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Keir Starmers' United Kingdom

This does not look good for Boris!

Dominic Cummings has launched an unprecedented and extraordinary attack on Boris Johnson, alleging that the prime minister tried to quash a leak inquiry as it implicated an ally, and hatched a “possibly illegal” plan for donors to pay to renovate his flat.

The outburst by Cummings, a day after anonymous No 10 sources claimed that he had leaked private text messages between Johnson and the billionaire James Dyson, prompted Labour to accuse the government of “fighting each other like rats in a sack”.

Cummings used a lengthy post on his personal blog to deny any leaking. Instead, he accused Johnson and his team of a series of wrongdoings. He said the prime minister had behaved in a way he considered “mad and totally unethical”, and warned that he would happily give evidence under oath to an inquiry.

“It is sad to see the PM and his office fall so far below the standards of competence and integrity the country deserves,” he wrote.

Such a damning intervention by the man who was Johnson’s key ally and ideological inspiration will deeply alarm the prime minister and his aides. Cummings is due to give evidence to MPs next month."

See: https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2021/apr/23/dominic-cummings-launches-attack-on-boris-johnson

NOTE TO MODS: This is yet another thread which does not show up in a Title Only search of any of the key words! Something is really amiss with the indexing/coding.
 

Classified Ministry of Defence documents found at bus stop​


June 27, 2021

Classified Ministry of Defence documents containing details about HMS Defender and the British military have been found at a bus stop in Kent.

One set of documents discusses the likely Russian reaction to the ship's passage through Ukrainian waters off the Crimea coast on Wednesday.

Another details plans for a possible UK military presence in Afghanistan after the US-led Nato operation there ends.

The government said an investigation had been launched.

www.bbc.com

Classified Ministry of Defence documents found at bus stop

The papers contain details about UK warship HMS Defender and the British military.
www.bbc.com www.bbc.com
 
LONDON, Sept 27 (Reuters) - Gas station pumps ran dry in British cities on Monday and vendors rationed sales as a shortage of truckers strained supply chains to breaking point.

A post-Brexit shortage of lorry drivers as the COVID-19 pandemic eases has sown chaos through British supply chains in everything from food to fuel, raising the spectre of disruptions and price rises in the run-up to Christmas.

https://www.reuters.com/world/uk/uk...cities-retailers-association-says-2021-09-27/
 

U.K. PM apologizes, aide resigns, as scandal over alleged Christmas party intensifies​


Dec 8, 2021

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Wednesday ordered an inquiry and said he was "furious" after a leaked video showed senior members of his staff joking about holding a lockdown-breaching Christmas party.

The video has poured fuel on allegations that government officials flouted coronavirus rules they imposed on everyone else.

"I understand and share the anger up and down the country" at staff members seeming to make light of lockdown rules, Johnson said.

"I was also furious to see that clip," he told lawmakers in the House of Commons. "I apologize unreservedly for the offence that it has caused up and down the country, and I apologize for the impression it gives."

For days, the prime minister's office has been trying to rebut reports that Johnson's staff held a December 2020 office party — complete with wine, food, games and a festive gift exchange — when pandemic regulations banned most social gatherings.

According to multiple British media outlets, the party took place on Dec. 18, when restrictions in London prohibited most indoor gatherings, and a day before Johnson tightened the rules even further, ruling out family Christmas celebrations for millions of people.

The video, recorded on Dec. 22, 2020, and aired late Tuesday by broadcaster ITV, shows then-press secretary Allegra Stratton appearing to joke about an illicit party at the prime minister's Downing Street office.

The recording appears to be a mock news conference, held as a rehearsal for televised daily government media briefings.

 
The fiasco moves onwards. This from the Guardian

A review into government staff parties in defiance of Covid rules has been widened to look at more events, including one that Boris Johnson is believed to have attended.

The investigation by Simon Case, the cabinet secretary, was initially unveiled on Wednesday as only looking into a party inside Downing Street on 18 December last year, following the release of video footage showing No 10 staff joking about it.

But responding to an urgent question in the Commons, the Cabinet Office minister Michael Ellis said it would also examine another Downing Street event on 27 November last year – reported to be a leaving event for a staff member at which Johnson spoke – and one in the Department for Education on 10 December.

“As with all internal investigations if, during the course of the work any evidence emerges of behaviour that is potentially a criminal offence, the matter will be referred to the police and the Cabinet Office’s work may be paused,” Ellis told MPs.

“All ministers, special advisers and civil servants will be expected to cooperate with this investigation.”

Asked why the remit had expanded beyond the 18 December event, Johnson’s spokesman said this had been up to Case: “The prime minister asked him to look into that particular instance, and … the cabinet secretary has the ability to look into areas he feels are relevant or appropriate.”

Johnson announced the inquiry at prime minister’s questions on Wednesday, saying he had been “shocked” by the video of his then press secretary, Allegra Stratton, joking with colleagues about the party, four days after it allegedly happened.

His spokesman clarified on Thursday that Johnson’s shock was not because he believed a party had happened, only about the comments. Asked what was shocking in joking about an event which did not happen, the spokesman said: “The prime minister has talked about the impression it would have given to the public, but I don’t have anything to add beyond that.”

