Barney wrote:
robbiex wrote:
Every big decision he has made has come with massive collateral damage


Not quite - he coined 'Get Brexit Done'

One of the most successful and effective political slogans

That is why Boris is so grateful - and supportive




Yes, that slogan helped them win the election, but I think it was more of a vote against the opposition trying to overturn the biggest democratic vote in history.

There is such a a lot of hypocracy in this story. The press crowd around his house with no regard to for social distancing causing much more of a risk than driving to Durham. Why is there so much emphasis on the distance between London and Durham. It doesn't make much difference whether it is 25 or 250 miles away, apart from the slight risk that he will have to go to a petrol station or service station (Are toilets open in service stations?). This poses no more risk than going to the supermarket. I think the momentum is now gathering against him, even the Daily Mail has spoke out against him. Public opinion shouldn't really be a reason to sack someone, however that is how it works.

Simply because of the build up of problems, the Cummings saga - and consequences theirof - will soon pale into insignificance.

Due to the simultaneous onslaught of the virus and Brexit - and the hundreds of billions in costs, with the uncertainty generated.


This cost will necessitate huge increases in our National Debt, making interest payments (currently £1+ billion, a week) more difficult.

Our standards of living will lower as a result - as well as our services, trade/economics, employment levels, morale and peace.

Honey wrote:
Boris seems like a good supportive friend to Cummings, but if Cummings cared as much for Boris, or the Conservative party, he would get out quick before they are damaged any further.
Absolutely. Normally I'd think it would be a good thing for Cummings to stay on for this very reason but the country is unfortunately having to rely on a Conservative government taking us through this crisis. But it's probably less Cumming's behaviour that's the problem than Boris Johnson's reaction to it and how that impacts how seriously anyone now takes anything Boris Johnson and other cabinet members now have to say about the lifting of lockdown restrictions... or their reimposition.

Cummings clearly is a law unto himself. His wardrobe is a taster of that. Slouching out of No 10 (as shown in today's news) wearing a sweatshirt and jogging pants with stripes down the side. Nothing wrong with that if you're mooching round the house but he must have one of the most influential jobs in the country and be working with people who are dressed as smartly as the No 10/Westminster surroundings and as their jobs and public expectations demand. Even Larry looks as if he's making more of an effort.

Wasn't it one of the royals (hedda probably knows as he's met and knows everyone! ) who said that they always wore their best to meet the public as the public would do the same to meet them? I think Cumming's super casual gear for a key public service post probably shows the same contempt for public perceptions of him and hence for the public as his disregard for the lockdown rules.

Absolutely. Normally I'd think it would be a good thing for Cummings to stay on for this very reason but the country is unfortunately having to rely on a Conservative government taking us through this crisis

I had to laugh at that one. If it was Labour or Lib Dems, UKIP in power we will still be in this mess. They are all wank stains.

Lockdown needs to be lifted now.

I think that the explanation in Cummmings public statement was reasonable and did not cause unnecessary risk to anyone else. It was quite different to the story the media were touting. The media are now in a frenzy about him not apologising. If you think that you have done the right thing then you shouldn't have to apologise. I don't think that he had much choice but to travel up to Durham and potentially let his sister look after his child, if both he and his wife were very ill.

The authorities are now urging people to “use common sense”. Perhaps Dominic Cummings has done many of us a favour, using his own common sense to take a risk in the spur of a moment.

news.sky.com/story/coronavirus-police-ca...ank-holiday-11994363

Cummings joins Bill Clinton and Prince Andrew!

In attempting to justify the unjustifiable.


Eventually Bill and Andy failed badly.

As will Dom.


To expect the lockdown suffering public to accept his self authoried special indulgence -

- is too much - particularly when the masses are now more worried than ever, in two generations.

Cummings is a bit like Alistair Campbell, only more so. If you're unelected and unaccountable, and you march around like you're in charge, talking to MPs like they're infants and banning journalists who piss you off, you'll be okay so long as you get results (MPs are so desperate to win elections they'd willingly get their arse kicked every day if that's what it took; hacks won't take on someone when they seem too powerful). But as soon as there's a chink in the armour, these characters will get attacked from inside and outside their own camp with an eagerness that goes way beyond rational thought.

Much as I've always disliked Cummings, I find the cynical shift back into party politics (with this and a few other recent cases) pretty depressing. That can wait a bit longer. Oh yes, and the idiot who rendered half of Cummings' press conference barely audible thanks to that racket, well done, a great triumph of the free speech you no doubt moan about at all other instances. If you think the facts wil hang someone, be quiet and let them do so.

Jo wrote:
[quote]Honey wrote:
Cummings clearly is a law unto himself. His wardrobe is a taster of that. Slouching out of No 10 (as shown in today's news) wearing a sweatshirt and jogging pants with stripes down the side.

I can agree with that; he's also got an interesting line in beanie hats. Perhaps he should think of starting an Instagram series about them, to include a personal history and anecdotes for each one.

I thoroughly enjoyed the press conference. It was the funniest thing I have seen in ages. I especially enjoyed the crap about thinking he was blind and putting his family in the car to see if he would crash.

He didn't say that he thought he was blind. He had a problem with his eyesight previously, he wanted to do a short drive to ensure that the eye problem would not re-occur before embarking on a longer journey. He acted within the guidelines, under the exceptional circumstances section. He has done nothing wrong, unlike press photographers outside his house actually touching each other. He should not resign just because the press want to have a story, but then if he did then there will be no more stories about Dominic Cummings, he will be replaced by a non-entity who noone knows like May's and Cameron's advisors.

