Given that Dominic Cummings Boris Johnson re-shuffled his cabinet, how on earth did Liz Truss survive?
In all the years I've been around, I can't think of a single Cabinet Minister less suited to her job, less intelligent, & frankly embarrassing.
There are any number of them that are prepared to compromise their principles, self respect, beliefs, and just say and do what they are told, and keep their job.
I wasn't really a Sajid Javid fan, but you have to admire him for not wearing it.
From the article above.
That’s why, to name but one, Matt Hancock gladly carries on, in service of a Brexit he knows is horrific. That’s why Liz Truss gladly ploughs on as secretary of state for international trade, despite proclaiming in June 2016, when she was a Remainer (she still is a Remainer) that leaving the EU will not lead to better trade terms with any country, anywhere in the world. She was right then;she’s wrong now. But she’s still in a job. and that’s the main thing.
The main story for the Sunday Times is that Downing Street has vowed to scrap the television licence fee and make viewers pay a subscription for BBC services. It says the national broadcaster could also be compelled to sell off most of its local and national radio stations and reduce the number of its television channels. A No 10 source is quoted as saying: "The PM is firmly of the view that there needs to be serious reform. He is really strident on this." However, the paper says the decision to ramp up hostilities is a high-risk move for No 10, with polls showing the BBC retains high approval ratings with more than 80% of voters.
The paper also reports that Boris Johnson has shelved plans to impose a "mansion tax" on owners of expensive homes, following a major backlash among Conservative MPs and grassroots. It understands the prime minister "cooled" on the idea of including the measure in the Budget after discussing it with Sajid Javid before he resigned as Chancellor. A cartoon in the Sunday Times shows Boris Johnson leaving Number 10 to take his ministers for a walk. He's holding several dog leashes and they are on all fours. After the cabinet reshuffle, the Mail on Sunday says Downing Street is the court of King Boris.
Andrew Rawnsley, in the Observer, talks of a Number 10 power grab and an absolute monarchy. But, he warns, the prime minister will encounter the sheer physical impossibility of trying to run everything from Downing Street. An organism as complex as the government of an advanced nation can't all be managed from one terraced house in SW1, he adds. Dan Hodges writes in the Mail that while Downing Street's authority has been reinforced, the authority of the prime minister has actually been weakened. This morning, he goes on, people are no longer talking about Johnson's government, but the government of Dominic Cummings, his chief aide. He says Mr Cummings is in danger of neutering his own prime minister.
Home Office tells 100-year-old Italian man parents must confirm his identity for settled status
A 100-year-old Italian man was told his parents must confirm his identity if he wants to stay in the UK after Brexit. Giovanni Palmiero, who has lived in London since 1966, went to an advice centre in Islington, north London, to apply for settled status.
Why do the media seem to think the Government need to enlighten them on all issues,it’s not the Premier league, they’re not under contract. I wouldn’t tell them diddly-squat. I’d be more concerned about the impending gloom the Coronavirus is going to have on the world economy. Watch this space.
Cabinet Office asked about journalists' access to lobby briefings
Shadow Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) Minister, Tracy Brabin, asked ministers about the barring of certain journalists from official Government briefings.
Yesterday, journalists staged a walkout at Number 10 when Government officials barred the political editors of certain publications from attending a briefing on future trade deals from the Prime Minister's advisor on Europe. Those excluded included Press Association news agency, the Mirror and i newspapers, as well as the Huffpost UK, Politics Home and Independent websites. In solidarity, the editors of outlets allowed into the briefing also walked out. Tracy Brabin MP asked if the Cabinet Office would make a statement on why this happened.
Tracy Brabin MP: "damages a free and vital press" Responding on behalf of the Opposition, Shadow DCMS Minister, Tracy Brabin, told the House that the ability of journalists to have "access to briefings without favour" was a "long-standing tradition" that was necessary for a democracy. Ms Brabin highlighted press reports that it was a special advisor – the Prime Minister's communications director – who refused entry to certain political editors. She quoted the advisor as saying "we're welcome to brief whoever we like, whenever we like" when challenged. The Shadow Minister said that it was against the code for special advisors and civil servants. The Shadow Minister added that it was "not an isolated incident", and that this had also happened at last week's briefing on Huawei. She asked the Minister to detail the selection criteria for journalists allowed to the briefings and who was responsible for making the decision. She concluded: "The Government's behaviour […] brings into question the integrity of future Government/media briefings and the conduct of its special advisors, and damages a free and vibrant press."
