When you've got to go, you've got to go!

[THE COMMANDER]

On a journey of that length they would need to stop at least once to "refresh" themselves. Did they give any thought to the chance they could pass on the virus to others in the conveniences?

[susanb]

Cummings and his wife had coronavirus. So they take their son to his parents for them to look after the child. How did they know the child hadn't got the virus?

[Lamparilla]

The No.10 spokesperson has said that the story of Cummings' second visit to Durham is 'inaccurate'.

In politics-speak, 'inaccurate' means: 'true, but with a couple of details that we'll quibble about'.

[gazaprop]

This story is an unnecessary distraction from what should be going on at this time. The man should go and let HMG get on with governing the country.

[Lamparilla]

This story is an unnecessary distraction from what should be going on at this time. The man should go and let HMG get on with governing the country.

Unfortunately, it seems that Cummings has so much influence that HMG would be lost without him.

Says a lot about Johnson's 'leadership'.

Quote from Tory MP Simon Hoare:

With the damage Mr Cummings is doing to the Government’s reputation he must consider his position. Lockdown has had its challenges for everyone. It’s his cavalier “I don’t care; I’m cleverer than you” tone that infuriates people. He is now wounding the PM/Govt & I don’t like that
— Simon Hoare MP (@Simon4NDorset) May 24, 2020

[local]

Today brought some fresh "air" to the story so it will run a bit longer.

The Police report in the media was let's say an abridged version which appears to have left out some important detail.

The report of him being elsewhere later on needs some evidence and the mystery witness will have to break cover.

Steve Baker not a fan of his by any means, apart from saying he should go as he is using up political capital, did puncture the fallacious "Cummings is the puppet master" stories often repeated on here.

Will the creature from middle earth survive ?

[sandGroundZero]

I do not see what all the fuss is about. …If the story is true, then perhaps Mr. Cummings

…has brought further disdain upon the PM's management of events

…If the story is grossly misleading, then it is no different …

[bensherman]

I reckon that as virtually the entire Cabinet have declared what a wonderful person Cummings is for looking after his wife, child and family, there is no doubt who the power is.

Shapps has drawn the short straw. Not only did he have to squirm and stutter through today's briefing, he's got to go on Sky TV tomorrow too. Sky have taken the unusual step of releasing the questions early.

Nice power move.

Not even missing the Premier League with this farce unfolding.

I reckon the next time we'll see Johnson will be on his book tour in 2021.

Here is your problem if you are a minister ( well, apart from pursuing a disastrous agenda)...

Speak out against Cummings and if he goes, you will be fine. But if he doesn't, you are finished.

[Toodles McGinty]

Here is your problem if you are a minister ( well, apart from pursuing a disastrous agenda)...

Speak out against Cummings and if he goes, you will be fine. But if he doesn't, you are finished.

That is indeed the problem. As dans said in post #31, both the Mirror and the Graun did an excellent job of investigating the matter and holding the government up to scrutiny. Which is exactly their job.

The decision to hold off a day between revelations was exquisite. Cummings thinks he's an expert in handling the media. His instructions to the Cabinet to put out virtually identical messages of 'family', 'child', 'care', 'concern' backfired spectacularly. He was given enough rope...

Now that Steve Baker has come out against Dom publicly, along with a few other juicy titbits such as they were told to vote for the WA without reading it “on the basis Michael Gove articulated: we could change it later”, maybe it was the problem. They are in quite a bit of disarray. Several back benchers are very upset with the Cabinet, and don't seem too worried about voicing their concerns.

Also a couple of statements caught my eye this morning that summed it up perfectly:

Anna Soubry: It’s what happens when an established charlatan becomes Prime Minister & surrounds himself with 3rd rate yes men & women of limited ability & integrity. What’s absolutely frightening is that we’re in the middle of a dangerous national crisis & this shower of liars are in charge.

Armando Iannucci: The PM’s dilemma. Keeps Cummings: loses the trust of the nation. Sacks Cummings: Johnson goes back to what he always was, a furtive bag of nerve endings and purposeless muscles piled inside an ill-fitting politician costume.

Personally I think it will be a public sacking of Cummings, who will then slope back into the slimy fold of Gove's arms from whence he came. Until Gove makes his move in the near future.

[said]

Cummings has been promoted as the leading figure for Brexit, which is untrue since people had come to a decision long before he was on the scene. But he does have a streetwise cunning which most members of parliament lack.

So Soubry considers herself to be superior to Johnson and his chosen cabinet? Then immediately contradicts that idea. Interesting?
While Iannucci - provides a dubious philosophy, then immediately reigns his head back in.

Examples like that we can do without!

[Toodles McGinty]

Cummings has been promoted as the leading figure for Brexit, which is untrue since people had come to a decision long before he was on the scene. But he does have a streetwise cunning which most members of parliament lack.

He thinks he does. And as far as the 'Britannia Unchained' gang in the Cabinet are concerned, he's probably correct. But not so regarding the rest of Parliament. And certainly not the public. It took a couple of journalists a few weeks of investigating to surely bring him down.

So Soubry considers herself to be superior to Johnson and his chosen cabinet? Then immediately contradicts that idea. Interesting?
While Iannucci - provides a dubious philosophy, then immediately reigns his head back in.

Examples like that we can do without!

Did you actually read those quotes? Because I'm not interpreting them in the same way you are.

[Alikado]

The longer this goes on the longer it will take to die down afterwards, if he hd been sacked this morning and it would have been tomorrows chip wrappings but the more air time it gets the worse it will get.
Politics gets a lot of air time on Sunday and the story could have been over before the TV started and they would have had 'the moral high ground' again.
If Bojo keeps defending him he will be in danger of going himself, there already seem to be splits developing and Michael Gove must be salivating over this.

[Lamparilla]

We've just had it on live TV from the Prime Minister.

You don't have to follow the rules - just follow your instincts.

If lockdown wasn't over before today, it certainly is now.

[Desert Region]

The new three word slogan:

Follow your instincts.

[said]

He thinks he does. And as far as the 'Britannia Unchained' gang in the Cabinet are concerned, he's probably correct. But not so regarding the rest of Parliament. And certainly not the public. It took a couple of journalists a few weeks of investigating to surely bring him down.



Did you actually read those quotes? Because I'm not interpreting them in the same way you are.

There you go then, different people view statements in different ways based on their understanding.