise of British Indians. Sunak, Sharma and Braverman are all Indian in a round about way. Indians also hold two of the four great offices of state. That's got to be a first.

    Enoch Powell was right.

    Non whites have got the whip hand over native white Brits.
    And Boris is Turkish.
    Boris is Catholic and Raab is Jewish, there is not one white Anglo Saxon Protestant holding the top offices of State now as the Tories are much more multicultural, Starmer is a white working class origin Anglican though
    Boris was baptised as a Catholic but then became Anglican. Though I doubt he is religious in any sense whatsoever.
    If you are baptised Catholic the Catholic church consider you are always Catholic, if lapsed or very lapsed in the case of Boris
    Seems strange that an event over which I had no control when I was a baby should be relevant in how the church considers me now.
    I don't think you quite get this 'church' malarkey.
  • SandyRentoolSandyRentool Posts: 20,393

    Cyclefree said:

    HYUFD said:

    Andy_JS said:

    MaxPB said:

    The reshuffle has definitely seen the rise of British Indians. Sunak, Sharma and Braverman are all Indian in a round about way. Indians also hold two of the four great offices of state. That's got to be a first.

    Enoch Powell was right.

    Non whites have got the whip hand over native white Brits.
    And Boris is Turkish.
    Boris is Catholic and Raab is Jewish, there is not one white Anglo Saxon Protestant holding the top offices of State now as the Tories are much more multicultural, Starmer is a white working class origin Anglican though
    Boris was baptised as a Catholic but then became Anglican. Though I doubt he is religious in any sense whatsoever.
    Pity. Just imagine being the priest hearing his confession each week.
    I think that would be a premium rate phoneline.
  • RobDRobD Posts: 58,941
    Slow news day? :smiley:
  • Mr. Chameleon, seems a bit odd, you'd think the Japanese would be taking sensible precautions.
  • @ydoethur will no doubt correct me, but I believe that it was Disraeli who described himself as a buttress of the Church of England, supporting it from the outside.
  • Well, the election was all of a few weeks ago, so it would be quite unreasonable to expect any of the manifesto still to apply:

    https://twitter.com/tnewtondunn/status/1227992776878567424
  • New joint Number 10 and 11 economic team.

    Seems like a logical bit of joined up government. Who's going to object?
  • kle4kle4 Posts: 91,392

    Jonathan said:

    Honeymoon done.

    What a basket case.

    I doubt it will do Boris any immediate harm, but having the PM and Chancellor as effectively the same person has never been done in this country before. A fundamental 'belt-and-braces' arrangement in British politics has been abolished in an instant. This is huge news.
    Cameron/Osborne begs to differ. They were in lockstep and they did a fantastic job.
    They were actual allies. Boris doesn't have allies, he has followers and temporary partners.
  • BluestBlueBluestBlue Posts: 4,556
    As ever, bold moves that lead to success are hailed as masterstrokes; those that fail are damned as hubris.

    Time will tell about this one, but given that this government will stand or fall based on the economy, I feel much happier knowing that PM and Chancellor will be in productive alignment instead of hostile paralysis: give me Cameron-Osborne over Blair-Brown any day.
  • SandyRentoolSandyRentool Posts: 20,393

    HYUFD said:

    Cyclefree said:

    HYUFD said:

    Andy_JS said:

    MaxPB said:

    The reshuffle has definitely seen the rise of British Indians. Sunak, Sharma and Braverman are all Indian in a round about way. Indians also hold two of the four great offices of state. That's got to be a first.

    Enoch Powell was right.

    Non whites have got the whip hand over native white Brits.
    And Boris is Turkish.
    Boris is Catholic and Raab is Jewish, there is not one white Anglo Saxon Protestant holding the top offices of State now as the Tories are much more multicultural, Starmer is a white working class origin Anglican though
    Boris was baptised as a Catholic but then became Anglican. Though I doubt he is religious in any sense whatsoever.
    If you are baptised Catholic the Catholic church consider you are always Catholic, if lapsed or very lapsed in the case of Boris
    Seems strange that an event over which I had no control when I was a baby should be relevant in how the church considers me now.
    I don't think you quite get this 'church' malarkey.
    If I am still classed as a member, I guess I get a vote in the next leadership ballot...
  • If I am still classed as a member, I guess I get a vote in the next leadership ballot...

    Certainly, as much as any other member.
  • rcs1000rcs1000 Posts: 53,768

    HYUFD said:

    Cyclefree said:

    HYUFD said:

    Andy_JS said:

    MaxPB said:

    The reshuffle has definitely seen the rise of British Indians. Sunak, Sharma and Braverman are all Indian in a round about way. Indians also hold two of the four great offices of state. That's got to be a first.

    Enoch Powell was right.

    Non whites have got the whip hand over native white Brits.
    And Boris is Turkish.
    Boris is Catholic and Raab is Jewish, there is not one white Anglo Saxon Protestant holding the top offices of State now as the Tories are much more multicultural, Starmer is a white working class origin Anglican though
    Boris was baptised as a Catholic but then became Anglican. Though I doubt he is religious in any sense whatsoever.
    If you are baptised Catholic the Catholic church consider you are always Catholic, if lapsed or very lapsed in the case of Boris
    Seems strange that an event over which I had no control when I was a baby should be relevant in how the church considers me now.
    Catholics are lucky, of course.

