1) No blackmail took place.

2) No blackmail took place, but if it did, it was within the blackmailing rules.

3) I’m shocked and disgusted that blackmailing has taken place.

4) I took part in blackmail, but it was within the blackmailing rules.

5) I have blackmailed MPs, but no one told me blackmail was illegal.

 

Sound familiar?

 

Blackmail is an inherent part of our political system, the entire basis of our party Whip system in the House of Commons. Without blackmail the Whip system would cease to function.

.

Edited January 20, 20224 yr by flecc

as you said in the linked to post, he's a delegator. Is it a suitable qualification for the top job though?

 

It's the main qualification. The worst PMs have often been those who interfere and do things themselves rather than let ministers run their departments, Margaret Thatcher for example. A PM is like the captain of a ship, he doesn't take the helm, he doesn't ring commands to the engine room, he isn't in the engine room carrying out the commands. He simply directs and ensures his crew do their jobs. That Johnson can do as he showed as a hard taskmaster in his editorships where was succcessful, only coming unstuck on the political aspects as always in his life.

 

The email, obtained by ITV News, said: “Hi all, after what has been an incredibly busy period we thought it would be nice to make the most of the lovely weather and have some socially distanced drinks in the No10 garden this evening. Please join us from 6pm and bring your own booze!"

 

Who is the 'we' and 'us' in the email here?

It's clear to me that the we is the resident of No 10.

 

No argument there, socially distanced so where's the problem? It was only what most of the country were doing anyway. As I've posted before, there were no angels where the Covid regulations were concerned, many aspects almost universally observed in the breach, except where observance was the only course possible.

.

 

No argument there, socially distanced so where's the problem? .

except at the time, the pubs were closed.

You could only meet up with just one person from another family and keep 2m distance from that person.

The rule ( one person from another family) did not apply to the workplace.

I remember that well because we had to have morning and afternoon shifts at my shop, one or two persons were allowed in per workshop.

Blackmail is an inherent part of our political system, the entire basis of our party Whip system in the House of Commons. Without blackmail the Whip system would cease to function.

.

 

This goes further. The allegation is that funding would be cut to MP's constituencies (both already agreed and future funding), if that particular MP did not fall into line and keep quiet about the corruption. That is very different to the Whip system. This is mis-use of public money to fund an enterprise intended to save the job of a corrupt and dishonest Prime Minister. It is Blackmail at a criminal level, not political pressure being applied.

This goes further. The allegation is that funding would be cut to MP's constituencies (both already agreed and future funding), if that particular MP did not fall into line and keep quiet about the corruption. That is very different to the Whip system. This is mis-use of public money to fund an enterprise intended to save the job of a corrupt and dishonest Prime Minister. It is Blackmail at a criminal level, not political pressure being applied.

 

You really are naive if you think there is anything new about that. I'm old enough to remember when a party leader's choice of chief whip was a well built thug who didn't hesitate to enforce the party will by all manner of highly illegal means, including violence, humiliation and extremes of intimidation.

 

Fortunately those ways are largely long gone, but that has for decades meant that the Whips main method is blackmail in any way possible. Some of these such as the one you refer to are actually empty threats that cannot be carried through, but they are linked to actions that can be taken and sometimes are. For example the threat of engineering their deselection, particularly effective against long standing members who are settled in their lives.

 

The entire whip system is corrupt and its actions often illegal, there is no legal and decent way for it to work with any effectiveness.

.

 

If this leads to BJ's sacking not much hope for any in employment.

Logs and splinters me thinks.

If Boris needs sacking, fine. But for this.???Give us a break.

 

I, ve marked the 5 sackable culprits in picture to include in the witch hunt.

They are clearly breaking the 2m rule. Let's sack them.

If Boris needs sacking, fine. But for this.???Give us a break.

You did not get it. At the time, we did not have vaccines. The only weapon was physical distancing, so all the stadia, concert halls, theatres, pubs, bars and nightclubs were forced to closed.

BJ told people not to meet with more than 1 person of a different family while keeping to a 2m in between.

How many families do you reckon you can count from that photograph?

Even Tim Martin of Whetherspoons got upset, you can see why.

