Tag Archives: criticise

Tory MPs try to condemn Partygate investigation as a witch hunt

Boris Johnson: regarding his honesty, public opinion tends to go against him, as this graphic shows.

Isn’t it scandalous that some Conservative MPs are trying to use their position and influence to pre-judge an investigation into whether Boris Johnson misled Parliament?

According to the BBC,

allies of the outgoing PM dismissed the investigation by the Commons Privileges Committee as a “witch hunt” and “rigged”.

The inquiry will examine whether he obstructed Parliament by telling it that pandemic rules had been followed [when in fact more than a dozen rule-breaking parties are known to have happened, with many more suspected].

The probe could lead to Mr Johnson facing a by-election to remain an MP, if it leads to his suspension from the Commons for more than 10 days.

Apparently the comments started flying after the committee said it would not have to prove that Johnson deliberately misled MPs to show he committed a “contempt of Parliament” by obstructing its work.

Johnson loyalist and Culture Secretary Nadine Dorries said the “Machiavellian” inquiry was “the means to a by-election” and called on Tory MPs to “have no part in it”.

Environment Minister Lord Goldsmith, whom Mr Johnson made a peer in December 2019, said the inquiry was “clearly rigged” and an “obscene abuse of power”.

Backbench Tory MP Michael Fabricant also accused the committee of wanting to “get rid of Boris Johnson” and “changing the rules”.

In response,

one of the Tory MPs on the committee, Sir Bernard Jenkin, said the committee had a “duty” to carry out the inquiry and accused Ms Dorries of waging a “terrorist campaign to try and discredit the committee”.

So now, in a move to halt this internecine fighting within the Tory Party, chief whip Chris Heaton-Harris has demanded decorum:

“May I urge caution against any further comments in the media about the Privileges Committee and especially its Clerk and Members,” wrote Mr Heaton-Harris, who is in charge of party discipline.

“Invariably these comments will be misinterpreted by those who do not wish to help us.”

Johnson has denied deliberately misleading MPs. The committee – with a majority of Conservative MPs – has said it has not “prejudged” any aspect of its inquiry, and the parliamentary officials advising it are politically impartial.

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Priti Patel is refusing to pay police enough to do their job & then demanding power to criticise them for it

Here’s the contradictory nature of Tory policy exposed in all its grubby grimness:

Priti Patel has been challenged to explain whether she could “survive” on the salaries she pays to local police officers – and ran away from answering.

Meanwhile, she is demanding the right to interfere in local policing matters – possibly criticising officers for failing to do work she does not pay them enough to manage.

According to Nation.Cymru,

Detective Constable Vicky Knight, a single mother who had worked in policing for more than two decades, asked Priti Patel if she would be able to “survive” on £1,200 or £1,400 a month.

Describing how she is paid “a couple of hundred pounds a month more than the workers in McDonald’s flipping burgers” and less than her “local manager at Lidl”, Ms Knight told how ahead of her most recent pay day she had to borrow £40 from her mother so she could put fuel in her car and buy food for her son’s school lunches “because I had no money left at the end of the month”.

“I went to see an accountant and the advice was leave the police, work for 22 hours a week and claim benefits and you will be better off. How can that be right?”

Patel did not answer the question; we don’t know whether she thinks she could survive on the pay she tells police officers to accept.

But we do know delegates at the annual conference of the Police Federation of England and Wales groaned when she whined that their organisation had not been “at the table” for pay negotiations; it is currently in dispute with her because she has imposed a pay freeze for officers and there were, therefore, no negotiations to be done.

While she is depriving police of the salaries they need in order to be able to do their jobs, it seems Patel is demanding the right to criticise them for any failures.

In a row with Police and Crime Commissioners, she is planning a unilateral revision of rules that define where policing responsibilities lie, in order to grant herself more power to interfere in local services.

She wants to take back power to demand answers from chief constables on local policing matters – and ability that was given to commissioners a decade ago when their role was created.

Obviously the ability to demand answers also provides an implied ability to criticise police services for failings – even though any failures may be because she has not provided the resources to do the job.

According to The Guardian,

The proposed protocol says: “We propose to lower the threshold for home secretary intervention in appropriate circumstances. This would equip the home secretary to intervene earlier as required, thus reducing the risk of failing to deliver effective policing.”

Apparently this is a reflection of a policy adopted by Patel since she became Home Secretary, called “lean in”. Perhaps it would more accurately be phrased as “lean on“.

Another example of this policy would appear to be her demand that chief constables act “in a politically neutral manner”, which has been added to the previous stricture that they must be impartial.

