[Offwidth]

Brexit was a good bit about dishonest propaganda, dirty tricks, breaches of election law and leveraging the fact the remain leaning middle classes foolishly labelled a good lump of the population as idiots and racists (only fair for a small minority). Dom's popularist exceptionalism was always on the edges of acceptability and law.

Yes that's the usual lefty mantra isn't it,  "they only win because they're lying cheats, we were betrayed by the middle class etc etc".

Or perhaps,  people like Cummings are plainly quite good at what they do.

I'd like to make it clear that I think he is a liar, Johnson should have sacked him, and that hes awful at the process of government.  But he is good at elections.

Ah, someone else who noticed that Labour’s failing for the last couple of decades, has always been the fault of the “Middle class” not thinking the way they “should”.....

Or them being betrayed by some section of the electorate. Happily, I can't see Starmer coming out with that sort of thing. I may be wrong, but he does actually seem like an effective politician

Sneer away.  Corbyn and his shadow cabinet being the worst Labour line up I can remember is unrelated to the incredibly dangerous Tory shift to popularism. Corbyn at best was looking at a heavily hung Parliament and was never going to be in charge with his mandate (still the social media dirty tricks were pretty effective, especially those circulating amongst the current and ex forces groups). In contrast Boris is in charge with a huge mandate and needs his advisor so much he is prepared to undermine the public respect for a pandemic public health response. The Times leader prints bullshit support and the independent state broadcaster, the BBC removes Matis for doing her job as well as I've seen it done and in that bypassing all proper organisational process.

In my view it's terrible luck Boris came to power with Corbyn as the leader of the opposition but Boris and his cabinet of crooks, stooges and incompetants were always the real problem. Sure Dom is very good at what he does but that is mostly bending rules or ignoring them.... if our democracy was more robust most of his tools would be removed from his toolbox. We are sleepwalking to disaster when such  a government seemingly faces no realistic accountability. The checks and balances of Parliament, the civil service, the judiciary, the press and public institutionsations currently seem effectively powerless.

In the meantime the FT shows the scale of their failure with this virus.  I think the risks post virus are much greater as we have a hamstring economy heading full speed to the cliff edge of hard Brexit. So excuse me if I think blaming northern ex Labour leave voters for Brexit and Boris seems ludicrous, just like in the US with Trump, the establishment has let this happen.

https://www.ft.com/content/6b4c784e-c259-4ca4-9a82-648ffde71bf0

[tomtom]

@James - well summarised

(How were the test results?)

[James Malloch]

@James - well summarised

(How were the test results?)

Both me and my partner were negative, thanks. Though we only ever received one result each. So it could still be that either my nose or tonsils had COVID but they didn’t send the results of both tests...

[SA Chris]

I had a look on my local Tory MP's (Andy Bowie) Facebook page, and he said he's giving hs opinion on the matter, then copied and pasted DC's statement. A friend in Sheffield (South?) said their local Tory MP had done the same. Wonder if this command has been passed down from on high (maybe even by DC himself).

https://www.andrewbowie.org.uk/news/response-dominic-cummings-story?fbclid=IwAR0zuyhJ4l7KA5EgvvmsCPq1_0HD4gem52LTc3mpTIoBsJxZu5jEsGhWJEs

[James Malloch]

I had a look on my local Tory MP's (Andy Bowie) Facebook page, and he said he's giving hs opinion on the matter, then copied and pasted DC's statement. A friend in Sheffield (South?) said their local Tory MP had done the same. Wonder if this command has been passed down from on high (maybe even by DC himself).

https://www.andrewbowie.org.uk/news/response-dominic-cummings-story?fbclid=IwAR0zuyhJ4l7KA5EgvvmsCPq1_0HD4gem52LTc3mpTIoBsJxZu5jEsGhWJEs

My MP (Simon Fell) was on the fence. “I neither condone or support his actions...”.Though he dis respond to my email saying that, if he were in that position he would resign.

[Will Hunt]

My MP is rabid leaveophile Philip Davies. I'm not sure what relationship he had with Vote Leave but he's certainly a member of the ERG (or at least was a member, we don't seem to talk about them any more). He prides himself as being unwhippable and unswervingly committed to the interests of his constituents and I'd wondered what he'd do about this.

Of course, he's defensive of the PM and soft in his language, but one can't help but begrudgingly credit him for calling for him to go. Personally, even if he does go, he'll soon be back after a suitable period of exile, whether it be as a senior adviser/consultant/head roustabout.

“Over the last few days I have given Dominic Cummings the space and time to come to the conclusion that he should do the honourable thing and resign his position.

“Dominic has always prided himself on being anti-establishment, but now has to accept that he is part of the establishment.