His pubs were closed so they created their own pub with beer garden.

[ATTACH type=full" alt="Screenshot_20220120_151544.jpg]45429[/ATTACH]

 

If this leads to BJ's sacking not much hope for any in employment.

Logs and splinters me thinks.

If Boris needs sacking, fine. But for this.???Give us a break.

[ATTACH type=full" alt="Screenshot_20220120_152024.jpg]45430[/ATTACH]

 

If Johnson had said at the first opportunity that he had been to a social gathering and now bitterly regrets it, things might have been different. It's the initial firm denials and then, only when cornered, incremental admissions, some of which contradict previous denials and constitute blatant lying to parliament that is the problem. This marks him out as an unfit leader.

You did not get it. At the time, we did not have vaccines. The only weapon was physical distancing, so all the stadia, concert halls, theatres, pubs, bars and nightclubs were forced to closed.

BJ told people not to meet with more than 1 person of a different family while keeping to a 2m in between.

How many families do you reckon you can count from that photograph?

Even Tim Martin of Whetherspoons got upset, you can see why.

His pubs were closed so they created their own pub with beer garden.

Difference being, all those different families you mention in photo work together indoors.

The real question should be was there actually any more risk from the gathering. But that is far too objective for the witch hunt.

Party my arse. Its a drink in garden.

Cast the first stone.??

Your hero Starmer was worse. Drinking inside amongst a group and wore sunglasses (inside) to hide behind. Should we sack him too.

Difference being, all those different families you mention in photo work together indoors.

The real question should be was there actually any more risk from the gathering. But that is far too objective for the witch hunt.

Party my arse. Its a drink in garden.

Cast the first stone.??

Your hero Starmer was worse. Drinking inside amongst a group and wore sunglasses (inside) to hide behind. Should we sack him too.

Seems like some of the police decisions - like someone being told they were breaking the law having a drink in their own garden simply because there was no fence - are being forgotten.

 

Take two neighbours who work with each other. That didn't give them immunity to being fined if they drank together in one of their gardens.

Difference being, all those different families you mention in photo work together indoors.

You can't see how ridiculous you sound by finding some technicality to excuse BJ's instigating the beer garden. People can't see why he can have an independent report and not them when the police came to their house on Covid rules.

BTW, the rule (meeting only one person outside your family bubble) was then applicable to garden and parks.

Seems like some of the police decisions - like someone being told they were breaking the law having a drink in their own garden simply because there was no fence - are being forgotten.

 

Take two neighbours who work with each other. That didn't give them immunity to being fined if they drank together in one of their gardens.

Thousands of people sat in their gardens drinking with neighbours???

And I, m not saying what Boris did was right. It was human. Sat at a table having a drink,and nearest person to him he sleeps with every night.

Reckon country has utterly lost all sense of perspective.

Fairly sure he, s done far worse with not a word.. Its ridiculous.

And Woosh I can't believe how stupid and hypocritical you sound defending Starmer doing worse. He was indoors drinking in a group.

You can't see how ridiculous you sound by finding some technicality to excuse BJ's instigating the beer garden. People can't see why he can have an independent report and not them when the police came to their house on Covid rules.

BTW, the rule (meeting only one person outside your family bubble) was then applicable to garden and parks.

They could have put in a specific exclusion - for example, for civil servants and politicians who have to carry on working - but they didn't.

 

(Might have been extremely unpopular at the time. But it might have avoided what is happening now.)

 

There are all the things going on in the World at moment, from Putin threatening Ukraine, Chinese threatening Taiwan, Brexit, Andrew avoiding prosecution, folk getting shot and stabbed, poor migrants still drowning in Channel and this photo has got some all hot and bothered. Its utterly ridiculous and a complete witch hunt initiated, planned and carried out by Cummings. Its pathetic.

Sack Boris for having dishevelled hair, for not locking down early enough, for exaggerating Omicron but for a drink in garden. Give over

Thousands of people sat in their gardens drinking with neighbours???

South Yorkshire Police has apologised for telling a family they were not allowed on their own front garden during the Covid-19 lockdown.