It can all be easily explained,to find out how we got to where we are.
Go on then.
See the light, by taking your rose tinted Blair glasses off. That would be a good starting point.
How does Tony Blair even get into the argument?
The government call the shots, not the press. They’re always hiding behind “ the freedom of the press”. Of course, they want to fill their rags with defamatory cartoons and misinformation,pays the bills. The election was won by the Tories, dishing out a crushing defeat to Labour. Best not upset the legions of Labour voters who voted Tory. You say you’re a happy camper? How can that be true? Every day, by the looks of things, you’re searching out derogatory things about the Government,that’s quite sad in itself. Let’s hope they borrow hundreds of billions. Of course then incoming moaning from the opposition about 10 years of austerity. Nice hard Brexit, lots of borrowing, and no sulking for five years👍
Joining the dots up, I’d say Blair is responsible for the Terrorism in this country, the Islamaphobia,all ongoing. Which incorporates the release dates etc, all ongoing. Which the media would love to blame the government for, but can’t. Not relevant to Brexit? Which also applies to a lot of the above cartoons.
The closure of day centres catering for people with dementia is highlighted by the Daily Telegraph. The paper found that 32 centres have shut in the past three years across the UK and that an extra 100,000 patients a year are ending up in hospital. The charity Age UK tells the paper that for the older people affected and their families the withdrawal of community services is devastating. Boris Johnson has promised his government will "fix the social care crisis once and for all".
The Guardian says Labour is calling on Boris Johnson to sack a new Downing Street aide whose past pronouncements have caused outrage. Andrew Sabisky is said to have been appointed after the prime minister's adviser, Dominic Cummings, appealed for "weirdos and misfits" to work at Number 10. It's reported that, six years ago, the 27-year-old researcher proposed mandatory birth control at the onset of puberty to avoid unplanned pregnancies creating an "underclass". He's also said to have claimed on Twitter that black Americans have a lower average IQ than white people. The Telegraph says it's spoken to an aide to a senior cabinet minister who described Mr Sabisky's comments as "highly offensive", while another said they would refuse to work with him. Mr Sabisky has not commented.
Britain and the European Union will "rip each other apart" during negotiations on a future trade deal, according to the French foreign minister, who's quoted in several of the papers. The prediction by Jean-Yves Le Drian is the main front-page story in the Times and the Express. The Times says negotiations over fishing rights are expected to be particularly tough. The Mail quotes a UK government spokesman as saying that Britain is hoping for a relationship based on "friendly co-operation". The Express says the UK's negotiator, David Frost, has made it clear that Boris Johnson will walk away from the talks unless the EU drops what the government considers to be "ridiculous" and "unreasonable" demands for Britain to sign up to EU rules.
Writing in the Financial Times, he says good regulation may hurt Facebook's business in the near term, but will be better for everyone over the long term. His company is publishing a paper today setting out the questions that regulation might address. The FT says the government's proposals on holding big tech companies to account and protecting users from exploitation, terrorism, revenge **** and hate crime need far more work if they're to be effective.
Joining the dots up, I’d say Blair is responsible for the Terrorism in this country, the Islamaphobia,all ongoing. Which incorporates the release dates etc, all ongoing. Which the media would love to blame the government for, but can’t. Not relevant to Brexit? Which also applies to a lot of the above cartoons.
Many of Tuesday's newspapers continue to focus on the flooding caused by Storm Dennis, which an expert tells the Daily Mirror now represents a "national emergency". Angela Terry, an environmental scientist, says the response so far - including sending in the army to fill sandbags - amounts to a "sticking plaster". "Where the floody **** is Boris?" the Sun asks. "The prime minister is in danger of misjudging the public mood," its leader column says. "Whole communities are under water for the second time in months... but Boris Johnson is nowhere to be seen."
No 10 disagreement Meanwhile, the Times says Boris Johnson is at odds with senior Downing Street advisers, including Dominic Cummings, over plans to scrap the BBC licence fee and replace it with a voluntary subscription. On Sunday, it was reported that Downing Street wanted to "whack" the corporation. But the Times says it's been told by an ally of Mr Johnson that he's "not as gung-ho on the licence fee as Dom", adding: "With the PM it's more reform than revolution".