I think viewing the situation, Government as a comedy makes a lot of sense on a personal level in terms of survival!

The person playing the violin as Dom disseminated, was a comic master-stroke actually....

Honey wrote:
Barney wrote:
robbiex wrote:
Every big decision he has made has come with massive collateral damage


Not quite - he coined 'Get Brexit Done'

One of the most successful and effective political slogans

That is why Boris is so grateful - and supportive





It might well be that there was a justifiable reason to break the rules, and I have no objection to Boris treating him kindly, but there was no need to lie about it.

Boris seems like a good supportive friend to Cummings, but if Cummings cared as much for Boris, or the Conservative party, he would get out quick before they are damaged any further.

He didn't break the rules, he worked within the exceptional circumstances part of the rule. I don't think Cummings cares much for the conservative party, that is why he has tried to change it so much. It has done very little for his native North East, it is just a vehicle for his marketing skills. It is 4 years till the next election, this episode will be long forgotten by then, particularly since it doesn't involve an elected mp.

robbiex wrote:
Honey wrote:
Barney wrote:
robbiex wrote:
Every big decision he has made has come with massive collateral damage


Not quite - he coined 'Get Brexit Done'

One of the most successful and effective political slogans

That is why Boris is so grateful - and supportive





It might well be that there was a justifiable reason to break the rules, and I have no objection to Boris treating him kindly, but there was no need to lie about it.

Boris seems like a good supportive friend to Cummings, but if Cummings cared as much for Boris, or the Conservative party, he would get out quick before they are damaged any further.

He didn't break the rules, he worked within the exceptional circumstances part of the rule. I don't think Cummings cares much for the conservative party, that is why he has tried to change it so much. It has done very little for his native North East, it is just a vehicle for his marketing skills. It is 4 years till the next election, this episode will be long forgotten by then, particularly since it doesn't involve an elected mp.

Robbie, just because Ministers keep repeating that he didn't repeatedly break the rules,doesnt make it true.

Honey wrote:
I thoroughly enjoyed the press conference. It was the funniest thing I have seen in ages. I especially enjoyed the crap about thinking he was blind and putting his family in the car to see if he would crash.

Now, this is really very interesting. I hear people repeat this claim all the time, but they either misheard or wilfully misrepresented what he said.

He said HE was ready to drive back to London. He said that his WIFE felt his eyesight had been affected, he said his WIFE was concerned about him driving for five hours because of this, and so he drove out to show HER he was competent for the longer journey.

You can't actually score the points you want to do if you accept that version, so you go with the conveniently misheard version. Maybe you need to break lockdown and go out somewhere noisy to check your hearing is okay.

Yaz wrote:
Honey wrote:
I thoroughly enjoyed the press conference. It was the funniest thing I have seen in ages. I especially enjoyed the crap about thinking he was blind and putting his family in the car to see if he would crash.

Now, this is really very interesting. I hear people repeat this claim all the time, but they either misheard or wilfully misrepresented what he said.

He said HE was ready to drive back to London. He said that his WIFE felt his eyesight had been affected, he said his WIFE was concerned about him driving for five hours because of this, and so he drove out to show HER he was competent for the longer journey.

You can't actually score the points you want to do if you accept that version, so you go with the conveniently misheard version. Maybe you need to break lockdown and go out somewhere noisy to check your hearing is okay.

A lot can't or won't drive. I'm sure if his missus could she would of done.

Green Man wrote:
Yaz wrote:
Honey wrote:
I thoroughly enjoyed the press conference. It was the funniest thing I have seen in ages. I especially enjoyed the crap about thinking he was blind and putting his family in the car to see if he would crash.

Now, this is really very interesting. I hear people repeat this claim all the time, but they either misheard or wilfully misrepresented what he said.

He said HE was ready to drive back to London. He said that his WIFE felt his eyesight had been affected, he said his WIFE was concerned about him driving for five hours because of this, and so he drove out to show HER he was competent for the longer journey.

You can't actually score the points you want to do if you accept that version, so you go with the conveniently misheard version. Maybe you need to break lockdown and go out somewhere noisy to check your hearing is okay.

A lot can't or won't drive. I'm sure if his missus could she would of done.

Apparently she can!

So maybe she did a bit of driving; took it in turns. The media ( Scum media ) have blown this out of proportion and is becoming a boring story. The BBC were exposed again for their bias.

I can't wait to go out shopping and get back to work. My partner wants her hair done professionally.

Green Man wrote:
So maybe she did a bit of driving; took it in turns. The media ( Scum media ) have blown this out of proportion and is becoming a boring story. The BBC were exposed again for their bias.

I can't wait to go out shopping and get back to work. My partner wants her hair done professionally.

Of course it is a boring story, because it is not the story.
The story is that we have ALWAYS been at war with Eurasia.

Honey wrote:
Green Man wrote:
Yaz wrote:
Honey wrote:
I thoroughly enjoyed the press conference. It was the funniest thing I have seen in ages. I especially enjoyed the crap about thinking he was blind and putting his family in the car to see if he would crash.

Now, this is really very interesting. I hear people repeat this claim all the time, but they either misheard or wilfully misrepresented what he said.

He said HE was ready to drive back to London. He said that his WIFE felt his eyesight had been affected, he said his WIFE was concerned about him driving for five hours because of this, and so he drove out to show HER he was competent for the longer journey.

You can't actually score the points you want to do if you accept that version, so you go with the conveniently misheard version. Maybe you need to break lockdown and go out somewhere noisy to check your hearing is okay.

A lot can't or won't drive. I'm sure if his missus could she would of done.

Apparently she can!

Changed your tack again! Keep going!