    In some parts of the world apostasy is punishable by death.
  • kle4 said:

    Jonathan said:

    Honeymoon done.

    What a basket case.

    I doubt it will do Boris any immediate harm, but having the PM and Chancellor as effectively the same person has never been done in this country before. A fundamental 'belt-and-braces' arrangement in British politics has been abolished in an instant. This is huge news.
    Cameron/Osborne begs to differ. They were in lockstep and they did a fantastic job.
    They were actual allies. Boris doesn't have allies, he has followers and temporary partners.
    Yes they were and it worked well, we had joined up government rather than constant bickering between the two.

    So if he's not got a natural ally it seems logical to create one, he's got a vast pool of MPs he can promote and doesn't have to rely on cast offs from May and Cameron's days.
  • As ever, bold moves that lead to success are hailed as masterstrokes; those that fail are damned as hubris.

    Time will tell about this one, but given that this government will stand or fall based on the economy, I feel much happier knowing that PM and Chancellor will be in productive alignment instead of hostile paralysis: give me Cameron-Osborne over Blair-Brown any day.

    Well said. Funny how many people call on one hand for joined up government then bemoan it when it occurs. I swear some people are only happy when they're complaining.
  • CyclefreeCyclefree Posts: 25,074
    HYUFD said:

    Cyclefree said:

    HYUFD said:

    Andy_JS said:

    MaxPB said:

    The reshuffle has definitely seen the rise of British Indians. Sunak, Sharma and Braverman are all Indian in a round about way. Indians also hold two of the four great offices of state. That's got to be a first.

    Enoch Powell was right.

    Non whites have got the whip hand over native white Brits.
    And Boris is Turkish.
    Boris is Catholic and Raab is Jewish, there is not one white Anglo Saxon Protestant holding the top offices of State now as the Tories are much more multicultural, Starmer is a white working class origin Anglican though
    Boris was baptised as a Catholic but then became Anglican. Though I doubt he is religious in any sense whatsoever.
    If you are baptised Catholic the Catholic church consider you are always Catholic, if lapsed or very lapsed in the case of Boris
    He hasn't lapsed. He chose to leave and embrace an alternative religion, though in name only. Or so I understand.

    In reality the only God Boris believes in is himself. To call him a Catholic PM is just nonsensical. He doesn't even pretend to be religious let alone Catholic.
  • malcolmgmalcolmg Posts: 41,673
    Cyclefree said:

    I'm not sure that being seen as the tea boy will be conducive to Rishi Sunak's leadership prospects. He's evidently not going to be allowed to have opinions.

    Oh look, Alastair can't resist a snide and derogatory comment.

    Rishi is a highly talented individual.
    Where is the evidence for him being a highly talented politician? His appearances at the election debates were pretty wooden, frankly. What else is there?

    Being a talented City bloke - and most City talent is, frankly, smoke and mirrors - means nothing in politics and certainly does not help in understanding the economic and financial position of people in the poor parts of the country.

    What does someone like Sunak know of the needs and desires of people in, say, Western Cumbria, the old industrial part not the pretty tourist places?

    I didn’t much like Javid. Sunak may be better but not if he’s just going to be a patsy.


    +1 he was just a mouthpiece in election , parroting the Tory crap. Came across as a lightweight empty suit who had zero principles and would just say what he was told and as you say wooden with it.
  • FrancisUrquhartFrancisUrquhart Posts: 76,274
    edited February 2020
    I think when you go Rambo like this, you get one chance. If you chop out a load of people and the replacements last years, you are vindicated. If in a year, you have to shuffle the pack again, well you then run into problems.

    One of the best things about the Cameron era, was just how stable things were. They picked people and really didn't want to move anybody unless they were makes a right balls up of it. Thus you knew if there was a reshuffle, if you took a job you would be trusted to get on with it and not at the mercy of the PM's wife deciding one day they didn't like you because you think Die Hard isn't a Christmas film.
  • Cyclefree said:

    HYUFD said:

    Cyclefree said:

    HYUFD said:

    Andy_JS said:

    MaxPB said:

    The reshuffle has definitely seen the rise of British Indians. Sunak, Sharma and Braverman are all Indian in a round about way. Indians also hold two of the four great offices of state. That's got to be a first.

    Enoch Powell was right.

    Non whites have got the whip hand over native white Brits.
    And Boris is Turkish.
    Boris is Catholic and Raab is Jewish, there is not one white Anglo Saxon Protestant holding the top offices of State now as the Tories are much more multicultural, Starmer is a white working class origin Anglican though
    Boris was baptised as a Catholic but then became Anglican. Though I doubt he is religious in any sense whatsoever.
    If you are baptised Catholic the Catholic church consider you are always Catholic, if lapsed or very lapsed in the case of Boris
    He hasn't lapsed. He chose to leave and embrace an alternative religion, though in name only. Or so I understand.

    In reality the only God Boris believes in is himself. To call him a Catholic PM is just nonsensical. He doesn't even pretend to be religious let alone Catholic.
    Good. Give me a PM who believes in self-interest over a PM who believes in a magical sky fairy any day.
  • Mr. Eagles, some say Johnson is a modern day Caesar:
    https://twitter.com/holland_tom/status/1227956746314035200

    Boris as Caesar? Pah.
    The Sun has a new video of Andrew Roberts comparing Boris with Churchill.

    https://youtu.be/1GuppnAdmBI?t=2383

  • BluestBlueBluestBlue Posts: 4,556

    As ever, bold moves that lead to success are hailed as masterstrokes; those that fail are damned as hubris.