Many of the papers digest the resignation of the Downing Street adviser and self-styled "super-forecaster" Andrew Sabisky, following criticism of alleged past remarks on pregnancies, eugenics and race The Daily Mail says the 28-year-old had been one of the first to respond to an appeal from Dominic Cummings - the prime minister's most powerful aide - for "weirdos and misfits". The Daily Telegraph calls it an "embarrassing setback" for Mr Cummings - a man whose "abrasive approach" to government, the Guardian suggests, is causing "consternation" among some Tories.
"What is the point of saving?" is the Daily Mail's headline, as it reports that National Savings and Investments has "slashed" interest rates to "rock-bottom" levels, and cut its prizes. Instead of trying to reverse the "race to the bottom" savers face, the Mail says, the government is "joining it". Its editorial urges the new Chancellor Rishi Sunak to "make his mark" by overturning the cuts in the forthcoming budget. According to the Times, Mr Sunak could have other priorities, as it reports he and the prime minister are considering cutting pension tax relief for higher earners. It says the Treasury has drawn up plans to reduce it from 40 to 20 per cent, a move that would raise £10bn a year. Currently, the wealthy get more relief than lower earners. "If that's levelling up then I'm a flying pig," a government source tells the Times.
For Boris Johnson’s pantomime authoritarians, overt cruelty is a winning hand
The cabinet’s culture warriors are targeting ‘foreign criminals’ and ‘unelected judges’. Legal challenges alone won’t stop them
It has become received wisdom among Westminster pundits that the new winning formula in politics is to “move left on economics and right on culture”. Boris Johnson’s cabinet reshuffle looks like an attempt to put this lesson into practice: forcing Sajid Javid, an advocate of strict spending limits, out of the Treasury suggests that the prime minister wants to strategically splash money around – however superficial this moving “left” might prove to be. At the same time, Johnson’s government has sent a series of clear signals to the right – on immigration, on perceived liberal bias at the BBC, on the “free-speech crisis” in universities – the latest of which is the appointment of Suella Braverman as attorney general. This suggests that the government intends to pursue the pantomime authoritarianism displayed by the home secretary, Priti Patel, at last year’s party conference: an ostentatious cruelty, directed at people who supposedly threaten public safety, and waved like a taunt to the liberal elite that stands in the government’s way. Braverman comes from the hard-right milieu that has increasingly set the tone in the Conservative party since the EU referendum. Last year, she drew criticism from the Board of Deputies of British Jews and others for saying the right was engaged in “a battle against cultural Marxism”, echoing a conspiracy theory with antisemitic connotations that has made its way from the extremist fringe into the mainstream via websites such as Breitbart.
Joining the dots up, I’d say Blair is responsible for the Terrorism in this country, the Islamaphobia,all ongoing. Which incorporates the release dates etc, all ongoing. Which the media would love to blame the government for, but can’t. Not relevant to Brexit? Which also applies to a lot of the above cartoons.
These comments are very well thought out.
I suppose you think that Osama Bin Laden is responsible for a well funded NHS.
You may not have noticed, but the Tories have been admitting for ages that they have an Islamophobia problem.
I am not sure why you would think that it is possible to blame previous PMs for anything, when we have had a Tory Government for 10 years.
Anything The Government is not happy with can be changed, and surely 10 years is long enough to do that.
The cartoons are relevant to Boris, and he owns Brexit.
Why do the media seem to think the Government need to enlighten them on all issues,it’s not the Premier league, they’re not under contract. I wouldn’t tell them diddly-squat. I’d be more concerned about the impending gloom the Coronavirus is going to have on the world economy. Watch this space.
Cabinet Office asked about journalists' access to lobby briefings
Shadow Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) Minister, Tracy Brabin, asked ministers about the barring of certain journalists from official Government briefings.
Yesterday, journalists staged a walkout at Number 10 when Government officials barred the political editors of certain publications from attending a briefing on future trade deals from the Prime Minister's advisor on Europe. Those excluded included Press Association news agency, the Mirror and i newspapers, as well as the Huffpost UK, Politics Home and Independent websites. In solidarity, the editors of outlets allowed into the briefing also walked out. Tracy Brabin MP asked if the Cabinet Office would make a statement on why this happened.
