POLITICS CORNER

[Marilyn]

Ooooo...(pricking my ears up now)...you have poked an interest...
Wasn’t newest child number 6/7 ?

[Tripps]

Shades of Rasputin, is wishing he would meet the same end a bit harsh?

I think so. . .

How many times did Rasputin die?
When the body was retrieved two days later from the river, it appeared as if the Rasputin had tried to claw is way out from the ice. He died from drowning after being unsuccessfully poisoned, shot three times and beaten. He was buried in secret to avoid desecration

That said - the aftermath of yesterday's unique rose garden performance is interesting. Remember that a lot of opinions on Boris are conditioned by a deep hatred of him and the Tory party - see example above. others are concerned with revenge for the Brexit vote in which Cummings was probably the architect of the whole (just about) successful campaign.

The papers reviewer on Sky last said described his performance as a piece of verbal reverse engineering. I agree.
*********************************************

For what it's worth here is my 'plague diary' for yesterday.

Mon 25 May 2020 Deaths 121 but it's a Bank Holiday.

Main news was Cummings unprecedented press conference. Postponed from 3.00 pm to 4.00 pm then he keeps them all waiting another half an hour. in the Rose Garden. Final touches to the cover story? Luckily for the press, it's a nice day.
Actually I warmed just a little towards him. He is a human being.

Says he was in a seperate property and obeyed the isolation guidelines.
Said he was seen on the woods but that was on private property. I'm a boit confused between this woods incident, and the one on the way back from B.C.

Imaginative explanation for the Barnard Castle trip. Big mistake to say it was to check his fitness to drive back to London - especially the fact that his eyes were a bit strange. - which I think was just carelessly thrown into the mix. People are saying that the best way to check your eyes is not to drive 30 miles and back. Says he went to the woods because his child needed the loo. He managed 260 niles non stop from London to Durham, but couldnt manage a 30 mile journey.

Says that dealing with small children was 'exceptional circumstances', and gave him scope to interpret the rules as he did. . He didn't play the 'autistic child' card which had been widely mentioned on social media - so they say.

It will all be picked over by experts, but the bottom line is that Boris cannot do without him so if Boris stays then - whatever he says - Cummings stays.

I think we will hear a lot more of all this. People who hate the guts of Cummimngs and Johnson will not stop. This all underpinned by revenge for the Brexit vote etc.

Boris Sunday press conference was very weak. He avoided the question of whether Cummings had been to Barnard Castle entirely. He was still saying 'wash your hands, stay alert, fight the virus and save lives'. probably lines which Cummings. wrote.

Remember that Grant Shapps on Saturday, said that he 'stayed in the same place' whilst in Durham.

The 'line to take' has changed quite a bit.

[Tripps]

Spotted this on the way to the post box. Think it will catch on?

BOOFORBORIS (2).jpg

[Stanley]

It already has David. Seen his negative popularity rating?

[Stanley]

I watched the start of Johnson's interrogation by the committee chairs, the man is incoherent and incapable of understanding the concept of giving a direct and brief answer to a question. He automatically goes into obfuscation and cover your arse mode. I switched him off complete waste of space.
I listened to the lackeys following the party line defending Cummings and it is despicable. I must stop, I will start ranting in earnest!!!

[Tripps]

I listened to a lot of Nicola Sturgeon's speech at lunchtime. What a contrast to Boris. She was very clear and made sense. That's a change from any politician I've heard lately. Perhaps they should look for a Westminster seat for her.

I live in hope, but the 'world class' tracking programme seems to have had a shaky start. It's not hard to see many problems coming. Will contacts without symptoms stop work for two weeks and go on Statutory Sick Pay? I doubt it. I think it's designed to find close family members.


A throw away remark which he didn't have to include, has become the defining icon of Cumming's press conference. Tangled webs and all that. . . .

The Guardian says -
"The BrewDog company has already launched a new Barnard Castle Eye Test beer, the proceeds going to the NHS. "

[Stanley]

I enjoyed that post David and agree with everything you say particularly about Nicola. I have liked her style since the first day I saw her.
Love the beer......
Bugger Cummings.

[Tizer]

Another blow in the Trump v. Twitter fight...
Twitter hides Trump tweet for 'glorifying violence' LINK

Tripps, another leader who is a contrast to Boris, much loved by her citizens...
`New Zealand's PM stayed calm during an earthquake on live TV' LINK

[Stanley]

I'll second that Tiz. Any coincidence that they are both intelligent young women? Neither of them a Disruptor? They can both string a sentence together and enunciate it clearly?
I look at Trump, Johnson, Balsonari et all and wonder what the hell is going wrong with politics.
Starmer very quiet, I understand why, difficult to criticise on Covid matters. I hope he is working hard behind the scenes at getting Labour in order.

[Tizer]

One signature from Trump and the WHO loses $400 million a year...
`Trump terminates US relationship with WHO' LINK

[Stanley]

I noted that Tiz. If Hollywood had made a film parodying the role of POTUS and invented a Trump they couldn't have done a better job. Angry protesters forcing the White House into lockdown says something but even so about 50% of the voters think he can do no wrong. Voters get the governance they deserve!
Meanwhile, in this neck of the woods, deadleg cabinet members defend the indefensible. How long before Tory backbenchers assert themselves and diverge from the party line? I can't help feeling there is a head of steam building there. Note how the ERG are keeping stum. They are watching what they have always sought, a hard Brexit, becoming more and more inevitable as the year goes on.
No light on the horizon.....

[Tizer]

I was pleased to see The Times had a leader article on Saturday praising Keir Starmer and noting how it's good to have a credible, functioning opposition party again.

