The I cant believe it’s not politics thread.

[leicsmac]

10 minutes ago, Sampson said:

“Unlike the former Leader of the Opposition, I will not give up on this country and will get down to the more important matters of the War in Ukraine.”

 

You can guarantee Boris comes out with something like that if Starmer resigns and won’t follow suit.

Yep.

 

A good war is good for leadership legacy, after all. Just a shame about all the dead bodies and associated suffering, but what does that matter, right? (Especially when they're not "your own".)

[kenny]

9 minutes ago, LVocey said:

The only move Starmer could really make, but it’s a beautifully brave one. If he doesn’t get fined he comes out of it beautifully 

Rayner also going if fined. Thats a real positive move, the best thing for Labour now is clearing her out and probably Starmer too.

 

 

[Jon the Hat]

19 minutes ago, LVocey said:

The only move Starmer could really make, but it’s a beautifully brave one. If he doesn’t get fined he comes out of it beautifully 

He’s an idiot for getting himself in this position in the first place.  Where did all the competent politicians go?

[kenny]

2 minutes ago, Jon the Hat said:

He’s an idiot for getting himself in this position in the first place.  Where did all the competent politicians go?

Q: What will you do if Durham police do not issue a fine, but if they say you broke the rules anyway

 

Starmer replies:

"The penalty for a Covid breach is a fixed penalty. And I’ve set out what the position is in relation to that. Thank you very much."

 

That implies that he wouldn’t. He seems to be arguing that if the penalty for a breach of the rules is a fine, then if he does not get a fine, he has not broken the rules.

 

 

Not so much, Durham Police have already said they don't do retrospective action for covid cases in the same way they didn't with Cummings. Reckon he is banking on that.

[Voll Blau]

Just now, kenny said:

Q: What will you do if Durham police do not issue a fine, but if they say you broke the rules anyway

 

Starmer replies:

"The penalty for a Covid breach is a fixed penalty. And I’ve set out what the position is in relation to that. Thank you very much."

 

That implies that he wouldn’t. He seems to be arguing that if the penalty for a breach of the rules is a fine, then if he does not get a fine, he has not broken the rules.

 

 

Not so much, Durham Police have already said they don't do retrospective action for covid cases in the same way they didn't with Cummings. Reckon he is banking on that.

I read it as that being the penalty that's automatically triggered if he's found in breach, i.e. the two things are one and the same?

[Lionator]

The first time in a long time where the Tory press have had their control of the narrative taken from underneath their feet. Ballsy move by Starmer this. Could be a genuine turning point. 

[kenny]

22 minutes ago, Voll Blau said:

I read it as that being the penalty that's automatically triggered if he's found in breach, i.e. the two things are one and the same?

The police would decide to issue a FPN or give a slap on the wrist. If Cummings didn't fined then maybe they won't fine Starmer.

 

The Labour PCC for Durham won't be pressing too hard for a FPN I don't think!

[bovril]

Labour have really ****ed this up badly I feel

[pSinatra]

3 minutes ago, bovril said:

Labour have really ****ed this up badly I feel

 

I agree but I'm not quite sure what they could have done

 

This is a Tory/media driven accusation.  The narrative has been firmly set & it's relentless......regardless of any sort of reality.  He had a curry at work & he had a beer to wash it down.  It's a non-story.  There is no similarity to what Boris has been up to.  He was at work & he was treating it like work.  There was no cake, no wife, no decorators, no singing.  What part of the law is he supposed to have broken?

[Mike Oxlong]

The same Durham police that didn’t take action against Cummings despite his clear breach of the regulations. Let’s hope there’s no political collusion going on in the constabulary otherwise we’ll have to get Ted in. 

 

 

 

 

[Sampson]

Kinda related but just a bit of an amusing side note that 1 in 5 people will claim the I've heard of a completely invented sandal.

[LiberalFox]

6 minutes ago, Sampson said:

Kinda related but just a bit of an amusing side note that 1 in 5 people will claim the I've heard of a completely invented sandal.

I'm absolutely amazed 1 in 5 people claim to have heard of Ed Davey. 