    Time will tell about this one, but given that this government will stand or fall based on the economy, I feel much happier knowing that PM and Chancellor will be in productive alignment instead of hostile paralysis: give me Cameron-Osborne over Blair-Brown any day.

    Well said. Funny how many people call on one hand for joined up government then bemoan it when it occurs. I swear some people are only happy when they're complaining.
    I think that's absolutely right - you can have good policy or bad policy, but if the machine doesn't work smoothly the result will be that much worse either way.

    Plus Boris has earned the right to make some bold and unexpected decisions, if any PM has. Not all of them will work out, but I never cease to be amazed by the people who keep automatically underestimating him no matter how many times he defies expectations.
  • Rishi Sunak ... arguably only a heartbeat away from the top job or perhaps more aptly in this instance, only two major Boris cock-ups away ... watch this space.
  • CyclefreeCyclefree Posts: 25,074

    New joint Number 10 and 11 economic team.

    Seems like a logical bit of joined up government. Who's going to object?

    1. No 10 and 11 working well together is a good thing.

    2. No 10 seeking to control everything and not letting other views get a look in is not so good.

    3. Advisors or, indeed, anyone being seen as indispensable: a very bad thing.

    4. A Chancellor who is - or is perceived as being - simply a mouthpiece for the work of others is not a good thing.

    We must hope for 1. But there is a high risk of 2 and 4 turning out to be the case. We already have 3 and it will not turn out well, I guarantee you.
  • SandyRentoolSandyRentool Posts: 20,393
    rcs1000 said:

    HYUFD said:

    Cyclefree said:

    HYUFD said:

    Andy_JS said:

    MaxPB said:

    The reshuffle has definitely seen the rise of British Indians. Sunak, Sharma and Braverman are all Indian in a round about way. Indians also hold two of the four great offices of state. That's got to be a first.

    Enoch Powell was right.

    Non whites have got the whip hand over native white Brits.
    And Boris is Turkish.
    Boris is Catholic and Raab is Jewish, there is not one white Anglo Saxon Protestant holding the top offices of State now as the Tories are much more multicultural, Starmer is a white working class origin Anglican though
    Boris was baptised as a Catholic but then became Anglican. Though I doubt he is religious in any sense whatsoever.
    If you are baptised Catholic the Catholic church consider you are always Catholic, if lapsed or very lapsed in the case of Boris
    Seems strange that an event over which I had no control when I was a baby should be relevant in how the church considers me now.
    Catholics are lucky, of course.

    In some parts of the world apostasy is punishable by death.
    Bloody Church of England!
  • FrancisUrquhartFrancisUrquhart Posts: 76,274
    edited February 2020
    An Oxford university is struggling to meet targets for widening participation, according to the latest set of official statistics – but it’s not the university you might think.

    Oxford Brookes University admitted a higher proportion of privately educated undergraduates than most other UK universities, and more than some highly selective institutions such as the London School of Economics

    https://www.theguardian.com/education/2020/feb/13/oxford-brookes-doing-worse-than-university-of-oxford-on-state-school-admissions

    Thick poshos all wanting to say they studied in Oxford.
  • CyclefreeCyclefree Posts: 25,074

    Cyclefree said:

    HYUFD said:

    Cyclefree said:

    HYUFD said:

    Andy_JS said:

    MaxPB said:

    The reshuffle has definitely seen the rise of British Indians. Sunak, Sharma and Braverman are all Indian in a round about way. Indians also hold two of the four great offices of state. That's got to be a first.

    Enoch Powell was right.

    Non whites have got the whip hand over native white Brits.
    And Boris is Turkish.
    Boris is Catholic and Raab is Jewish, there is not one white Anglo Saxon Protestant holding the top offices of State now as the Tories are much more multicultural, Starmer is a white working class origin Anglican though
    Boris was baptised as a Catholic but then became Anglican. Though I doubt he is religious in any sense whatsoever.
    If you are baptised Catholic the Catholic church consider you are always Catholic, if lapsed or very lapsed in the case of Boris
    He hasn't lapsed. He chose to leave and embrace an alternative religion, though in name only. Or so I understand.

    In reality the only God Boris believes in is himself. To call him a Catholic PM is just nonsensical. He doesn't even pretend to be religious let alone Catholic.
    Good. Give me a PM who believes in self-interest over a PM who believes in a magical sky fairy any day.
    You think a PM who thinks only of himself a good thing? Crikey.
  • Mr. Eagles, some say Johnson is a modern day Caesar:
    https://twitter.com/holland_tom/status/1227956746314035200

    Boris as Caesar? Pah.
    The Sun has a new video of Andrew Roberts comparing Boris with Churchill.

    https://youtu.be/1GuppnAdmBI?t=2383

    Randolph Churchill ?
  • malcolmgmalcolmg Posts: 41,673
    Pulpstar said:


    You can't be Aulae Prae unless you're in College, and you can't be in College unless you win a scholarship. Maybe he was Sen Co Prae? That's head Commoner.

