Hancock...You've been a Naughty Boy!

[tonerei]

Oh good, this distraction was most unhelpful. The government can get back to the serious business of shovelling taxpayer money into the pockets of mates and donors as usual

I am assuming this is a way to make the public forget about all the other stuff Hancock was up to during his tenure. Down the pub they will be feeling sorry for the poor bloke for being ousted for kissing a bird he fancied. What's the harm. He might come back as Leader some day to compensate him for falling on his sword.

Had a scan through the thread from what I can see no Brexiteer loving folk seem to have any opinion on this or his PPE behaviour. God help you all if this is what the voting public are about.

 

[ks.234]

Had a scan through the thread from what I can see no Brexiteer loving folk seem to have any opinion on this or his PPE behaviour.

Interesting that, eh?

 

[Tantris]

Sajid Javid appointed

From one sexbomb to another.

 

[tonerei]

Interesting that, eh?

Only because it confirms that Joe Public who support Brexit don't care what this mob do once they remain out of the EU. I find it depressing and scary. Enjoy your post-apocalyptic dystopian future which appears to be the here and now.

 

[Seanm]

Agreed, except that there is no political or popular opposition. The Good Law Project is all we’ve got at present. For that reason I’m happy to give to the GLP what I used to give to Labour

Yes, this is true: Labour have been so effectively neutralised, and there’s not much else going (neutralised partly by this lot though, it’s worth remembering). Even if Good Law are actually better than nothing, though, there’ll be trade-offs. This government has been elected to break the rules, and if the only visible opposition to them is only about enforcing the rules I do think that makes the government stronger. Politics always trumps law.

 

[MikeMA]

Presumably his "non-executive director" will be off tout de suite as well?

 

[ks.234]

Yes, this is true: Labour have been so effectively neutralised, and there’s not much else going (neutralised partly by this lot though, it’s worth remembering). Even if Good Law are actually better than nothing, though, there’ll be trade-offs. This government has been elected to break the rules, and if the only visible opposition to them is only about enforcing the rules I do think that makes the government stronger. Politics always trumps law.

Yes, agree, except that this government, and Trump, weren’t elected to break the rules, but to change them, and of course you’re right that sooner or latter there won’t be any laws for the GLP to hold the government to account for. We’ve had the attempt to prorogue Parliament, to marginalise dissenting voices, to de-legalise peaceful protest, and more recently the corruption has gained such confidence that it steals public money quite openly.

But the bottom line is that we live in a democracy and people are using their vote to weaken democracy. Will people stop voting for corruption, greed and self interest before it too late?

 

[ks.234]

Presumably his "non-executive director" will be off tout de suite as well?

Yes, she resigned as well.

 

[Seanm]

Did you read the good law project stuff? They rejected a contract from an established supplier in order to pay a higher price (some £60million) to a party supporter whose company had assets of £200 when the order was made.

Yes I’m sure there’s a lot of corruption. I’m not defending it. I just think that a lot of people are prepared to accept it: partly because of the circumstances, but mostly because they understand that actually there’s a thin line between what this bunch of blatant profiteers are up to and business as usual, for both the Conservatives and, well, business. The mask has slipped - and it seems a lot of people are basically OK with what’s underneath. That’s actually quite scary. But it’s not a situation that can really be addressed just by putting the mask back on, and there’s a danger that that’s all the GL project will appear to be doing. There’s a sort of disingenuousness about them: shocked, shocked that ministers and millionaire business men should conspire to get around the rules! Don’t you know there are legal, transparent ways of siphoning off public money into shell companies? For God’s sake play the game people, you’re going to spoil it for all of us!

 

[Seanm]

Yes, agree, except that this government, and Trump, weren’t elected to break the rules, but to change them, and of course you’re right that sooner or latter there won’t be any laws for the GLP to hold the government to account for. We’ve had the attempt to prorogue Parliament, to marginalise dissenting voices, to de-legalise peaceful protest, and more recently the corruption has gained such confidence that it steals public money quite openly.

But the bottom line is that we live in a democracy and people are using their vote to weaken democracy. Will people stop voting for corruption, greed and self interest before it too late?

Not if they’re not given a political alternative, I don’t think. Good Law just can’t make up for the absence of politics.

 

[ks.234]

The mask has slipped - and it seems a lot of people are basically OK with what’s underneath. That’s actually quite scary.

Yes. Very scary. If it carries on, and there seems little to stop it, it’ll get even more scary.

 

[ks.234]

Not if they’re not given a political alternative, I don’t think. Good Law just can’t make up for the absence of politics.

