Current Affairs

[Manoverboard]

If a party was held in my place of residence, I would certainly have expected an invite.

Always expect the unexpected ... as a rule

[david63]

Does a lot of this depend on the interpretation of "party"?

The concept of a party is a number, perhaps large number, of people all standing around in a room with drinks in hand enjoying themselves and doing what is done at office Christmas parties.

What in reality may, and I stress may, have happened at no 10, and many other places, is that they brought drinks and nibbles in and sat at their desks whilst having a "party".

To the best of my knowledge nobody from this board was at no 10 on that day/time so we will never really know what happened.

[Kendhni]

I don’t want to be a party pooper but if they didn’t know the rules then they must be thicker than a sausage roll

As I said earlier on, it was mountains out of molehills, there were a lot of people bending rules to suit themselves and having parties last christmas ... you would have to be thicker than a sausage roll to consider that news. What many, including myself, seem to be annoyed about is the never ending lies streaming out of our elected leaders ... especially to claim that COVID rules were not broken at a party when they were not even at the party (allegedly) ... some people are thick as custard and will toe the party line believing it, rest of us back in reality expect higher standards from our leaders.

PS: Congrats to Johnson and Carrie ... another distraction???? nah his March time crystal ball would have had to have been on speed to have worked that one out.

[screwy]

Does a lot of this depend on the interpretation of "party"?

The concept of a party is a number, perhaps large number, of people all standing around in a room with drinks in hand enjoying themselves and doing what is done at office Christmas parties.

What in reality may, and I stress may, have happened at no 10, and many other places, is that they brought drinks and nibbles in and sat at their desks whilst having a "party".

To the best of my knowledge nobody from this board was at no 10 on that day/time so we will never really know what happened.

My thoughts too David. The interpretation of ‘Party’ leaves a lot to the imagination.
If indeed ‘ drinks and nibbles ‘ were had well so what. These ‘Party goers’ had been working side by side for months anyway.

[Onelife]

Ken

And those who were caught having parties got fined…. If those attending the Business meeting party are found to have broken the rules then they should get fined...either that or I want mine revoked and the same should apply to every other person that got fined.

[oldbluefox]

...... it was mountains out of molehills,

Exactly and the media, opposition parties and Boris haters have jumped on it.
At the moment we don't know enough about what went on and, as David says, what is the difference between colleagues having a drink together and exchanging presents as opposed to eating, drinking, dancing and making merry? It depends how you define 'party'.
At the moment we don't know enough, nobody does, and maybe we may never know the full extent of what happened.
I find it rather sickening watching left wing MPs using feigned emotive language to fuel their displeasure over the party allegations.

[oldbluefox]

Ken

And those who were caught having parties got fined…. If those attending the Business meeting party are found to have broken the rules then they should get fined...either that or I want mine revoked and the same should apply to every other person that got fined.

I would agree but this should have been done 12 months ago not 12 months later. The Met say they do not have enough evidence so they cannot pursue it. The same rules should apply to everybody.

[Onelife]

I’m struggling to understand this nontalent attitude to what constitutes a party when it is well documented that small close proximity gatherings are the catalyst for more infections…next you’ll be saying… Ah! but they had the windows open.

[Onelife]

My thoughts too David. The interpretation of ‘Party’ leaves a lot to the imagination.
If indeed ‘ drinks and nibbles ‘ were had well so what. These ‘Party goers’ had been working side by side for months anyway.

And most of them will have been wearing masks when moving away from their work station

[oldbluefox]

It is well documented about close proximity but we don't know the circumstances of what happened. Maybe they did have the windows open, maybe they had air purifiers, maybe they were socially distanced and then again maybe not. Maybe it was a gathering of a few, maybe it was a riotous party. Maybe not. Personally I would like to know more about the whistle blower/mole who was obviously happy to be involved in the party and now feels it necessary 12 months later to spill the beans.
I would hate to be in the dock with some of you people because you'd have me slammed up without knowing any of the evidence. Even the Met say there is insufficient evidence to prosecute so I would be interested to hear what Boris' investigation turns up.

[Onelife]

Ken

And those who were caught having parties got fined…. If those attending the Business meeting party are found to have broken the rules then they should get fined...either that or I want mine revoked and the same should apply to every other person that got fined.

I would agree but this should have been done 12 months ago not 12 months later. The Met say they do not have enough evidence so they cannot pursue it. The same rules should apply to everybody.

I’m sure the motives for this leak had little to do with exposing those attending the supposed party…. the sole intention was about discrediting an already incompetent leader.