This would restrict them from commenting on public policy that they believe may affect crime fighting – such as the effects of austerity. Nor would they be allowed to speak out publicly on issues of political dispute like tougher sentences or opposing the decriminalisation of cannabis, which is supported by some frontline politicians.

In their response to Patel’s proposals, commissioners said she would need to seek an Act of Parliament to impose them as they are beyond her statutory powers at the moment – “ultra vires”:

“Creation of new powers of strategic oversight can only be achieved through primary legislation and must be subject to the full scrutiny that is required of primary legislation.”

So we see a hardline Home Secretary, attempting to dictate the behaviour of local police forces while denying them the resources to their job.

How ironic that she is currently being restricted with rules imposed by her own Tory forerunners.

Source: Home Secretary confronted by ‘desperately struggling’ North Wales Constable over low pay

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Who will confirm what Boris Johnson said about BBC coverage of the Ukraine war?

What did he say? If evidence emerges that Boris Johnson did attack BBC coverage of the Ukraine war, and then deliberately lied about it in the House of Commons, it will be clear proof that he deliberately misled Parliament and he’ll have to resign – especially after pointing out that there are rules to prevent such dishonesty, only minutes later.

Has Boris Johnson just dug another hole for himself?

In Prime Minister’s Questions yesterday (April 20), Keir Starmer demanded an apology from Johnson for alleged claims made in a private meeting with Conservative MPs on Tuesday (April 19), when he was trying to build support after being fined for attending an illegal lockdown-busting Downing Street party.

Starmer reckoned Johnson attacked the BBC’s coverage of the war in Ukraine. He said:

The Prime Minister … accused the BBC of not being critical enough of Putin. Would the Prime Minister have the guts to say that to the faces of Clive Myrie, Lyse Doucet and Steve Rosenberg, who have all risked their lives day in, day out on the frontline in Russia and Ukraine uncovering Putin’s barbarism?

Here’s Johnson’s response:

I said nothing of the kind. I have the highest admiration, as a journalist and a former journalist, for what journalists do. I think they do an outstanding job. I think he should withdraw what he just said, because it has absolutely no basis or foundation in truth.

But what did he say?

Anyone who can show that Johnson did, in fact, attack the BBC and its journalists in Ukraine will be able to show that Johnson has definitely and deliberately misled Parliament – very possibly not for the first time.

It has been suggested that Johnson is a compulsive liar who simply says whatever he thinks will get him out of trouble at any particular time, and then conveniently forgets his words – but that will not help him if, say, a recording of what he said in that private meeting comes to light (and This Writer understands that Tory MPs have been known to make recordings of these meetings).

Alternatively, it would be extremely helpful if anybody can prove that Johnson didn’t say what Starmer alleged.

It is the fact that the words were spoken in a private meeting, allowing Johnson to hide behind secrecy, that is damning him now.

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What was she going to say? Hear Labour conference chair’s censored speech today

Foiled: Kathryn Johnson is led away by Labour’s ‘Southside Stasi’ (as recreated by actors).

Funny how, in trying to disassociate Labour from socialism, Keir Starmer’s cuckoos are acting increasingly like the former communists they claim to despise.

In the latest act of suppression, they prevented London Conference Arrangements Chairperson Kathryn Johnson’s speech from being heard – and then cancelled the whole online event.

Apparently she was going to criticise Keir Starmer’s leadership – and we can’t have that in the so-called Party of Free Speech, can we?

The conference had previously been brought forward from November to July, in order to ensure it could be held entirely online where it could be tightly controlled by the Southside Stasi.

Now, according to Skwawkbox,

The party’s apologists, in what appears to be a coordinated move, are now attempting to limit the damage by claiming she was cut off because she was being libellous – a claim attendees at the conference say is entirely untrue.

We can all find out the truth of that matter for ourselves by watching Socialist Telly today (July 26) at 8pm, when Ms Johnson will provide her speech, free of Starmer-style censorship, for all to hear.

You can find Socialist Telly on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.

Source: Labour shuts down London conference entirely in middle of chair’s speech to prevent her criticising Keir Starmer – SKWAWKBOX

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Former Commons Speaker Bercow defects to Labour – sideswiping Johnson on the way

John Bercow: he always had a difficult relationship with Tory governments as Speaker – and his observation based criticisms after joining Labour are devastating.

I suggested that we’ll be seeing a lot more pressure on Boris Johnson in the future; I didn’t expect it to be happening as I was writing those words.

It’s not much of a leap for John Bercow to quit Boris Johnson’s Conservatives for Keir Starmer’s Labour; it’s pretty much telling us what we knew all along – that StarmerLabour is a permutation of Conservatism.