“Anyone who listened to his account of how he weighed up the family situation he was in at the time can have sympathy for the dilemmas he faced, and I don’t doubt that he genuinely feels that his actions were within the law and the rules.  I also deplore the nasty witch-hunt he and his family have faced from many people over a sustained period of time.

“However, rightly or wrongly, it is clear that as far as the overwhelming majority of the public are concerned they feel that there is now one rule for them and one rule for those in authority.  That cannot be allowed to stand.

“People in the UK believe in fair play and that everyone should abide by the rules - not least those who played a hand in drawing them up - and whatever Dominic Cummings may say or believe they feel that has not happened here.

“Politics is all about trust, and when that trust has evaporated it is impossible to win back. The reality is that Dominic Cummings no longer has the trust of the overwhelming majority of the public - including those he once prided himself in giving a voice to.

“We cannot have a situation where good Ministers like Douglas Ross lose their jobs over this but Dominic Cummings retains his.

“It is clear that even if one takes a generous and sympathetic view of his actions, as I am inclined to do, his continued presence in the government is causing damage to it and is proving a huge distraction to the work of it.

“It is admirable of the Prime Minister to be loyal to his staff and to seek to defend and support those who work for him.  Dominic Cummings should now repay that loyalty to the Prime Minister by resigning his position for the good of the Prime Minister, the government and the country”

[mrjonathanr]

I emailed my MP  last weekend that I thought Cummings behaviour was a breach of the guidance in 3 counts.

I also told her I couldn’t visit my dad in his care home after the lockdown began.

I told her that I couldn’t visit him in hospital while he was dying.

She didn’t bother to acknowledge or reply.

Here’s to you, Mary Robinson. Your silence makes you appear frankly contemptuous of your constituents.

My uncle’s (online) funeral is in an hour or two.

[James Malloch]

I emailed my MP  last weekend that I thought Cummings behaviour was a breach of the guidance in 3 counts.

I also told her I couldn’t visit my dad in his care home after the lockdown began.

I told her that I couldn’t visit him in hospital while he was dying.

She didn’t bother to acknowledge or reply.

Here’s to you, Mary Robinson. Your silence makes you appear frankly contemptuous of your constituents.

My uncle’s (online) funeral is in an hour or two.

Sorry for your loss, that’s truly shit.

The arrogance of some MPs is awful. I hope people have long memories come the next election...

[Fiend]

Condolences JR. It puts it in perspective. Without moving on too swiftly, this is on the usual topic:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-52835982

In a statement, Durham Police said they view Mr Cummings' 50-mile round trip to Barnard Castle with his wife and son as "minor" because there was no apparent breach of social distancing rules during their visit.

The force said it had "no intention to take retrospective action in respect of the Barnard Castle incident", since this would amount to "treating Mr Cummings differently from other members of the public."

Carte fucking blanche to do non social-distance-breaking non-fineable minor breach 50 mile round trips to Stanage??

[sdm]

Testing numbers have been artificially inflated (admitted now by government) - when I swabbed both my throat and nose, that was two tests, not one.

I have now been "tested" 6 times according to the statistics. Yet, regardless of whether I test positive or negative, none of my results will ever appear in the totals of positives or negatives because they are part of a study, rather than done for health reasons. But they have to be included in the daily totals or people might realise we still haven't been close to 100k tests on any day yet.

[tomtom]

Sorry to hear that Mr JA. Shitty news - in terrible circumstances. Hope it went ok.

[James Malloch]

Was I meant to move into a hotel? Was I supposed to go back to the flat of another MP when I had nothing apart from a couple of changes of clothes?
Did I run the risk of potentially infecting the friend whose flat it was?

A comment from another MP (Peter Gibson, Conservative) who travelled from London to the North east on a Train (pre-lockdown) whilst displaying symptoms. He was staying in a friends flat as he had no London residence.

He was told to travel home & self-isolate & said his normal mode of transport was a train (which was apparently therefore recommended to get himself home).

It seems morally wrong, but not illegal at the time I don’t think.

However what gets me is that he uses the justification of not infecting his friend, but is happy to (I assume) travel through London, get on a train & travel the length of the country whilst potentially infective. Spare one to infect the many?

Edit - I’m not meaning to have a go at this guy in particular. More pointing out that everyone seems to think they always act with the upmost care. Clearly he didn’t think about what he was saying as it just makes him look like a dick in my eyes...

[Oldmanmatt]

An old Navy friend reminded me of this today (you’d often find a copy pinned to the bulkhead, in a  Senior Rates mess).

She’s right, it is even more apt this evening.

Top Down Leadership.

“ It's a long time and another life when I last saw this but it is still relevant today!
Sailors will understand.