 

Footage of the encounter in Eastwood, Rotherham, showed an officer ordering a couple and their young children to stay inside their two-bedroom terraced home.

 

 

“The virus does not stop on your front gardens,” she warned. “A thousand people died yesterday, a thousand people.”

 

 

Resident Daniel Connell posted the video on his Facebook page and said he and his partner were ”playing with two babies” three metres from the pavement.

 

Social media users quickly pointed out that the new coronavirus regulations state that a garden is part of a person’s home. The law also mentions any “yard, passage, stair, garage, outhouse or other appurtenance.”

 

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/coronavirus-garden-lockdown-rules-south-yorkshire-police-rotherham-a9459146.html

South Yorkshire Police has apologised for telling a family they were not allowed on their own front garden during the Covid-19 lockdown.

 

Footage of the encounter in Eastwood, Rotherham, showed an officer ordering a couple and their young children to stay inside their two-bedroom terraced home.

 

 

“The virus does not stop on your front gardens,” she warned. “A thousand people died yesterday, a thousand people.”

 

 

Resident Daniel Connell posted the video on his Facebook page and said he and his partner were ”playing with two babies” three metres from the pavement.

 

Social media users quickly pointed out that the new coronavirus regulations state that a garden is part of a person’s home. The law also mentions any “yard, passage, stair, garage, outhouse or other appurtenance.”

 

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/coronavirus-garden-lockdown-rules-south-yorkshire-police-rotherham-a9459146.html

Yep, they apologised because they were wrong. Folk could sit in their gardens having a drink.

https://inews.co.uk/news/keir-starmer-break-lockdown-rules-labour-leader-beer-drinking-photo-breach-covid-restrictions-1405121

Whereas this certainly broke Covid rules at time.

South Yorkshire Police has apologised for telling a family they were not allowed on their own front garden during the Covid-19 lockdown.

 

Footage of the encounter in Eastwood, Rotherham, showed an officer ordering a couple and their young children to stay inside their two-bedroom terraced home.

 

 

“The virus does not stop on your front gardens,” she warned. “A thousand people died yesterday, a thousand people.”

 

 

Resident Daniel Connell posted the video on his Facebook page and said he and his partner were ”playing with two babies” three metres from the pavement.

 

Social media users quickly pointed out that the new coronavirus regulations state that a garden is part of a person’s home. The law also mentions any “yard, passage, stair, garage, outhouse or other appurtenance.”

 

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/coronavirus-garden-lockdown-rules-south-yorkshire-police-rotherham-a9459146.html

 

That was back in April 2020, nearly two years ago !!!

 

I posted about it when it first happened.

.

 

And Woosh I can't believe how stupid and hypocritical you sound defending Starmer doing worse. He was indoors drinking in a group.

The covid rule then does not make any distinction between a glass of water and a glass of beer. It's what kind of gathering it is and what you are doing there. Social gatherings are banned, work gatherings are allowed but you should respect the spirit of the rules and keep interactions to a minimum and distance to 2m or more. This said, in Starmer case, it's quite clear that it was the workplace, only Starmer has a glass of beer in his hand, no bottles were visible on the desks where other workers sat. So, Starmer's account is believable, he worked all day with them, then they ordered pizza. Starmer ate his pizza and took with him the glass of beer and went back into the room to carry on working. The gathering is clearly a working one, not social, therefore he did not break covid rules. This story was published at the time (Hartlepool by-election), nobody called the police. It's only a story for those who try to save Big Dog.

zlatan, you shouldn't call people stupid before you are sure that you understand the rules properly.

The covid rule then does not make any distinction between a glass of water and a glass of beer. It's what kind of gathering it is and what you are doing there. Social gatherings are banned, work gatherings are allowed but you should respect the spirit of the rules and keep interactions to a minimum and distance to 2m or more. This said, in Starmer case, it's quite clear that it was the workplace, only Starmer has a glass of beer in his hand, no bottles were visible on the desks where other workers sat. So, Starmer's account is believable, he worked all day with them, then they ordered pizza. Starmer ate his pizza and took with him the glass of beer and went back into the room to carry on working. The gathering is clearly a working one, not social, therefore he did not break covid rules. This story was published at the time (Hartlepool by-election), nobody called the police. It's only a story for those who try to save Big Dog.

zlatan, you shouldn't call people stupid before you are sure that you understand the rules properly.