    I went to a private school myself but that use of latin to describe the Head boy sounds like proper Hogwarts boarders stuff.
    Complete bollox for a bunch of tossers more like, just some rich wa**ers trying to make out they don't have a crap like the rest of us but are far superior.
  • malcolmgmalcolmg Posts: 41,673
  • Cyclefree said:

    Cyclefree said:

    HYUFD said:

    Cyclefree said:

    HYUFD said:

    Andy_JS said:

    MaxPB said:

    The reshuffle has definitely seen the rise of British Indians. Sunak, Sharma and Braverman are all Indian in a round about way. Indians also hold two of the four great offices of state. That's got to be a first.

    Enoch Powell was right.

    Non whites have got the whip hand over native white Brits.
    And Boris is Turkish.
    Boris is Catholic and Raab is Jewish, there is not one white Anglo Saxon Protestant holding the top offices of State now as the Tories are much more multicultural, Starmer is a white working class origin Anglican though
    Boris was baptised as a Catholic but then became Anglican. Though I doubt he is religious in any sense whatsoever.
    If you are baptised Catholic the Catholic church consider you are always Catholic, if lapsed or very lapsed in the case of Boris
    He hasn't lapsed. He chose to leave and embrace an alternative religion, though in name only. Or so I understand.

    In reality the only God Boris believes in is himself. To call him a Catholic PM is just nonsensical. He doesn't even pretend to be religious let alone Catholic.
    Good. Give me a PM who believes in self-interest over a PM who believes in a magical sky fairy any day.
    You think a PM who thinks only of himself a good thing? Crikey.
    No. I think that a PM who does what he does because he thinks a magical sky fairy wants him to do it is a very, very bad thing!

    A PM who thinks of himself wants to be re-elected, to be re-elected he needs to do a good job for the country and for the public to think he's the best man or woman for the job.

    A PM who does what he thinks a magical sky fairy wants him to do is a much more scary prospect. Someone who believes something is the divine truth is irrational and can not be reasoned with.
  • An Oxford university is struggling to meet targets for widening participation, according to the latest set of official statistics – but it’s not the university you might think.

    Oxford Brookes University admitted a higher proportion of privately educated undergraduates than most other UK universities, and more than some highly selective institutions such as the London School of Economics

    https://www.theguardian.com/education/2020/feb/13/oxford-brookes-doing-worse-than-university-of-oxford-on-state-school-admissions

    Thick poshos all wanting to say they studied in Oxford.

    Only fair that the finest university in Oxford wants to keep up standards. Why let in the kids of plebs and ruin it all?

    #OneNation
  • eekeek Posts: 24,797

    Rishi Sunak ... arguably only a heartbeat away from the top job or perhaps more aptly in this instance, only two major Boris cock-ups away ... watch this space.

    Boris does seem to have the ability to bounce back - I expect it will take a lot more than 2 cock-ups before he is on his way..
  • felixfelix Posts: 15,124
    Another day and another opportunity for all those wise wags to predict for the umpteenth time how Boris has got it all wrong and the day of reckoning is nearer blah blah blah - the only funny one was Justin 124 [ he who expected incumbency to save all of Scotland's Labour MPs and none of any other party] now sensing this is the moment for Saj and his allies to send letters in to Graham Brady and swiftly bring down he who is nothing short of evil incarnate. As for the rest - the continual diet of sour grapes and acid ink is bad for the digestion. Chill.
  • kinabalukinabalu Posts: 38,850

    As ever, bold moves that lead to success are hailed as masterstrokes; those that fail are damned as hubris.

    Time will tell about this one, but given that this government will stand or fall based on the economy, I feel much happier knowing that PM and Chancellor will be in productive alignment instead of hostile paralysis: give me Cameron-Osborne over Blair-Brown any day.

    But we don't have Cameron-Osborne. We have Basil-Manuel.
  • algarkirkalgarkirk Posts: 10,342
    edited February 2020

    Cyclefree said:

    HYUFD said:

    Cyclefree said:

    HYUFD said:

    Andy_JS said:

    MaxPB said:

    The reshuffle has definitely seen the rise of British Indians. Sunak, Sharma and Braverman are all Indian in a round about way. Indians also hold two of the four great offices of state. That's got to be a first.

    Enoch Powell was right.

    Non whites have got the whip hand over native white Brits.
    And Boris is Turkish.
    Boris is Catholic and Raab is Jewish, there is not one white Anglo Saxon Protestant holding the top offices of State now as the Tories are much more multicultural, Starmer is a white working class origin Anglican though
    Boris was baptised as a Catholic but then became Anglican. Though I doubt he is religious in any sense whatsoever.
    If you are baptised Catholic the Catholic church consider you are always Catholic, if lapsed or very lapsed in the case of Boris
    He hasn't lapsed. He chose to leave and embrace an alternative religion, though in name only. Or so I understand.

    In reality the only God Boris believes in is himself. To call him a Catholic PM is just nonsensical. He doesn't even pretend to be religious let alone Catholic.
    Good. Give me a PM who believes in self-interest over a PM who believes in a magical sky fairy any day.
    Most people in the world are religious. Most are not specially good. An Anglican Boris would be 'middle order' not especially good. If you had to be specially good to be religious it would be an identity for just a few.

  • Shame Julian Smith is gone from Northern Ireland, don't think Brandon will be of any use.
  • An Oxford university is struggling to meet targets for widening participation, according to the latest set of official statistics – but it’s not the university you might think.