In the Beginning was the Plan, and then came the Assumptions, and the Assumptions were without form, and the Plan was without substance.

Darkness was upon the faces of the men and women.

and the men and women went unto their Leading Hands and said,

this is a crock of shit and it stinks,

and the Leading Hands went unto their Petty Officers saying,

it is a pail of dung and we can't live with the smell,

and the Petty Officers went unto the their Chief Petty Officers saying,

it is a container of excrement and it is very strong, such that none may abide by it,

and the Chief Petty Officers went unto the Warrant Officer saying,

it is a vessel of fertilizer and none may abide its strength,

and the WO then went to the Divisional Officer saying,

it contains that which aids plant growth and it is very strong,

and the Divisional Officer went to the First Lieutenant saying,

it promotes growth and it is very powerful,

and the First Lieutenant went unto the Captain and said,

this new plan will actively promote the growth and vigour of the Men and Women with very powerful effects,

and the Captain looked upon the Plan and saw that it was good, and the Plan became Policy,

and that, my friends, is how shit happens. ..”

[Offwidth]

Breaking news:

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/may/28/government-rejected-radical-lockdown-england-care-homes-coronavirus

[TobyD]

I emailed my MP  last weekend that I thought Cummings behaviour was a breach of the guidance in 3 counts.

I also told her I couldn’t visit my dad in his care home after the lockdown began.

I told her that I couldn’t visit him in hospital while he was dying.

She didn’t bother to acknowledge or reply.

Here’s to you, Mary Robinson. Your silence makes you appear frankly contemptuous of your constituents.

My uncle’s (online) funeral is in an hour or two.

Really sorry to hear that, my condolences. I just had a look at Mary Robinson's Twitter feed. She posted a letter saying that she was 'disappointed' that people had felt aggrieved by Dominic Cummings behaviour.

I daresay a few are now rather disappointed in her behaviour as well. She's expended more effort on gushing about how pleased she is about markets and car showrooms opening.

[mrjonathanr]

Thanks Toby. She seems very superficial.

[Bradders]

Condolences JR. Sadly, know just how you feel.

Really sorry to hear that, my condolences. I just had a look at Mary Robinson's Twitter feed. She posted a letter saying that she was 'disappointed' that people had felt aggrieved by Dominic Cummings behaviour.

That's not what she said though Toby. To quote:

Mr Cummings should have informed the Prime Minister of his decision to travel and explanations regarding his actions should have been provided much sooner. It is hugely disappointing that many people have felt let down by his decisions and by the impression that the rules regarding lockdown were not being properly obeyed, at least in spirit if not in practice.

https://twitter.com/MaryRobinson01/status/1265270118084415489?s=09

As in, she's disappointed in Cummings, not the people who feel let down. It is poorly worded though.

[mrjonathanr]

Can you point me to any words critical of Cummings? She wishes he had communicated his intentions to the PM and explained himself sooner. That’s an error in communication, not in travelling when infected and going on a jaunt because he suspected he was unfit to drive (what??).

She is disappointed that people feel let down in regards to the spirit of the guidelines. As opposed to the practice, the reality of what they prescribe.

When someone expresses regret that another person ‘feels’ unhappy about a thing, it is frequently not an apology or expression of regret over the thing, merely a view that they wished there were a different reaction.

I see no meaningful expression of regret for, or censure of, Cummings’ actions in travelling.

[Nigel]

That's not what she said though Toby. To quote:

Mr Cummings should have informed the Prime Minister of his decision to travel and explanations regarding his actions should have been provided much sooner....

Just to pick up on this line in the tweet, which seems to be taken as a given i.e. this was somehow a secret for a bit. How likely do people really think it is that he *didn't* inform the PM? Are we to believe he just ran out of work and did one for two weeks without mentioning anything to his employer? Even if he didn't say specifically he was going to Durham before he went, are we to believe that the government / PM was completely unaware of his whereabouts for any significant length of time? My "Great British common sense" says that sounds like bollocks. Even if it was true, and the first they heard of it was when the Guardian / Mirror first approached them for comment, they no-commented it for many weeks before the story became public. I wonder who advised that? Probably some chief advisor. I wonder which chief advisor advised the PM not to sack his chief advisor? In fact I wonder if some of these MP's tweets are partially drafted by any sort of chief advisor? Cummings is his own judge and jury, and unsurprisingly he has provided himself with an explanation which he believes exonerates himself. The end (he hopes).

Even The Spectator are publishing articles decrying this - https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/boris-johnson-isn-t-fit-to-lead  The same ultra right wing, previously edited by Boris Johnson, Spectator, that has Mary Wakefield, the wife of Dominic Cummings, as a current commissioning editor. This is cutting through. Obviously we should all just move on.