Details have also emerged about another social event amid the lockdown last December, in the offices of the team running Shaun Bailey’s bid to be mayor of London.

Staff danced and drank wine at the event on 14 December 2020, the same day the then health secretary, Matt Hancock, announced the capital was going into tier 3 restrictions. At the time, social mixing indoors with anyone from another household was already banned.
https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news...ing-street-gatherings-now-under-the-spotlight
The event was held in the basement of the Conservative Campaign Headquarters (CCHQ) on the floor from where Bailey’s campaign was being run. It was attended by people from the campaign, as well as other Tory staffers working on another floor. One of those there, the Guardian understands, now works in No 10.

Bailey attended and was given a Lego set as a Christmas present. A few days before the party, he had visited the Lego section of a John Lewis store on Oxford Street.

According to one of those present at the event, it was not a raucous affair but “a fairly standard office Christmas party”. But CCHQ bosses were said to be absolutely furious afterwards and gave attendees a “bollocking”.

As punishment, those on the Bailey campaign who were at the party were barred from the building on Matthew Parker Street for some time.

The Times also reported a door was damaged during the event.

Then there is another great column from John Crace, the Guardian's parliamentary columnist. https://www.theguardian.com/politic...storm-ministers-party-pieces-fail-to-convince As is often the case, the real damage is done with the cover-ups not the initial event!
 
Last edited:
AlbertC said:

U.K. PM apologizes, aide resigns, as scandal over alleged Christmas party intensifies​


Dec 8, 2021

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Wednesday ordered an inquiry and said he was "furious" after a leaked video showed senior members of his staff joking about holding a lockdown-breaching Christmas party.

The video has poured fuel on allegations that government officials flouted coronavirus rules they imposed on everyone else.

"I understand and share the anger up and down the country" at staff members seeming to make light of lockdown rules, Johnson said.

"I was also furious to see that clip," he told lawmakers in the House of Commons. "I apologize unreservedly for the offence that it has caused up and down the country, and I apologize for the impression it gives."

For days, the prime minister's office has been trying to rebut reports that Johnson's staff held a December 2020 office party — complete with wine, food, games and a festive gift exchange — when pandemic regulations banned most social gatherings.

According to multiple British media outlets, the party took place on Dec. 18, when restrictions in London prohibited most indoor gatherings, and a day before Johnson tightened the rules even further, ruling out family Christmas celebrations for millions of people.

The video, recorded on Dec. 22, 2020, and aired late Tuesday by broadcaster ITV, shows then-press secretary Allegra Stratton appearing to joke about an illicit party at the prime minister's Downing Street office.

The recording appears to be a mock news conference, held as a rehearsal for televised daily government media briefings.

Click to expand...

Updating MPs, minister Michael Ellis said the cabinet secretary will be tasked with establishing “swiftly a general understanding of the nature of the gatherings, including attendance, the setting and the purpose”, the minister said.

“If required, the investigation will establish whether individual disciplinary action is warranted,” he insisted, adding that all ministers, special advisers and civil servants will be expected to cooperate.

However, there was no reference to an allegation made by Dominic Cummings, the prime minister’s former senior adviser, of a separate party held in the Downing Street flat on 13 December.

Posting on social media on Wednesday, Mr Cummings said: “Will the CABSEC [cabinet secretary] also be asked to investigate the *flat* party on Fri 13 Nov, the other flat parties, & the flat’s ‘bubble’ policy…”.
Click to expand...

www.independent.co.uk

Boris Johnson’s top communications adviser ‘was at party in No 10’, report says

Report comes as inquiry into Downing Street gatherings widened
www.independent.co.uk www.independent.co.uk

AoD
 
Guardian notes:

Boris Johnson has suffered a humiliating rebellion over measures to slow the spread of the Omicron variant, with 99 Conservative MPs rejecting plans for vaccine certificates despite surging infections and personal lobbying by the prime minister.

Johnson had earlier warned his cabinet of a “huge spike” in cases but failed to convince many in his party to support plans to insist on a Covid certificate or negative lateral flow test to attend large venues.

The scale of the rebellion – by far the largest of Johnson’s two-year premiership – raises questions about the prime minister’s willingness to implement tougher restrictions in the coming days, even if these are recommended by the government’s scientific advisers.

The vaccine certificates measure passed comfortably by 369 votes to 126 – but only with the backing of Labour. The number of rebels far exceeds Johnson’s parliamentary majority of 79 – and the 56 MPs needed to trigger a vote of no confidence in his leadership. Thirty-five Tory MPs abstained though only 19 were authorised, meaning a further 16 appeared to have refused to vote – a number that included the former prime minister Theresa May.
 
Richard White said:
I wonder if this will go to the 1922 Committee
Click to expand...
Things do not really "go" to the 1922 Committee. Despite its name it is NOT a committee but is the backbencher caucus of the British Conservative Party. You can bet your bottom dollar that these folk are getting VERY nervous about Boris and that there is lots of back-room discussion. The problem they have is that there is no obvious heir (and probably too many who think they are!)
 
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