    Oxford Brookes University admitted a higher proportion of privately educated undergraduates than most other UK universities, and more than some highly selective institutions such as the London School of Economics

    https://www.theguardian.com/education/2020/feb/13/oxford-brookes-doing-worse-than-university-of-oxford-on-state-school-admissions

    Thick poshos all wanting to say they studied in Oxford.

    that was pretty much always the case.
  • SandyRentoolSandyRentool Posts: 20,393
    Double blow for Esther McVey.

    Loses her job, so now has more time to spend with Phillip Davies.
  • kle4kle4 Posts: 91,392

    kle4 said:

    Jonathan said:

    Honeymoon done.

    What a basket case.

    I doubt it will do Boris any immediate harm, but having the PM and Chancellor as effectively the same person has never been done in this country before. A fundamental 'belt-and-braces' arrangement in British politics has been abolished in an instant. This is huge news.
    Cameron/Osborne begs to differ. They were in lockstep and they did a fantastic job.
    They were actual allies. Boris doesn't have allies, he has followers and temporary partners.
    Yes they were and it worked well, we had joined up government rather than constant bickering between the two.

    So if he's not got a natural ally it seems logical to create one, he's got a vast pool of MPs he can promote and doesn't have to rely on cast offs from May and Cameron's days.
    Not the same thing - he can promote a flunkey, but an ally is more than just seeking out someone who will say yes all the time or be sacked. It's not even about saying yes, since anyone who works under a PM will need to if they want to remain employed, but the impression that he probably requires people to say yes without any hesitation or critical comment, even friendly, now he has all the power.
  • kle4kle4 Posts: 91,392
    If he'd have said yes he's have the job but no role other than to parrot lines. Alright for some, but fair play on saying no.
  • Anyone know if anybody has been forced out the Scottish Cabinet recently?

    https://twitter.com/HumzaYousaf/status/1228001908587147270
  • kle4kle4 Posts: 91,392
    Cyclefree said:

    New joint Number 10 and 11 economic team.

    Seems like a logical bit of joined up government. Who's going to object?

    1. No 10 and 11 working well together is a good thing.

    2. No 10 seeking to control everything and not letting other views get a look in is not so good.

    3. Advisors or, indeed, anyone being seen as indispensable: a very bad thing.

    4. A Chancellor who is - or is perceived as being - simply a mouthpiece for the work of others is not a good thing.

    We must hope for 1. But there is a high risk of 2 and 4 turning out to be the case. We already have 3 and it will not turn out well, I guarantee you.
    Well said.
  • kle4 said:

    kle4 said:

    Jonathan said:

    Honeymoon done.

    What a basket case.

    I doubt it will do Boris any immediate harm, but having the PM and Chancellor as effectively the same person has never been done in this country before. A fundamental 'belt-and-braces' arrangement in British politics has been abolished in an instant. This is huge news.
    Cameron/Osborne begs to differ. They were in lockstep and they did a fantastic job.
    They were actual allies. Boris doesn't have allies, he has followers and temporary partners.
    Yes they were and it worked well, we had joined up government rather than constant bickering between the two.

    So if he's not got a natural ally it seems logical to create one, he's got a vast pool of MPs he can promote and doesn't have to rely on cast offs from May and Cameron's days.
    Not the same thing - he can promote a flunkey, but an ally is more than just seeking out someone who will say yes all the time or be sacked. It's not even about saying yes, since anyone who works under a PM will need to if they want to remain employed, but the impression that he probably requires people to say yes without any hesitation or critical comment, even friendly, now he has all the power.
    Almost, I think Cummings is the person who everyone has to say yes to, including our clown of a Prime Minister
  • CyclefreeCyclefree Posts: 25,074

    Cyclefree said:

    Cyclefree said:

    HYUFD said:

    Cyclefree said:

    HYUFD said:

    Andy_JS said:

    MaxPB said:

    The reshuffle has definitely seen the rise of British Indians. Sunak, Sharma and Braverman are all Indian in a round about way. Indians also hold two of the four great offices of state. That's got to be a first.

    Enoch Powell was right.

    Non whites have got the whip hand over native white Brits.
    And Boris is Turkish.
    Boris is Catholic and Raab is Jewish, there is not one white Anglo Saxon Protestant holding the top offices of State now as the Tories are much more multicultural, Starmer is a white working class origin Anglican though
    Boris was baptised as a Catholic but then became Anglican. Though I doubt he is religious in any sense whatsoever.
    If you are baptised Catholic the Catholic church consider you are always Catholic, if lapsed or very lapsed in the case of Boris
    He hasn't lapsed. He chose to leave and embrace an alternative religion, though in name only. Or so I understand.

    In reality the only God Boris believes in is himself. To call him a Catholic PM is just nonsensical. He doesn't even pretend to be religious let alone Catholic.
    Good. Give me a PM who believes in self-interest over a PM who believes in a magical sky fairy any day.
    You think a PM who thinks only of himself a good thing? Crikey.
    No. I think that a PM who does what he does because he thinks a magical sky fairy wants him to do it is a very, very bad thing!

    A PM who thinks of himself wants to be re-elected, to be re-elected he needs to do a good job for the country and for the public to think he's the best man or woman for the job.