You shouldn't call people stupid full stop.

The difference between Starmer's behaviour and BJ's is pure semantics. Neither were probably working or perhaps both were. We can't tell and will actually never know. It's utterly futile any way.

Boris sat across from Cummings in garden to his place of work and his home never actually mentioned anything to do with running of country or spoke about it all the time? Neither of us know but in your hate of Boris you assume you do. Look at the damned picture Woosh. You can't actually tell what they are discussing but apparently you know it was all "social".(partying?)

It was a gathering at his place of work between people who work together and outside at that. You are being, along with many others, silly. I refuse to spend any more time on such a pathetic argument.

It's not as if BJ is perfect, there are such glaring faults worthy of criticism and time. This isn't one of them. It's all an utter waste of time, money and resources.

He had a chat and drink in his garden. Wow.

And, don't be surprised if this doesn't bring him down because ultimately any right minded person thinks a bloke having a drink in his own garden actually shouldn't. And if it doesn't, he will be all the stronger. Well done.

The difference between Starmer's behaviour and BJ's is pure semantics. Neither were probably working or perhaps both were. We can't tell and will actually never know. It's utterly futile any way.

 

 

Try to make an effort here, zlatan.

On that day, 20-May-2020, BJ's PPS (Martin Reynolds) sent this email to about 100 people:

“Hi all, after what has been an incredibly busy period we thought it would be nice to make the most of the lovely weather and have some socially distanced drinks in the No10 garden this evening. Please join us from 6pm and bring your own booze!"

This email is the proof that the gathering is social.

'social' is what makes it illegal.

The 'we' and 'us' in the email suggested that it's BJ who asked Reynolds to organise the do so he can thank his staff.

BJ can pretend that this is work, a lot of people don't believe it.

BTW, I never called you stupid, you insinuate that I am and I always apologise when I am in the wrong.

Edited January 20, 20224 yr by Woosh

It's not as if BJ is perfect, there are such glaring faults worthy of criticism and time. This isn't one of them. It's all an utter waste of time, money and resources.

 

At least the Metropolitan Police have had the good sense so far to ignore all the ridiculous fuss so, other than saying they don't intend to investigate historic alleged Covid offences.

 

It wouldn't surprise me at all to see all this blow over and Johnson fighting the next general election.

.

 

Try to make an effort here, zlatan.

On that day, 20-May-2020, BJ's PPS (Martin Reynolds) sent this email to about 100 people:

“Hi all, after what has been an incredibly busy period we thought it would be nice to make the most of the lovely weather and have some socially distanced drinks in the No10 garden this evening. Please join us from 6pm and bring your own booze!"

This email is the proof that the gathering is social.

'social' is what makes it illegal.

The 'we' and 'us' in the email suggested that it's BJ who asked Reynolds to organise the do so he can thank his staff.

BJ can pretend that this is work, a lot of people don't believe it.

BTW, I never called you stupid, you insinuate that I am and I always apologise when I am in the wrong.

So actually it is a semantics argument, what somebody called it, not what actually happened. A picture paints a thousand words, probably a lot more. Nothing happened, apart from a drink and distanced chat amongst fellow workers in their work place and home (Garden).

It's all an utter waste of time, money and resources.

you still don't see why such a thing is seen as incredibly crass by probably 50% of conservative voters.

It's them who will ultimately decide what BJ is electorally worth, thence, the party will decide to sack him or not.

 

So actually it is a semantics argument, what somebody called it, not what actually happened. A picture paints a thousand words, probably a lot more. Nothing happened, apart from a drink and distanced chat amongst fellow workers in their work place and home (Garden).

you still don't get it, the reason why pubs were closed and factories remained opened is because social gatherings are in pubs and work gatherings are at the factories. Hold on to it for a second.

Tim Martin (of Wetherspoons) was at that time forced to close his 925 pubs, BJ used No 10's garden to replace one of them. That's the reason why so many people are disgusted.