[Stephen]

Boris and Carrie Johnson announce birth of a girl

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-59593510

Wonder if they'll throw a party

[Onelife]

It is well documented about close proximity but we don't know the circumstances of what happened. Maybe they did have the windows open, maybe they had air purifiers, maybe they were socially distanced and then again maybe not. Maybe it was a gathering of a few, maybe it was a riotous party. Maybe not. Personally I would like to know more about the whistle blower/mole who was obviously happy to be involved in the party and now feels it necessary 12 months later to spill the beans.
I would hate to be in the dock with some of you people because you'd have me slammed up without knowing any of the evidence. Even the Met say there is insufficient evidence to prosecute so I would be interested to hear what Boris' investigation turns up.

I’d let you get away with murder Foxy….for a price that is…

[oldbluefox]

I’d let you get away with murder Foxy….for a price that is…

Your kindness and benevolence knows no bounds Keefy................ How much?

[Kendhni]

Ken

And those who were caught having parties got fined…. If those attending the Business meeting party are found to have broken the rules then they should get fined...either that or I want mine revoked and the same should apply to every other person that got fined.

I agree totally, I believe there has something like 70,000 fines handed out ... all of them deserve a full refund if standards are not being applied equally. It is a sad day when it appears there does not appear to be a single person with integrity at number 10 that could basically knock this on the head and get it out of the headlines ... but lack of integrity is now endemic within our political class and the civil service.

[Kendhni]

Does a lot of this depend on the interpretation of "party"?

Sorry David, given what is already known, that is some serious straw clutching going on there.

[Bensham33]

It's not the fact that they had a party with nibbles and drinks and a Secret Santa, good luck to them, they probably only did the same as others.

What bothers me is the fact that the PM clearly lied to the house and everyone else that the damn party took place. He lives there, how did he not know a party or after works drinks whatever you want to call it, took place and why did that Allegra Stratton resign if all was innocent?

It doesn't matter how long ago it took place, when found out he should have said that he will look into it and deal with anyone who might have broken the rules. Not lied about, whether it took place or not.

[david63]

given what is already known

What is "known" as opposed to alleged?

I, for one, do not "know" anything about what went 12 months ago behind closed doors - all I know is what has been reported in the media, and none of that is overly clear other than "a party took place"

[david63]

He lives there

Actually he doesn't - he has a flat high up in rafters of number 11

[Manoverboard]

He lives there

Actually he doesn't - he has a flat high up in rafters of number 11

And it's allegedly sound proofed so nobody domiciled in there would have heard a thing elsewhere.

[Kendhni]

Progressive New Zealand
https://uk.yahoo.com/news/zealand-ban-s ... 56630.html

Maybe setting the standard for rest of the world. Not sure how they can enforce their ideas though, especially when in a few years it will mean some adults can buy tobacco and others can't.

[david63]

Not sure how they can enforce their ideas though, especially when in a few years it will mean some adults can buy tobacco and others can't.

By making it more difficult to find somewhere that actually sells tobacco - they are proposing to reduce the number of outlets to around 500 in the entire country.

In fairness there are not a lot of people in NZ (about 13% I believe) who do smoke so to cut out the sale of all tobacco products would not have that much affect on tax revenue, unlike many other countries.

[Onelife]

I’d let you get away with murder Foxy….for a price that is…

Your kindness and benevolence knows no bounds Keefy................ How much?

I can’t give you a specific quote other than to say I charge more for mother-in-law's

[Onelife]

Ken


I agree totally, I believe there has something like 70,000 fines handed out ... all of them deserve a full refund if standards are not being applied equally. It is a sad day when it appears there does not appear to be a single person with integrity at number 10 that could basically knock this on the head and get it out of the headlines ... but lack of integrity is now endemic within our political class and the civil service.

Isn't that just the truth

[Gill W]

I understand from the lunch time news that now 3 of the numerous parties that took place last year are now being investigated. But the one that 'allegedly' took place on 13th November (when England was in the so called circuit breaker lockdown) in the Johnson's flat is not being investigated.

In the wake of Allegra Stratton's resignation, Rees-Mogg must be heaving a sigh of relief as his Christmas party video seems to have gone un-noticed. However, if Stratton resigned, that Rees-Mogg should as well. I expect he''ll be keeping a very low profile until the end of this parliamentary session.

PS: Congrats to Johnson and Carrie ... another distraction???? nah his March time crystal ball would have had to have been on speed to have worked that one out.

I think he always needs a few distractions on hand, as something that paints him in a poor light happens on a daily basis.

Poor Carrie must have popped this child out in record time as the Electoral Commission's report on the Downing Street refurbishment landed this morning.

However, her valiant efforts in the delivery room didn't stop people noticing that Johnson told his standards advisor in May that he didn't know who was providing the money for the refurbishment until Feb 2021.....whereas the electoral commission report says that Johnson sent a Whatsapp message to Lord Brownlow on 29th November asking for more money for the refurbishments, and on 30th November Brownlow confirmed that he would cover the costs himself.

The untruths and obsfuscation from Johnson and No 10 are never ending.

I don't understand why anybody would belive anything anymore that emanates from Johnson and his regime.