[Strokes]

3 hours ago, Voll Blau said:

I read it as that being the penalty that's automatically triggered if he's found in breach, i.e. the two things are one and the same?

I reckon @kenny has it bang on, however I also disagree that this whole charade damages Starmer in the same way (to me).

Starmer didn’t make the rules, he didn’t subvert them in the same way, it’s not the same betrayal I feel. He, if proven, has been a twat, but in the current circumstances and precedence shouldn’t even bother acknowledging it.

[kenny]

3 minutes ago, Strokes said:

I reckon @kenny has it bang on, however I also disagree that this whole charade damages Starmer in the same way (to me).

Starmer didn’t make the rules, he didn’t subvert them in the same way, it’s not the same betrayal I feel. He, if proven, has been a twat, but in the current circumstances and precedence shouldn’t even bother acknowledging it.

It's a persona issue. Boris sells himself as a bumbler that makes the odd error.

 

Kier is the serious solution and antidote to Boris. If its shown that he couldn't follow the rules it makes a bigger dent into his image than it would another politician.

[Sampson]

Just now, kenny said:

It's a persona issue. Boris sells himself as a bumbler that makes the odd error.

 

Kier is the serious solution and antidote to Boris. If its shown that he couldn't follow the rules it makes a bigger dent into his image than it would another politician.

Amazing how Milliband got destroyed for every error despite also being sold as a bumbler.

 

I think what you mean is - it's a party issue. Boris is in the party which is mates with the tabloid press, Starmer isn't.

[Mike Oxlong]

3 hours ago, bovril said:

Labour have really ****ed this up badly I feel

Beginning to look like Keir has been backed into a korma. 

[LVFox]

4 hours ago, bovril said:

Labour have really ****ed this up badly I feel

I disagree…it’s established them the moral high ground when all news of the other parties comes back around.

 

Starmer gets fined and goes - Labours new leader can say “our party changed leaders because of fines and the conservatives don’t think the same rules apply”

 

Starmer doesn’t get fined - he can always point to the fact he would have done and hold it against Boris until he’s gone or until general election.

 

 

[Lionator]

I’d put good money on him getting cleared given his ballsy move today, if a lawyer doesn’t know this then who would 

 

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2022/may/09/labour-says-can-prove-starmer-team-worked-past-1am-beergate-night?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other

[weller54]

34 minutes ago, LVocey said:

I disagree…it’s established them the moral high ground when all news of the other parties comes back around.

 

Starmer gets fined and goes - Labours new leader can say “our party changed leaders because of fines and the conservatives don’t think the same rules apply”

 

Starmer doesn’t get fined - he can always point to the fact he would have done and hold it against Boris until he’s gone or until general election.

 

 

Absolutely spot on.

This stance fvcks Bozo right up! (and all the cretins that have defended him)!

That Teflon turd swirling around in the pan might just get flushed away after all.

 

[weller54]

1 hour ago, LVocey said:

I disagree…it’s established them the moral high ground when all news of the other parties comes back around.

 

Starmer gets fined and goes - Labours new leader can say “our party changed leaders because of fines and the conservatives don’t think the same rules apply”

 

Starmer doesn’t get fined - he can always point to the fact he would have done and hold it against Boris until he’s gone or until general election.

 

 

 

[Brizzle Fox]

Journalism at it's finest. No agenda of course though...

[Parafox]

1 hour ago, Mike Oxlong said:

Beginning to look like Keir has been backed into a korma. 

Daily Mail's next front page headline. 

[Lionator]

Owen Jones piece in todays guardian has to be the stupidest thing I’ve ever read. And I say that as someone with views closely aligned to his. 

[Nick]

9 hours ago, Brizzle Fox said:

Journalism at it's finest. No agenda of course though...

Two front pages and literally nothing on either of them matters in any way in the context of what’s going on in wider Britain, Europe and the rest of the world. It’s not journalism, it’s just animal feed.

[HighPeakFox]

I've briefly glanced at Twitter this morning, and looked here. I'm reminded why I keep my head clear of such clouds of 'information' most of the time (meaning the tabloids, not FT).