Tory Corruption thread

[tee rex]

Perhaps one upside to all this is that the "stab in the back" myth won't take hold after he's gone. It lasted for years (in Tory circles) after Thatcher quit, because in their eyes she didn't really have to go. It was just a few traitors and feeble fainthearts, etc.

It's a common enough trope in politics but Johnson is doing his best to ensure history doesn't get rewritten down the track.

[Uncle Ethan]

This is all pretty hilarious. Except for all the damage they've done and lives they've ruined and the people they've killed, of course. That isn't funny.

Obviously many on here won't agree, but the people need an alliance of parties to get elected who will actually deliver proportional representation in some form and go through with it, no matter who they are and who leads them. The next Boris Johnson might not be a complete fuckwit and will finish what he's started.

[Sean of the Shed]

I don't think you will actually find many on here who believe the current electoral system in Britain doesn't need to change.
The biggest hurdle is that the current Parliamentary Labour Party still thinks it can win with a a majority under FPTP. Even worse, if by some possibility it did in the next election would deludedly assume that their success was down to their policies and their leader when it was actually the electorate swallowing their bile and voting for the person with the best chance of removing the incumbent with the blue rosette. In this scenario they will then assume that they would be successful under FPTP for the next couple of generations.

[Balderdasha]

Resignations continue apace this morning. So far we've had:
- Brandon Lewis, Northern Ireland secretary and fourth cabinet member to go
- Helen Whateley, exchequer secretary to the treasury

Adding Simon Hart, Welsh secretary, last night, that brings us to 45 resignations plus one sacking, so 37.7% of the government gone.

[sw2borshch]

And another...

https://twitter.com/DamianHinds/status/1544928142854340608?t=3BfCDdAKKGhQB1hJcPQXDg&s=19

[Balderdasha]

There are 358 current MPs. 148 voted against Johnson in the vote of no confidence. If we presume that they wouldn't accept a job from Johnson and that there is no overlap between that group and the 122 MPs that were on the payroll, that leaves Johnson with a pool of 88 MPs to fill 46 vacant positions.

If he doesn't go soon, parliament will have a higher vacancy to available worker rate than the whole country.

[Balderdasha]

Science minister George Freeman resigns. BBC says he's the 50th member of government resign so either they or I have done some miscounting. Probably me.

If the BBC are right then 50 resignations plus Gove means 41.8% of the government is gone.

I think Johnson believes he can single-handedly run the country though. Despite the fact that he wouldn't actually be able to handle a job on a supermarket checkout.

[Balderdasha]

5 out of 22 cabinet ministers have gone, or 22.7%. I would say that's a serious risk to national security, but I'm not convinced a full Tory cabinet is any more use.

[Balderdasha]

Science minister George Freeman resigns. BBC says he's the 50th member of government resign so either they or I have done some miscounting. Probably me.

If the BBC are right then 50 resignations plus Gove means 41.8% of the government is gone.

I think Johnson believes he can single-handedly run the country though. Despite the fact that he wouldn't actually be able to handle a job on a supermarket checkout.

To clarify, George Freeman wrote a very critical letter that looked exactly like a resignation letter, but didn't explicitly resign. Talk about hedging your bets.

[tee rex]

The resignations began before 7 am. Imagine starting your day like that. Alarm goes off. Do you then resign before your coffee or after? When do you do the hand writing bit?

I'd have a lie-in, it's not like you need to get into the office now.

[HeavyDracula]

The man on the BBC news was outside 10 Downing Street at 6.30am saying it's all quiet and there's no sign of the Prime Minister. Of course not, it's six fucking thirty in the morning.

[ooh aah]

That would still be true at 10.30 mind. I'd imagine his hangover will make that day at the cenotaph look positively coherent

[Balderdasha]

George Freeman confirms that he did, in fact, intend to resign.

Guy Opperman resigns as pensions minister.

Chris Philp resigns as technology minister.

If nothing else, today is the day that I actually get to learn who all the ministers in government are / were as they resign one by one.

[ad hoc]

George Freeman confirms that he did, in fact, intend to resign.

Guy Opperman resigns as pensions minister.

Chris Philp resigns as technology minister.

If nothing else, today is the day that I actually get to learn who all the ministers in government are / were as they resign one by one.

I'm sure some of them are made up though. Yesterday someone called "Mims" resigned. I struggle to believe that there is actually anyone called Mims. (Mims was her - I think it was a her - first name)

[Uncle Ethan]

I don't think you will actually find many on here who believe the current electoral system in Britain doesn't need to change.
The biggest hurdle is that the current Parliamentary Labour Party still thinks it can win with a a majority under FPTP. Even worse, if by some possibility it did in the next election would deludedly assume that their success was down to their policies and their leader when it was actually the electorate swallowing their bile and voting for the person with the best chance of removing the incumbent with the blue rosette. In this scenario they will then assume that they would be successful under FPTP for the next couple of generations.

I suspect the point of disagreement will be around voting for a Labour Party many do not support in its current form or for the Lib Dems. However, some form of coalition where the minor party (SNP or whatever) makes PR an integral part of the deal seems to me the only way the country moves forward. Labor won't win a majority in its own right.

[Hot Orange]

George Freeman confirms that he did, in fact, intend to resign.

So he forgot to say in his resignation letter that he was resigning? He sounds good.

[Uncle Ethan]

Races to top of betting markets with competency levels like that.

[tee rex]

Courts Minister James Cartlidge quits. Worst handwriting so far.

[sw2borshch]

https://twitter.com/nadhimzahawi/status/1544950219657330688?t=qPMLYxLdXw6Q_z-njbsYuQ&s=19

[Bizarre Löw Triangle]

In many ways the animalistic, self-defeating self-preservation Boris Johnson shows is his least repellent facet as it is at least honest an shows and admirable commitment to the one consistant principle Boris Johnson holds.

Feel far more contempt for the weaselly little shits queuing up to stick the knife in after years of enthusiastically administering fascism for him.

Hope Boris Johnson clings on to die in office. Ideally in the next 48 hours.

[sw2borshch]

And now Zahawi's successor at the DfE...

https://twitter.com/KieranMaguire/status/1544953539193192449?t=jA7rlzLitkLlc_f5FWTi8g&s=19

[Bizarre Löw Triangle]

I'm sure some of them are made up though. Yesterday someone called "Mims" resigned. I struggle to believe that there is actually anyone called Mims. (Mims was her - I think it was a her - first name)

It's one of those weird posh people nicknames. Bit like "Flick" Drummond another resignee

[Bizarre Löw Triangle]

And now Zahawi's successor at the DfE...

https://twitter.com/KieranMaguire/status/1544953539193192449?t=jA7rlzLitkLlc_f5FWTi8g&s=19

"I only took the job so I could resign from it"

[Discordant Resonance]

In many ways the animalistic, self-defeating self-preservation Boris Johnson shows is his least repellent facet as it is at least honest an shows and admirable commitment to the one consistant principle Boris Johnson holds.

Feel far more contempt for the weaselly little shits queuing up to stick the knife in after years of enthusiastically administering fascism for him.

Hope Boris Johnson clings on to die in office. Ideally in the next 48 hours.

I presume the Queen can't do a Gough Whitlam on him unless there's a clear Tory successor?

[Bizarre Löw Triangle]

I presume the Queen can't do a Gough Whitlam on him unless there's a clear Tory successor?

There wasn't a clear successor to Whitlam. She or rather Charles or rather the CIA put the opposition in charge to call elections.