Yes, but the really scary thing is that I can’t see where a political alternative will come from. The only hope seems to be a collection of different interest groups coming together into some sort of coalition, but it will still be up against the top 1% who have 99% of the power, the money, and the influence.

 

[Tony L]

Even if Good Law are actually better than nothing, though, there’ll be trade-offs. This government has been elected to break the rules, and if the only visible opposition to them is only about enforcing the rules I do think that makes the government stronger. Politics always trumps law.

It all comes down to a lack of democracy, and Labour are as much to blame for that as the Tories as their mass Stockholm Syndrome renders them blind to even the most obvious and destructive systemic failure and corruption.

The GLP are just one part of a far larger protest movement that includes Extinction Rebellion, Black Lives Matter, the wider green movement, Stop Funding Hate and countless other grassroots movements etc. Each one offering a degree of resistance and push-back which now seems impossible within the establishment FPTP charade. A desperate fight for the representation and accountability that should come from within our politics, but clearly doesn’t, and actually never has in this country.

The Tories now being a shameless criminal endeavour and the Labour party their entirely willing captive cowering in an unlocked basement has to move us closer towards an eventual tipping point. When it comes it may obviously go the wrong way into real no holds barred fascism, but my hope is England will one day have the courage to implement a representative democracy. My suspicion is the current situation has a very limited long-term future. I have never known a government take the piss out of the electorate the way this one does on a daily basis, nor a political “opposition” as weak, cowering and feckless as 21st century Labour.

 

[TheDecameron]

And the reason stated is the least important one: 'not following social distancing'. Tory schoolboy sniggers all round.
Stealing taxpayers money is OK.

Supposed to be 2m and he was (-)2 inches.

 

[ks.234]

Supposed to be 2m ad he was -2 inches.

2 inches, and she was still out of range

 

[alanbeeb]

Hands face space. Failed on all three.... Especially the hands.

Employing his mistress on public funds.... Doesn't matter anymore does it? Everyone's forgotten about Jennifer Acuri by now anyway.

 

[ks.234]

It all comes down to a lack of democracy, and Labour are as much to blame for that as the Tories as their mass Stockholm Syndrome renders them blind to even the most obvious and destructive systemic failure and corruption.

The GLP are just one part of a far larger protest movement that includes Extinction Rebellion, Black Lives Matter, the wider green movement, Stop Funding Hate and countless other grassroots movements etc. Each one offering a degree of resistance and push-back which now seems impossible within the establishment FPTP charade. A desperate fight for the representation and accountability that should come from within our politics, but clearly doesn’t, and actually never has in this country.

The Tories now being a shameless criminal endeavour and the Labour party their entirely willing captive cowering in an unlocked basement has to move us closer towards an eventual tipping point. When it comes it may obviously go the wrong way into real no holds barred fascism, but my hope is England will one day have the courage to implement a representative democracy. My suspicion is the current situation has a very limited long-term future. I have never known a government take the piss out of the electorate the way this one does on a daily basis, nor a political “opposition” as weak, cowering and feckless as 21st century Labour.

How can you have any discussion on the failure to implement PR without starting off with the Lib Dem’s?

 

[eternumviti]

I am assuming this is a way to make the public forget about all the other stuff Hancock was up to during his tenure. Down the pub they will be feeling sorry for the poor bloke for being ousted for kissing a bird he fancied. What's the harm. He might come back as Leader some day to compensate him for falling on his sword.

Had a scan through the thread from what I can see no Brexiteer loving folk seem to have any opinion on this or his PPE behaviour. God help you all if this is what the voting public are about.

My opinion. Not so much an opinion as a sense of rather exhausted relief. You might find it difficult to believe, but I do actually hope that one day whatever the chickens are that this administration has hatched, that they all come home to roost.

 

[Bob McC]

Left his wife on Friday when he discovered the Sun’s plans to publish.
So a bad few days.
Lost his job, his wife and with three young kids, his house.

 

[TheDecameron]

Of considerable interest in all of this is how the video got leaked. I'd suggest that the boffathon was well known and the camera placed to capture it for political reasons.
Obviously an inside job, and Harry Cole is a good mate of, and outlet for Spaffer.
Spaffer couldn't sack Hancock given all that's gone before, but him having to resign probably suits him well.

I suggest offering the job to Eternumviti. He's got the right Brexit credentials and clearly thinks a lot of himself, his knowledge and abilities.

It was probably the No.10 political film unit. Hancock felt confident they were away showing Spaffer opening a new Wetherspoons and they had in fact planted GoPros all over his department.

ooh, camera loves you baby.