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Scandal over Downing Street's (illegal) Christmas Party

Laika

Well-Known Member
Premium Member
News Reports suggest Downing Street held a Christmas Party on 18th December last year whilst Lock-down measures were in effect, making it an illegal gathering. Naturally the government has pretended it didn't happened and has lied to cover it up. After this recording was leaked showing the government spokeswomen responding to a mock press conference, Allegra Stratton has been forced to resign. Boris Johnson has apologised for the video and behaviour of downing street staff but continues to deny a Christmas Party took place.


Needless to say this has gone down like the Hindenburg amongst the British public, many of whom were unable to see relatives and friends over Christmas, including those who were sick and dying of corona-virus, due to the lock-down measures. An investigation by the civil service on three gatherings (including the Christmas party) is now underway, but the metropolitan police will not be investigating due to a "lack of evidence". There are now growing calls for Boris Johnson to resign as Prime Minister, (including from the Green Party and the Scottish National Party). The timing of this controversy is especially critical given the need to regain public trust as the government implements new Covid restrictions to deal with the Omicron variant.

Feel free to share your thoughts on the subject. I know our American cousins will appreciate the distraction from their own national problems. The Guardian's headline "It's my non-party and I'll lie if I want to" did make me laugh. :D
 
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Secret Chief

nirvana is samsara
But will it actually have any significant outcomes? I hope so, but doubt it. The GBP only seem to care when it affects them personally. The lying government continue to have lying staff.

C3F7E833-11A4-47F6-AD5A-AB849E9ED2BE.jpeg
 

Kenny

Face to face with my Father
Premium Member
News Reports suggest Downing Street held a Christmas Party on 18th December last year whilst Lock-down measures were in effect, making it an illegal gathering. Naturally the government has pretended it didn't happened and has lied to cover it up. After this recording was leaked showing the government spokeswomen responding to a mock press conference, Allegra Stratton has been forced to resign. Boris Johnson has apologised for the video and behaviour of downing street staff but continues to deny a Christmas Party took place.


Needless to say this has gone down like the Hindenburg amongst the British public, many of whom were unable to see relatives and friends over Christmas, including those who were sick and dying of corona-virus, due to the lock-down measures. An investigation by the civil service on three gatherings (including the Christmas party) is now underway, but the metropolitan police will not be investigating due to a "lack of evidence". There are now growing calls for Boris Johnson to resign as Prime Minister, (including from the Green Party and the Scottish National Party). The timing of this controversy is especially critical given the need to regain public trust as the government implements new Covid restrictions to deal with the Omicron variant.

Feel free to share your thoughts on the subject. I know our American cousins will appreciate the distraction from their own national problems. The Guardian's headline "It's my non-party and I'll lie if I want to" did make me laugh. :D
I think it just reinforces the reality that those in power don't believe the virus is that virulent and thus using it for political gain and control

As someone said, the Omicron is so benign (no deaths recorded) - it is a great herd immunity variant but they will also use it for political gain. IMO
 

Laika

Well-Known Member
Premium Member
I think it just reinforces the reality that those in power don't believe the virus is that virulent and thus using it for political gain and control

As someone said, the Omicron is so benign (no deaths recorded) - it is a great herd immunity variant but they will also use it for political gain. IMO

I'll wait until the first reports come in on Omicron, but otherwise I agree with you.

Parliament:
drugs-drugs-are-bad.gif

Accurate as ever Rival. :D

The Tories are waging a war on drugs – but there is cocaine all over the parliamentary loos | Zoe Williams
 

Altfish

Veteran Member
And yet, they are still not falling off a cliff in the opinion polls.
Johnson is a known liar, he has lied all his life, he never takes any blame, never even thinks about resigning, never sacks anyone who has done something wrong

There is a by-election next Thursday in a seat that the Tories should lose BUT I fear that the Lab and Lib votes will split and the Tories will get in on our undemocratic FPtP system

Or political system is badly broken
 

exchemist

Veteran Member
News Reports suggest Downing Street held a Christmas Party on 18th December last year whilst Lock-down measures were in effect, making it an illegal gathering. Naturally the government has pretended it didn't happened and has lied to cover it up. After this recording was leaked showing the government spokeswomen responding to a mock press conference, Allegra Stratton has been forced to resign. Boris Johnson has apologised for the video and behaviour of downing street staff but continues to deny a Christmas Party took place.


Needless to say this has gone down like the Hindenburg amongst the British public, many of whom were unable to see relatives and friends over Christmas, including those who were sick and dying of corona-virus, due to the lock-down measures. An investigation by the civil service on three gatherings (including the Christmas party) is now underway, but the metropolitan police will not be investigating due to a "lack of evidence". There are now growing calls for Boris Johnson to resign as Prime Minister, (including from the Green Party and the Scottish National Party). The timing of this controversy is especially critical given the need to regain public trust as the government implements new Covid restrictions to deal with the Omicron variant.