If we were to move on though we surely would notice that the start of the Test-Track-Isolate system was brought forward a few days. It is now our "civic duty" to isolate if instructed. In terms of messaging, could there have ever been a worse possible moment to bring this announcement forward to, than now? Who on earth is advising the government? Oh yeah, I forgot.

That is not to mention that we are now at roughly the same amount of daily new cases and daily deaths as the day we entered lockdown (from daily briefing slides - inaccuracy of numbers accepted). Lockdown was effective in controlling the spread of the virus. If TTI is to effectively replace lockdown then it needs to work. The app that was meant to be the panacea is now no longer talked about, the tracing is being outsourced to Serco, and the messaging has been torpedoed from the start. What could possibly go wrong?

[mrjonathanr]

Nigel, the idea that DC and the PM are not in constant close communication does not merit consideration imo. Knew? More like authorised. Not impossible that he popped into GSK office in Barnard Castle. I expect they would have plenty to talk about
https://www.fiercepharma.com/manufacturing/glaxosmithkline-aims-to-make-1b-doses-vaccine-booster-for-multiple-covid-19-partners

[Bradders]

Can you point me to any words critical of Cummings?

I can only re-quote from her letter:

It is hugely disappointing that many people have felt let down by his decisions and by the impression that the rules regarding lockdown were not being properly obeyed, at least in spirit if not in practice.

My emphasis. I.e. she's disappointed in his decisions, not that people have felt let down by them. It's also decisions in the plural, so not limited to just not informing the PM of where he was. It's poorly worded as I said, but I take that to mean she is critical of his decisions.

I can see how it could be read differently but I think that's dependent on the reader, I.e. she's not as explicit as she could have been, so it's easy to fit your reaction to your own level of outrage.

Nigel - agree it's generally an utter farce and there's a lot of obfuscation going on, although I remain suspicious that a single adviser could have such a level of influence and control. He's not omnipotent! More likely it's Bojo and team trying to deflect from their own incompetence and lack of integrity now than trying to protect DC.

[petejh]

Just to pick up on this line in the tweet, which seems to be taken as a given i.e. this was somehow a secret for a bit. How likely do people really think it is that he *didn't* inform the PM? Are we to believe he just ran out of work and did one for two weeks without mentioning anything to his employer? Even if he didn't say specifically he was going to Durham before he went, are we to believe that the government / PM was completely unaware of his whereabouts for any significant length of time? My "Great British common sense" says that sounds like bollocks. Even if it was true, and the first they heard of it was when the Guardian / Mirror first approached them for comment, they no-commented it for many weeks before the story became public.

DC is on record saying that he spoke to BoJo by phone on the Tues or Weds after the Friday he went up to Durham, to inform him. He said that they were both ill with covid-19 at the time of the call.

[mrjonathanr]

I can only re-quote from her letter:

It is hugely disappointing that many people have felt let down by his decisions and by the impression that the rules regarding lockdown were not being properly obeyed, at least in spirit if not in practice.

My emphasis. I.e. she's disappointed in his decisions, not that people have felt let down by them. It's also decisions in the plural, so not limited to just not informing the PM of where he was. It's poorly worded as I said, but I take that to mean she is critical of his decisions.

Hi Bradders, that is as you say, your interpretation. It is not what she actually wrote.

She wrote that 'it is disappointing that people felt let down by his decisions'. No doubt, it's been a nightmare for hm gov.

She absolutely does not write that she feels let down. Those words are simply not written, though I expect she would be happy for you to draw that conclusion.   Excepting the gentle censure of ..

Mr Cummings should have informed the PM of his decision to travel and explanations regarding his decision to travel should have been provided much sooner

.. can you point me to any words that she actually uses to criticise Cummings? Bar implying that really, the only fault was a lack of timeliness in letting people know about his movements, I can't see any.

In the context of the massive double standards of this case, I hope she also feels disappointment that a good proportion of her constituents will see these weasel words for the disingenuous double speak that they really are.

[mrjonathanr]

I am probably being a bit harsh but if you analyse it carefully, you'll see it is an elegant piece of fence sitting which invites the perception that she is somewhat critical whilst absolutely not saying that, nor deviating from the gov line.
A bit of politics, all things to all people, open to more than one interpretation and impossible to pin down.

[Bradders]

I am probably being a bit harsh but if you analyse it carefully, you'll see it is an elegant piece of fence sitting which invites the perception that she is somewhat critical whilst absolutely not saying that, nor deviating from the gov line.
A bit of politics, all things to all people, open to more than one interpretation and impossible to pin down.

Yes, agree with you, you read it one way, I read it another.