No, it’s Bercow’s criticisms of Johnson that are important here:

Bercow says he regards today’s Conservative party as “reactionary, populist, nationalistic and sometimes even xenophobic”.

“The conclusion I have reached is that this government needs to be replaced.

“I don’t think he has any vision of a more equitable society, any thirst for social mobility or any passion to better the lot of people less fortunate than he is. I think increasingly people are sick of lies, sick of empty slogans, sick of a failure to deliver.

“There is very considerable distrust on the part of voters in the south of England of this government… I think people in very large numbers are disappointed, in some cases disgusted, by what this government has done.

““I regard the government’s treatment of parliament as a disgrace. I believe the truth matters. I believe parliament matters. And I believe that telling the truth in and to parliament matters. There is growing, extensive and incontrovertible evidence that the government is disrespecting parliament, telling untruths to parliament and bypassing parliament. That is wrong. Period.”

Source: John Bercow defects to Labour with withering attack on Johnson | John Bercow | The Guardian

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The vultures are circling Boris Johnson – and not just because he lost Chesham & Amersham

It’s not just losing elections: remember when Boris Johnson showed contempt for our Armed Forces by laying his wreath face-down? That’s just one example of his idiocy, running right up to the G7 meeting this month. He’s an embarrassment to the UK – and it seems his own people are awaiting the moment to push him out.

What a fragile career Boris Johnson has!

He won an 80-seat majority in the 2019 general election, and followed that by trouncing Labour in the local elections and in a by-election that Labour should have won.

But he loses one by-election and suddenly the knives are out – wielded by members of his own party.

Admittedly, they’re members who have already criticised Johnson already – but that doesn’t mean they’re wrong and it doesn’t mean people won’t listen.

So here’s Dominic Cummings calling Johnson a “clueless” “gaffe machine”:

During the 2019 December election, the PM refused to be interviewed by veteran broadcaster Andrew Neil who was at the BBC at the time.

Mr Cummings, the PM’s former top aide, has now revealed the apparent communications strategy behind the decision, claiming the PM was “clueless about policy”.

Mr Cummings tweeted: “Why the f*** would [we] put a gaffe machine clueless about policy & government up to be grilled for ages, upside=0 for what?!

“This is not a hard decision… Pundits don’t understand comms, power or management. Tune out!”

And now here’s another Dominic – Grieve, the former Attorney General – praising the intelligence of Chesham and Amersham voters by saying they had paid attention throughout the Johnson experience and they’d had enough:

Of course, Johnson is oblivious to this kind of criticism from the public and from people outside his camp.

But the fact that this is getting into the Tory-owned media shows that people inside the government aren’t happy with him either.

One by-election isn’t enough to do that.

So I reckon Johnson has put a more than a few Tory government noses out of joint and they’re just waiting for the opportunity to get their own back.

He’s on course to win Batley & Spen, but that’s because Keir Starmer is clueless and doesn’t understand how to keep it for Labour.

I think we’ll see a lot more pressure on the prime minister from now on.

Source: Cummings says Boris is ‘gaffe machine’ who is ‘clueless about policy’ | Evening Standard

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More on the Madness election song – check out what they’ve done with the artwork!

Even the cover of the new Madness song, Bullingdon Boys, is a jab at Boris Johnson and his colleagues – including former PM David Cameron.

Mr Cameron is depicted in the mask worn by serial killer Michael Myers in the Halloween movies.

And Mr Johnson’s face is replaced by that of Porky Pig.

Other club members are depicted as a red-eyed reptile, the Devil, and an S&M fetishist (as far as I can tell).

According to NME, the song is the first Madness have released in three years, and is described as a “barbed swipe at the charlatans, rotters and chancers at the top of the tree who have done their best to take the shine off 2019.”

Inspired by the fact that 19 of the 54 UK Prime Ministers have come from Eton, the new song takes aim at Johnson, who was educated at Eton College before going on to study at Oxford, and his peers with anti-Tory lyrics.

The tagline on the artwork is a clear call for those of us with good taste in music to use our votes against Mr Johnson and his Tory cronies: “Don’t get bullied by the bully boys.”

If you haven’t already heard it via This Site’s previous article, here’s the song itself, again:

Source: Madness take barbed swipe at Boris Johnson on first new song in three years

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New song by Madness attacks the Tory elite – and it should be a chart-topper

The real Bullingdon boys: Boris Johnson is seated, to the right of the image; former PM David Cameron iss standing.

Chart veterans Madness have just released a new song. It’s called The Bullingon Boys. Can you guess what it’s about?

I’m guessing the band is asking us not to vote Conservative in this year’s general election, with a warning about what we can expect.

Or is the lyric about being taken off life-support too complicated?