Feel free to share your thoughts on the subject. I know our American cousins will appreciate the distraction from their own national problems. The Guardian's headline "It's my non-party and I'll lie if I want to" did make me laugh. :D
I'm chiefly annoyed about this because it has blown a far worse story off the front pages, namely the scandal of the PM, or the PM's office, at the behest of his wife, intervening to bump people who were at risk of their lives from the Taliban off MoD planes, so that DOGS could be saved. His PPS wrote to this bloody dog charity to confirm a plane was reserved for them, when thousands of Afghans with connections to the British army were desperately pleading to escape the Taliban's clutches.
 

exchemist

Veteran Member
And yet, they are still not falling off a cliff in the opinion polls.
Johnson is a known liar, he has lied all his life, he never takes any blame, never even thinks about resigning, never sacks anyone who has done something wrong

There is a by-election next Thursday in a seat that the Tories should lose BUT I fear that the Lab and Lib votes will split and the Tories will get in on our undemocratic FPtP system

Or political system is badly broken
My understanding is that there is a non-aggression pact in the Shropshire by-election. Labour will barely contest the seat, in the hope that the Lib Dems' legendary powers of local campaigning can pull off an upset. May be difficult, but easier today than 3 days ago. ;)

What is also helpful is that the Tory candidate has been parachuted into this rural constituency from Birmingham, where he is a barrister. Apparently he knows F-all about the area, or about rural life, and has been told to lie low to avoid the risk of gaffes.:D
 

Altfish

Veteran Member
My understanding is that there is a non-aggression pact in the Shropshire by-election. Labour will barely contest the seat, in the hope that the Lib Dems' legendary powers of local campaigning can pull off an upset. May be difficult, but easier today than 3 days ago. ;)

What is also helpful is that the Tory candidate has been parachuted into this rural constituency from Birmingham, where he is a barrister. Apparently he knows F-all about the area, or about rural life, and has been told to lie low to avoid the risk of gaffes.:D
I still think the Labour candidate is doing his best to win
 

Guitar's Cry

Disciple of Pan
I think it just reinforces the reality that those in power don't believe the virus is that virulent and thus using it for political gain and control

Unfortunately, the virus is a danger to a lot of people and it's super disappointing that government folk do dumb things like this instead of setting an example.

It erodes public trust and put people in danger by downplaying the danger of the virus.
 

exchemist

Veteran Member
Apparently Kier Starmer, (Labour party and opposition leader) has urged Conservatives MP's to "oust Boris Johnson". If you haven't heard about it yet it's because it is an exclusive in the Daily Telegraph but Starmer has also called Johnson "unfit to lead the country" on Twitter.

There are also now suggestions there were "up to seven" parties held by Tory MP's during the Christmas lock-down last year.
The danger with Starmer doing that is it will only make them more determined to defend him.
 

ChristineM

"Be strong", I whispered to my coffee.
Premium Member
There are also now suggestions there were "up to seven" parties held by Tory MP's during the Christmas lock-down last year.

Ahh but the latest is, they were gatherings, not parties, so that makes it all ok.

And i understand the police records of who enters #10, must not be investigated by command of #10
 

Kenny

Face to face with my Father
Premium Member
Unfortunately, the virus is a danger to a lot of people and it's super disappointing that government folk do dumb things like this instead of setting an example.

It erodes public trust and put people in danger by downplaying the danger of the virus.

For the first round, you are right! For Omicron, IMO, it is a different story.
 

metis

aged ecumenical anthropologist
Omicron spreads like wildfire, but early indications from Israel seems to indicate that it may be less deadly.

Either way, GET THE VACCINE BOOSTERS SOON! Why take the chance because it ain't benign either?
 

pearl

Well-Known Member
Either way, GET THE VACCINE BOOSTERS SOON! Why take the chance because it ain't benign either?

My husband and I are scheduled for boosters, Moderna, I have misgivings because we initially received the J&J vaccine.
 

exchemist

Veteran Member
My husband and I are scheduled for boosters, Moderna, I have misgivings because we initially received the J&J vaccine.
Don't worry, the indications are that mixing different vaccines is actually beneficial. I'm not sure exactly why, but I can imagine it may give you a wider spectrum of immune responses than immunity from a single vaccine. In the UK, they deliberately gave everyone who like me had had the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine a BioNTech/Pfizer booster, for this reason.

Given that the new Omicron variant has a lot of differences from the original strain, I would think a wider spectrum of immunity triggers would be an advantage to you, as it increases the chances that something you are immune to will still be present in the Omicron variant.
 
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