    A PM who does what he thinks a magical sky fairy wants him to do is a much more scary prospect. Someone who believes something is the divine truth is irrational and can not be reasoned with.
    I wasn’t comparing the two.

    Boris is utterly self-interested. We will see whether that makes him a good PM for the country or not.

    But on your religion point, it is worth looking at the role religious belief played in Mrs T’s politics and her political views on liberty and choice - it is rather more interesting than the- to me - silly “sky fairy” approach which misses wholly the role religion has played in the Labour movement and in politicians like Mrs T.
  • Cyclefree said:

    Cyclefree said:

    HYUFD said:

    Cyclefree said:

    HYUFD said:

    Andy_JS said:

    MaxPB said:

    The reshuffle has definitely seen the rise of British Indians. Sunak, Sharma and Braverman are all Indian in a round about way. Indians also hold two of the four great offices of state. That's got to be a first.

    Enoch Powell was right.

    Non whites have got the whip hand over native white Brits.
    And Boris is Turkish.
    Boris is Catholic and Raab is Jewish, there is not one white Anglo Saxon Protestant holding the top offices of State now as the Tories are much more multicultural, Starmer is a white working class origin Anglican though
    Boris was baptised as a Catholic but then became Anglican. Though I doubt he is religious in any sense whatsoever.
    If you are baptised Catholic the Catholic church consider you are always Catholic, if lapsed or very lapsed in the case of Boris
    He hasn't lapsed. He chose to leave and embrace an alternative religion, though in name only. Or so I understand.

    In reality the only God Boris believes in is himself. To call him a Catholic PM is just nonsensical. He doesn't even pretend to be religious let alone Catholic.
    Good. Give me a PM who believes in self-interest over a PM who believes in a magical sky fairy any day.
    You think a PM who thinks only of himself a good thing? Crikey.
    No. I think that a PM who does what he does because he thinks a magical sky fairy wants him to do it is a very, very bad thing!

    A PM who thinks of himself wants to be re-elected, to be re-elected he needs to do a good job for the country and for the public to think he's the best man or woman for the job.

    A PM who does what he thinks a magical sky fairy wants him to do is a much more scary prospect. Someone who believes something is the divine truth is irrational and can not be reasoned with.
    Anyone who insults those of faith with that quite childish thickheaded description is clearly of little brain or culture. But then we already knew that about you.
  • JohnOJohnO Posts: 4,211
    She's @ydoethur 's MP. Surely sufficient for him to now love Boris and Dom.
  • TheScreamingEaglesTheScreamingEagles Posts: 113,957
    edited February 2020
    JohnO said:

    She's @ydoethur 's MP. Surely sufficient for him to now love Boris and Dom.
    I wonder what James Cleverly did to piss off Dom and Boris Johnson?

    He ran a good GE campaign.

    Understand he's been shunted out of the cabinet and become a Minister at the FO.
  • viewcodeviewcode Posts: 18,231
    I will miss Andrea Leadsom. Saj, of course, will now retire to a nice dark cave and live off raw fish and dreams of his preciousss... :)
  • JohnOJohnO Posts: 4,211

    JohnO said:

    She's @ydoethur 's MP. Surely sufficient for him to now love Boris and Dom.
    I wonder what James Cleverly did to piss off Dom and Boris Johnson?

    He ran a good GE campaign.

    Understand he's been shunted out of the cabinet and become a Minister at the FO.
    I'm surprised at that manifest demotion too. He seemed to be doing a more than passable job as Chairman.
  • CyclefreeCyclefree Posts: 25,074
    So after this great reshuffle by this wonderfully powerful PM, do we have any more idea about what our post-Brexit trade policy is to be and, in particular, our policy re the EU and the implementation of the WA?

    Indeed, do we have any idea as to who will be doing the negotiating with the EU? Is there a department with this responsibility? Or a Cabinet Minister?
  • JohnOJohnO Posts: 4,211
    Penny Mordaunt returns as Paymaster General.
  • RobDRobD Posts: 58,941
    JohnO said:

    Penny Mordaunt returns as Paymaster General.

    Shame she's not back at defence.
  • Dura_AceDura_Ace Posts: 12,880
    RobD said:

    JohnO said:

    Penny Mordaunt returns as Paymaster General.

    Shame she's not back at defence.
    What did S/Lt (Acting) Mordaunt do there that was so fucking great?
  • JohnO said:

    JohnO said:

    She's @ydoethur 's MP. Surely sufficient for him to now love Boris and Dom.
    I wonder what James Cleverly did to piss off Dom and Boris Johnson?

    He ran a good GE campaign.

    Understand he's been shunted out of the cabinet and become a Minister at the FO.
    I'm surprised at that manifest demotion too. He seemed to be doing a more than passable job as Chairman.
    Milling. Never heard of her. What's the game here then?
  • Cyclefree said:

    So after this great reshuffle by this wonderfully powerful PM, do we have any more idea about what our post-Brexit trade policy is to be and, in particular, our policy re the EU and the implementation of the WA?

    Indeed, do we have any idea as to who will be doing the negotiating with the EU? Is there a department with this responsibility? Or a Cabinet Minister?

    Don't ask questions. Just bask in the radiant glow of a PM at the height of his chief aide's powers.
  • JohnO said:

    Penny Mordaunt returns as Paymaster General.