[Whyperion]

I noted that Tiz. If Hollywood had made a film parodying the role of POTUS and invented a Trump they couldn't have done a better job. Angry protesters forcing the White House into lockdown says something but even so about 50% of the voters think he can do no wrong. Voters get the governance they deserve!

In a big retrospect Trump should have cloaked himself in War President Garb, and declared Covid as an enemy to be battled , by staying in, distancing and that funding and food would come from National Guard. That might have got him more posititive followers and a better outcome for US Citizens

[Stanley]

Tiz, I think even the most right wing media are starting to have doubts about the Hulk.

[Stanley]

I am not impressed by the calibre of any of the Tory ministers but am I alone in having really serious doubts about Gavin Williamson? I watched him justifying the policy on opening schools and he seemed to me to be doing nothing but parroting the party line. Nothing exceptional about that but he couldn't even sound sincere.
We are definitely in very deep doo doo.

[plaques]

Trump's reaction to the demonstrations and rioting is the direct opposite to that taken by Franklin D Roosevelt, when faced with veterans camping out near the White House asking for their delayed pension payouts. Arranged to see their leaders. Sent his wife to visit the encampment, Agreed that living in tents was inhuman for that time of year and built wooden temporary buildings. Introduced a work programme to give them some employment. I contrast what does Trump do? Stokes up more racial divide, encourages more violence possibly setting the country back 20 years and for what purpose. To appease the right-wingers and get re-elected.

[Tripps]

I've just watched a vote in the House of Commons by the new social distance method.
I was embarrassed and cringing. 'Not a pretty sight' as they used to say in the Goon Show.

Seems they have spent two hours voting today already.

It takes ages - as each 'honourable' member, separated by 2 metres, walks through the chamber, then announces at the despatch box which way they are voting. Several had to be reminded to speak into the mic, and one chap went through the No lane and called out Aye. Many looked as if they should not be trusted to tie their own shoe laces.

Your lad Andrew Stephenson wasn't wearing his jacket or tie - very slack. He's very tall, and looks as if he's been to Chubby's Chippy a little too often, during the lockdown.

Probably not the time, but couldn't they get some teenager to write an app for their mobile phones, to enable them to vote quickly, safely, and securely?

[PanBiker]

The "house" is archaic in it's design and should be mothballed in favour of a purpose built chamber in the round. Dare I say it? Much like those Johnny foreigners have to work the EU. Each member has their place, microphone and voting buttons, the equivalent of our Speaker has the results in seconds rather than after all the filing through, bowing, scraping, cap doffing etc. Much more efficient and that may be the problem it would perhaps lend itself too much to actually moving the business of the day in an efficient manner. Meaning of course that the members would have to turn up and take an active part in the proceedings most of the time not just when it takes their fancy.

[Tripps]

Wow - I think this a first Ian - I agree with every word you wrote.

Time we started to look forward - tradition is OK but we are getting left behind due to our obsession with it. It's still socially acceptable at the highest level to say that you're hopeless at Maths / Arithmetic or IT.

Hancock has kicked the issue of the disproportionate effect of COV 19 on ethnic minorities into the long grass. It's hard to see how they can create two classes of NHS worker - one who can treat C19, and another that must be protected from it. Surely it would lead to discrimination in the choice of staff, but he is right to say that there are many more factors at play than just ethnicity.

Some tough decisions ahead.

[Whyperion]

It took a revolution to bring about the house of commons, is there enough energy in the country to bring about the needed reform, we have just voted in a reactionary government.

[Tripps]

Here's a link - Distanced voting

Enjoy. . .

[Whyperion]

MPs voted 242 to 185 against allowing remote voting in the House of Commons to continue.
I cannot recall how many non tories there are in parliament but that adds up to 427 members , ignoring say NI and a few off sick where are the other 180 odd - did they all pair up ?


The Hubei provincial health commission said that between 14 May and 1 June it tested 9.89 million people. Wuhan’s population is regularly cited as being around 11 million. You can read about Wuhan's mass testing drive here.

The official People’s Daily newspaper said that about 300 people tested positive for the virus but had exhibited no symptoms (approximately 0.003%).

It said that 900m yuan ($126m; £100m) was spent on the tests. The deputy mayor of Wuhan has confirmed that the government will foot the bill
( presumably the kits were made in china, effectively the £100m is all, at the end of the day labour costs - maybe a bit for oil for transport - a totally cirucular spend as the people will spend that income again. )

[Stanley]

I agree with Ian also, I have been shouting about archaic traditions and practices for years. Allowing electronic voting would spoil the club atmosphere.
Trump.... Did I hear right? I thought I heard that he said yesterday he was the best friend of the black community since Lincoln. If so, Ian is right, he is certifiable.
Oh, and he wants to put the US under military rule. (With him as the Commander in Chief of course)

[PanBiker]

I have never been able to get my head around American politics. They shoot their good Presidents but let the stupid ones run full and sometimes multiple terms and wreck the country, makes no sense at all.

[Whyperion]

I concluded that USA is basically a paranoid wild west . I have given up trying to work it out.

Looks like in his writings Starmer is trying to pin responsibility on Boris, if not for the past certainly the future (What we appear to have got is an exit without a strategy - written for Cov-19 but probably put like that for Brexit too) . PM accuses Starmer of being negative and look to the future too,
Apparently the PM has established two new cabinet committees to support the next phase of the Covid response - one overseeing the strategy for the recovery and the other the delivery of policy. That seems very Yes Prime Minister to divide up the mess and leave no one to blame. PM also asks the Labour Leader if he has any worthwhile suggestions. ( which by itself seems an admission of if not failure, not quite succeeding ).