Brexit and the waning days of the United Kingdom

[mongers]

So are our estate agents now supposed to cancel the "routine inspection" of our home scheduled for Monday?

According to the new coronavirus rules, no they don't have to cancel if they're posh. 

[Sheilbh]

The Metropolitan Police said it will not investigate allegations of a party at Downing Street due to an "absence of evidence"

In fairness this does sound like the experience of the Met in general - as shared by Stephen Bush, their flow chart on whether or not to investigate a crime:


Also surely the only evidence they have right now is the video of people laughing about it?

Separately, from Laura Hughes of the FT:

Laura Hughes
@Laura_K_Hughes
One Number 10 official who attended the party on December 18 tells the FT: "It was huge, there must have been 40 to 50 people. It was really bad. There was cheese and wine ordered in by Number 10 staff. There was music."
The official said they had also been present during a leaving party in Downing Street for former aide Cleo Watson on November 27, in which Johnson had given a speech.

All the front pages leading on this. Daily Mail with "One rule for them, new rules for the rest of us" (plus Michael Gove's ex-wife why it's always the woman who carries the can :eyes:), the Star with a Cluedo spoof (Cluebo - "it was everybody else , in the No 10 drawing room, with wine and nibbles") through to the Mirror with plan "lie, lie, lie". But the FT have tonight's scoop.

I think that's now up to 4 parties and a lot of potential attendees (some of whom may have since lost their jobs so be a little open to some questions) for the press to track down.

I don't think it would have worked but everything would be so much easier for them if they just apologised, said they were working very hard in a non-socially distanced workplace and let their hair down - it was a mistake but we'll donate as much as the highest fine to charity. Instead they decided to brazen something that is really easily disprovable with lots of potential leakers

[Tamas]

So are our estate agents now supposed to cancel the "routine inspection" of our home scheduled for Monday?

According to the new coronavirus rules, no they don't have to cancel if they're posh.

[Sheilbh]

So are our estate agents now supposed to cancel the "routine inspection" of our home scheduled for Monday?

According to the new coronavirus rules, no they don't have to cancel if they're posh.

In actual response though I feel like I've read numerous stories about estate agents trying to classify themselves as "key workers" (I hate them so much )

[Richard Hakluyt]

So are our estate agents now supposed to cancel the "routine inspection" of our home scheduled for Monday?

According to the new coronavirus rules, no they don't have to cancel if they're posh.

Yeah, the home visit can go ahead provided you put out wine and nibbles 


(Though perhaps an enormous mousetrap baited with canapes and prosecco might be a better idea; seeing as they are estate agents)

[Syt]

[Tamas]

Correct summary, to be fair.

[Syt]

I don't follow why people are surprised (much less defend them) when obviously chaotic bullshit artists like Johnson or Trump come into office and things turn out a mess.

At least people like Sebastian Kurz carefully cultivated an image of competence and ability before the facade came tumbling down.

[Tamas]

I don't follow why people are surprised (much less defend them) when obviously chaotic bullshit artists like Johnson or Trump come into office and things turn out a mess.

At least people like Sebastian Kurz carefully cultivated an image of competence and ability before the facade came tumbling down.

Don't ask me, the whole infatuation with a very obviously lying bastard like Johnson (or Bolsonaro, or Trump) is beyond me.

[Richard Hakluyt]

I think the problem is that most people are not very interested in politics. There is lot of talk around from journalists about the Downing street parties being a "cut-through" or "cutting through" issue. What they mean is that everyone is talking about it, not just the 5-10% or so that routinely follow politics.

Now the Johnson government has done far worse things than throw a couple of illicit pissups; the plan to emasculate judicial reviews or the illegal prorogation of parliament come to mind. But these are boring....unlike having parties when the general populace could not.

Anecdotally, my wife's office is normally void of political discussion, but not this week......the annoyance with the government is deep and profound 

[The Brain]

I don't follow why people are surprised (much less defend them) when obviously chaotic bullshit artists like Johnson or Trump come into office and things turn out a mess.

At least people like Sebastian Kurz carefully cultivated an image of competence and ability before the facade came tumbling down.

Don't ask me, the whole infatuation with a very obviously lying bastard like Johnson (or Bolsonaro, or Trump) is beyond me.

Many people want very bad things to happen. They have very destructive wishes and urges. Have you ever seen a "WWYD if you were ruler for a day?" thread on a normal forum? About half the replies are positively dystopian. And they're not joke replies.

[Tamas]

This thing about the government inquiry into parties at the home of the head of government -now being extended to other parties which did not take place including one where Johnson was confirmed to have taken part- just makes my head hurt. Why aren't they being laughed in their faces? Why do we have to pretend there's even a microscopic chance it will be a proper independent inquiry?

[Maladict]

Have you ever seen a "WWYD if you were ruler for a day?" thread on a normal forum? About half the replies are positively dystopian. And they're not joke replies.

Strange, you'd expect all their actions to be measured.

[Josquius]

Got me thinking that. Is that the definer of British fascism? Sentimentality?
Awful lot of people out there claiming to care about kids and dogs but with really very little regard for adult lives.

[Tamas]

Ellis refused to say who the Downing Street person was who gave Boris Johnson an assurance that no rules were broken at the No 10 events. At PMQs Johnson said he had had been "repeatedly assured ... that there was no party and that no Covid rules were broken". The Conservative MP Peter Bone said he wanted to know who this person was, but Ellis said he did not have an answer.

Ellis said that Simon Case, the cabinet secretary, did not attend any of the parties (Ellis called them gatherings) that he will be investigating. Yesterday Downing Street was not able to give this assurance.

Ellis insisted more than once that Johnson was a man "of honour and integrity". He said he could say this because he had known the PM for many years.

The Conservative MP Desmond Swayne said it would be possible for a PM not to know about a party in Downing Street. He said:
Would it be helpful if there were a greater understanding of the fact that Number 10 is not a house, it is a front door behind which there is a suit of modern offices and meeting rooms, across three floors and it is perfectly possible to be in the rafters above Number 11, completely isolated from what else is happening in the building?

Ellis replied: "It is certainly true as a matter of geography that Number 10 Downing Street is a very large property with a multitude of offices and many, many people working inside it. In that sense, of course, geographically, he is absolutely correct."

Dominic Cummings
@Dominic2306
There was no party on Fri 27/11. Red herring. A staff member left their job. Walked to press office to say bye, PM bumbled in & started babbling, everyone embarrassed, dispersed. Focus shd be actual party in PM's flat Fri 13/11 reported AT THE TIME but ignored by lobby!