    Good, she is my main next leader bet.
  • OldKingColeOldKingCole Posts: 31,715
    JohnO said:

    Penny Mordaunt returns as Paymaster General.

    Just hope she does t cock it up!
  • OT the Telegraph has a shiny new 6-part podcast series on Trump/Russia.
    https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2020/02/13/trump-russia-impeachment-scandal-crossfire-podcast-uk/
  • JohnOJohnO Posts: 4,211
    It's Dom's olive branch to @ydoethur - it's the only rational explanation apart from possibly retaining the gender balance at top table.
  • The appointment of the spectacularly dimwitted Suella Braverman confirns that Johnson is intent on curtailing the independence of the judiciary and that he has no attachment to the UK being a fully-functioning democracy. We are now going to sfind out that all those Brexit-backers who said leaving the EU was all about preserving and enhancing liberty are actually fine with libery being curtailed if it is curtailed by a Tory PM they approve of. None of this is a surprise, of course.
  • FoxyFoxy Posts: 44,056

    A good day to bury the Extinction Rebellion gardeners.

    It's remarkable they are getting their garden spades out to protest the expansion of a coalmine rather than latching on to the worldwide coronavirus story. You'd have thought that was right up their "End is Nigh" street.
    Though it does seem as if the giant asteroid will miss us on Saturday.

    https://twitter.com/MattWalshBlog/status/1227962779899965445?s=19
  • viewcode said:

    I will miss Andrea Leadsom. Saj, of course, will now retire to a nice dark cave and live off raw fish and dreams of his preciousss... :)

    Is he completely retired?
  • FoxyFoxy Posts: 44,056
    JohnO said:

    Penny Mordaunt returns as Paymaster General.

    She will need another chequebook pretty quickly by the look of BoZo's spending plans!
  • The appointment of the spectacularly dimwitted Suella Braverman confirns that Johnson is intent on curtailing the independence of the judiciary and that he has no attachment to the UK being a fully-functioning democracy. We are now going to sfind out that all those Brexit-backers who said leaving the EU was all about preserving and enhancing liberty are actually fine with libery being curtailed if it is curtailed by a Tory PM they approve of. None of this is a surprise, of course.

    I certainly agree that it looks pretty suspicious that Cox has gone. He would probably have blocked Cumming's madcap scheme to employ only data science graduates as judges.
  • FoxyFoxy Posts: 44,056

    The appointment of the spectacularly dimwitted Suella Braverman confirns that Johnson is intent on curtailing the independence of the judiciary and that he has no attachment to the UK being a fully-functioning democracy. We are now going to sfind out that all those Brexit-backers who said leaving the EU was all about preserving and enhancing liberty are actually fine with libery being curtailed if it is curtailed by a Tory PM they approve of. None of this is a surprise, of course.

    I certainly agree that it looks pretty suspicious that Cox has gone. He would probably have blocked Cumming's madcap scheme to employ only data science graduates as judges.
    Johnson has that Trump like quality of firing his former supporters when they have outlived their utility.
  • JohnO said:

    JohnO said:

    She's @ydoethur 's MP. Surely sufficient for him to now love Boris and Dom.
    I wonder what James Cleverly did to piss off Dom and Boris Johnson?

    He ran a good GE campaign.

    Understand he's been shunted out of the cabinet and become a Minister at the FO.
    I'm surprised at that manifest demotion too. He seemed to be doing a more than passable job as Chairman.
    Indeed, plus there's some pretty important local council/mayoral elections in May.

    Seems a bit of a hospital pass to run those on three months notice.
  • eggegg Posts: 1,749

    viewcode said:

    I will miss Andrea Leadsom. Saj, of course, will now retire to a nice dark cave and live off raw fish and dreams of his preciousss... :)

    Is he completely retired?
    He’s completely gollum to the back benches
  • JohnOJohnO Posts: 4,211

    JohnO said:

    JohnO said:

    She's @ydoethur 's MP. Surely sufficient for him to now love Boris and Dom.
    I wonder what James Cleverly did to piss off Dom and Boris Johnson?

    He ran a good GE campaign.

    Understand he's been shunted out of the cabinet and become a Minister at the FO.
    I'm surprised at that manifest demotion too. He seemed to be doing a more than passable job as Chairman.
    Indeed, plus there's some pretty important local council/mayoral elections in May.

    Seems a bit of a hospital pass to run those on three months notice.
    Doubt if the change will have any impact on these tbh
  • nunu2nunu2 Posts: 1,453

    Anyone know if anybody has been forced out the Scottish Cabinet recently?

    https://twitter.com/HumzaYousaf/status/1228001908587147270

    Javid isnt Muslim
  • nunu2nunu2 Posts: 1,453
    Nobody outside of the Westminster bubble cares. Dan Hodges wrong as usual.
  • eggegg Posts: 1,749

    Jonathan said:

    Jonathan said:

    Honeymoon done.

    What a basket case.

    That's an important judgement coming from a staunch Conservative supporter such as yourself. Don't tell me they've lost your vote? :wink:

    You lost your chancellor today, that is always a big deal. The fact it wasn't intended makes it more so.

    Pretending this is not a big deal and bad news is just silly.
    Who's claiming it wasn't intended?
    Indeed. Of course it was. Javid's card was marked with his HS2 screw up. I think Cummings and Johnson have played a blinder.
    Blair lacked the balls to sack Brown and by the end it was a devastating mistake to leave Brown in place.