It’s a terrific song, in the mould of the great Madness hits of the 1980s. Share it – and its message – around.

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Psychiatrists try to defend failure to speak out on ‘abusive’ Universal Credit project

The Royal College of Psychiatrists has tried to explain its reasons for failing to object to a pilot project in Cornwall in which Job Centre advisors – with no training – decide whether claimants need mental health care.

This Site reported on the project in August:

The department… is trying to cut doctors working on mental health out of the benefit system by claiming that rank-and-file Job Centre advisers are just as able to spot mental health problems – and recommend the best treatment.

They aren’t; they can’t. It’s just a cynical bid to stop people with mental health problems from claiming Employment and Support Allowance or Personal Independence Payment.

The Tory government’s press release stated: “The initiative means work coaches can continue to refer people with mental health conditions to specialist one to one support, without the need for a GP or clinical assessment.”

I responded:

“Without the need”? Translation: “Without the support of evidence from a qualified doctor who can bring their expertise to a benefit tribunal.”

The press release said: “The support is also designed to help people find their way back into the workplace when they’re ready.”

I responded:

Translation: “The intention is to ensure that people with mental illnesses must continue to seek employment, whether they are ready or not.”

Disability News Service is now reporting that the Royal College of Psychiatrists has responded to this insult against its practitioners – after being nudged to do so by no fewer than five disability groups.

RCP states, according to the article, that:

RCP’s social inclusion lead has “continued to raise concerns and provide expert advice about the impact of welfare reform on people with mental illness and those with learning disabilities”.

[It says] it is “clear that anyone undertaking a mental health assessment needs to be sufficiently qualified to do so and, as part of the assessment, should engage with clinicians involved in providing care to the person concerned”.

[It also says] RCP believes that a jobcentre would not be “a suitable therapeutic environment to assess and discuss an individual’s mental health”.

[It adds:] “Having to do so would likely increase the stress and pressure on people with a mental illness when seeking support, and the possibility of them seeing the receipt of benefits as being conditional on them agreeing to mental health treatment.

“In addition, there is a risk that being referred to the wrong type of treatment may reduce the likelihood of seeking help in the future, make their illness worse and increase the likelihood of experiencing a future crisis.”

The disability groups are not happy with this response – and rightly so.

Why the delay in responding? Were these psychiatrists hoping the issue would go away?

Is the RCP going to talk to the Department for Work and Pensions about its concerns? Or were its comments just a sop to the disabled people’s representatives?

And what about the people of Cornwall?

What have they experienced while the RCP stood by in silence?

Source: Dismay over psychiatrists’ failure to speak out on ‘abusive’ universal credit project – Disability News Service

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Ex-defence secretary attacks May’s Brexit talks with Labour – and it’s not just sour grapes

Cassandra: Gavin Williamson.

This is a reasonable argument – easily discredited because of the source.

Gavin Williamson was ousted as Defence Secretary after it was alleged that he leaked concerns about national security about Huawei’s contract to help build the UK’s 5G communications network.

He has made it clear that he does not accept the claims about him, and that he considers himself to be a scapegoat for someone else.

So now he has criticised Theresa May’s attempt to build a consensus Brexit deal with Labour, it is easy to dismiss his argument as an attempt to get back at his former boss.

That’s a bad idea because it is a perfectly valid criticism.

True, Jeremy Corbyn doesn’t really need to “divide, disrupt and frustrate” the Conservatives – they’re doing very well at that themselves.

But Labour’s idea of Brexit is far from the Tory vision, so there is no reason to believe that the two parties can come to any lasting mutual agreement.

Mr Williamson, by playing the “Cassandra” role – the oracle who predicts disaster to people who won’t listen – is lining himself up to say “I told you so” if the talks fall apart.

Then he’ll be able to present himself as the clever one – who saw it coming and tried to prevent it.

It’s good positioning, with a leadership campaign on the way, don’t you think?

Gavin Williamson has attacked Theresa May as “naive” and warned that her Brexit talks with Labour are a “grave mistake”.

The former defence secretary, who was sacked over a leak of National Security Council talks on Huawei, said the talks were “destined to fail”.

Writing in the Mail on Sunday, he said: “Even if Labour do a deal, break bread with the prime minister and announce that both parties have reached an agreement, it can only ever end in tears.

“The Labour Party does not exist to help the Conservative Party. Jeremy Corbyn will do all he can to divide, disrupt and frustrate the Conservatives in the hope of bringing down the government.

“His goal, and he has made no secret of it, is to bring about a general election.”

Source: Brexit: Theresa May’s ‘naive’ talks with Labour a grave mistake, says Gavin Williamson | The Independent

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