    I don't think Javid is Brown but having the PM and Chancellor be in alignment makes sense.

    Let's not forget the official title of the Prime Minister that is on the door to Number 10 Downing Street. Having the Treasury and PM at odds is not healthy.
    Totally agree. The TB GB relationship was so toxic Labour failed to gain three landslide majorities because of it, and the unhealthy disagreement led to horrendous mistakes like the prime minster getting his way and taking us into the Euro. Those who say it can’t be sweetness an light all the time, things need to be said and argued if you seriously want to take things forward are clearly wrong. Tories have clearly dodged a bullet by weighting cabinet and government only one way. Such a set up can only deliver the best possible government to Great Britain.
  • Javid doesn't really mince his words in this, does he?

    https://twitter.com/sajidjavid/status/1228012635343523840
  • nunu2 said:

    Nobody outside of the Westminster bubble cares. Dan Hodges wrong as usual.
    He's not saying that anyone outside of Westminster cares.

    You do know that rather a lot of politics happens in Westminster, do you?
  • JohnO said:

    JohnO said:

    JohnO said:

    She's @ydoethur 's MP. Surely sufficient for him to now love Boris and Dom.
    I wonder what James Cleverly did to piss off Dom and Boris Johnson?

    He ran a good GE campaign.

    Understand he's been shunted out of the cabinet and become a Minister at the FO.
    I'm surprised at that manifest demotion too. He seemed to be doing a more than passable job as Chairman.
    Indeed, plus there's some pretty important local council/mayoral elections in May.

    Seems a bit of a hospital pass to run those on three months notice.
    Doubt if the change will have any impact on these tbh
    I mean for Ms Milling.

    If they are bad results, she'll get the blame (via Dom's briefings) and if they are good results then it'll be thanks to Boris.
  • Luckyguy1983Luckyguy1983 Posts: 25,043
    What was the issue with Andrea Leadsom? I know she's been tipped for sacking forever but not sure why. She seemed likeable and efficient to me.
  • viewcodeviewcode Posts: 18,231
    JohnO said:

    Penny Mordaunt returns as Paymaster General.

    Oh goody I do like her.
  • viewcodeviewcode Posts: 18,231

    viewcode said:

    I will miss Andrea Leadsom. Saj, of course, will now retire to a nice dark cave and live off raw fish and dreams of his preciousss... :)

    Is he completely retired?
    I don't know, I'm sorry... :(
  • What was the issue with Andrea Leadsom? I know she's been tipped for sacking forever but not sure why. She seemed likeable and efficient to me.

    Perhaps she is too vacuous even for Boris?
  • viewcodeviewcode Posts: 18,231
    edited February 2020

    Jonathan said:

    Jonathan said:

    Honeymoon done.

    What a basket case.

    That's an important judgement coming from a staunch Conservative supporter such as yourself. Don't tell me they've lost your vote? :wink:

    You lost your chancellor today, that is always a big deal. The fact it wasn't intended makes it more so.

    Pretending this is not a big deal and bad news is just silly.
    Who's claiming it wasn't intended?
    Indeed. Of course it was. Javid's card was marked with his HS2 screw up. I think Cummings and Johnson have played a blinder.
    ...Let's not forget the official title of the Prime Minister that is on the door to Number 10 Downing Street....
    What, "ten"?

    :)

  • I’m not sure I’m adding anything to the conversation here, but I’ve just caught up with the news: I think the reshuffle is crap.

    Most of the Conservative Party talent is now on the backbenches, or in minor ministerial roles.

    There are some really dunces in key offices of state.
  • FoxyFoxy Posts: 44,056

    What was the issue with Andrea Leadsom? I know she's been tipped for sacking forever but not sure why. She seemed likeable and efficient to me.

    Perhaps she is too vacuous even for Boris?
    It cannot be that, after all we still have Liz Truss.
  • egg said:

    Jonathan said:

    Jonathan said:

    Honeymoon done.

    What a basket case.

    That's an important judgement coming from a staunch Conservative supporter such as yourself. Don't tell me they've lost your vote? :wink:

    You lost your chancellor today, that is always a big deal. The fact it wasn't intended makes it more so.

    Pretending this is not a big deal and bad news is just silly.
    Who's claiming it wasn't intended?
    Indeed. Of course it was. Javid's card was marked with his HS2 screw up. I think Cummings and Johnson have played a blinder.
    Blair lacked the balls to sack Brown and by the end it was a devastating mistake to leave Brown in place.

    I don't think Javid is Brown but having the PM and Chancellor be in alignment makes sense.

    Let's not forget the official title of the Prime Minister that is on the door to Number 10 Downing Street. Having the Treasury and PM at odds is not healthy.
    Totally agree. The TB GB relationship was so toxic Labour failed to gain three landslide majorities because of it, and the unhealthy disagreement led to horrendous mistakes like the prime minster getting his way and taking us into the Euro. Those who say it can’t be sweetness an light all the time, things need to be said and argued if you seriously want to take things forward are clearly wrong. Tories have clearly dodged a bullet by weighting cabinet and government only one way. Such a set up can only deliver the best possible government to Great Britain.
    The PM loses his Chancellor in a reshuffle and gets a fairly pointed resignation letter and the PB Tories call it triumph...

    :D
This discussion has been closed.