Tracy Brabin MP: "damages a free and vital press" Responding on behalf of the Opposition, Shadow DCMS Minister, Tracy Brabin, told the House that the ability of journalists to have "access to briefings without favour" was a "long-standing tradition" that was necessary for a democracy. Ms Brabin highlighted press reports that it was a special advisor – the Prime Minister's communications director – who refused entry to certain political editors. She quoted the advisor as saying "we're welcome to brief whoever we like, whenever we like" when challenged. The Shadow Minister said that it was against the code for special advisors and civil servants. The Shadow Minister added that it was "not an isolated incident", and that this had also happened at last week's briefing on Huawei. She asked the Minister to detail the selection criteria for journalists allowed to the briefings and who was responsible for making the decision. She concluded: "The Government's behaviour […] brings into question the integrity of future Government/media briefings and the conduct of its special advisors, and damages a free and vibrant press."
It can all be easily explained,to find out how we got to where we are.
Go on then.
See the light, by taking your rose tinted Blair glasses off. That would be a good starting point.
How does Tony Blair even get into the argument?
The government call the shots, not the press. They’re always hiding behind “ the freedom of the press”. Of course, they want to fill their rags with defamatory cartoons and misinformation,pays the bills. The election was won by the Tories, dishing out a crushing defeat to Labour. Best not upset the legions of Labour voters who voted Tory. You say you’re a happy camper? How can that be true? Every day, by the looks of things, you’re searching out derogatory things about the Government,that’s quite sad in itself. Let’s hope they borrow hundreds of billions. Of course then incoming moaning from the opposition about 10 years of austerity. Nice hard Brexit, lots of borrowing, and no sulking for five years👍
Most people are proud of the fact that we have a free press. Surely a free press is fundamental to any Democracy. The lobby journalists are invited to Westminster for a briefing twice per day, while Parliament is sitting. This has gone on for 150 years. The other day, The Government, at a whim, decided to ban the lobby journalists representing media outlets that they didn't like, from the briefings. This, in most peoples eyes amounts to censorship. You seem oblivious. This was nothing to do with who calls the shots. We have laws in this country preventing misinformation being published.
I don't understand why you would think that I am not a happy camper?
Being unhappy about any decision The Government makes would be silly as I am unable to affect any of them.
Although I am able to make my opinions clear on this forum.
I can assure you that I don't have to search very hard for anything that is posted on this thread. However sad you may think this is.
I admire your optimism in respect of the immediate future, although I feel it is misplaced.
I don't intend to ask you to iterate the reasons for your optimism, as you will struggle to provide a coherent explanation.
Rather like your statement regarding Tony Blair being responsible for all our terrorism, and your complete lack of understanding of The Governments dispute with the lobby journalists.
In the absence of Abdul, I am abhorred by today's decision to introduce an immigration points system to deny lower skilled workers entry...we will now be like Australia, one of the 'least liberal' countries in dealing with humans....Prit Patel-now there's irony
Well you Brexiteers, be careful what you wished for...
Jonny foreigner who took all our jobs and now we've 'taken back control' won't be able to do the real, tough low paid jobs in food processing and social care to name two sectors that struggle for workers
( I watched the Brexit uncivil war programme about Dominic Cummings again recently...fascinating to see the current Prime Minister/decision maker at work-yes I mean DC not Bojo!)
All those seasonal fruit and veg jobs that we couldn't fill with 'UK' workers means prices will shoot up...I run a food business and can already see the weekly, subtle shift upwards in food prices.
God knows how our social care/old persons care sector will cope- oh yes we will go to the 17-24 yr old yeah but no but uncaring generation
Still, Jacob Rees Mogg et al don't have to worry about food prices..he can send nanny in his second Bentley to collect his strawberries and cream from Waitrose
The papers dedicate significant column inches to the government's post-Brexit immigration plans for a points-based system. "Priti makes her points," is the Sun's headline as all the papers dedicate coverage to the government's post-Brexit immigration plans. The Daily Express welcomes Ms Patel's efforts to "cut migrant numbers". In an editorial for the newspaper, the Conservative immigration minister Kevin Foster, writes that the new system will be "firmer and fairer" and will allow the UK to "flourish". However, the paper also points out that a plumber, with good English and a £24,000 a year contract, would be blocked from entering. In a comment piece for the Daily Mail, David Goodhart - from centre-right think-tank Policy Exchange - says the government is finally responding to "popular instruction" after three years of parliamentary "dithering". The paper adds that the rules represent the "biggest shake-up" of border guidance since 1973.
The Guardian highlights concerns from those involved in industries including transport and warehousing, food processing and tourism regarding the immigration plans. Sally Gilson from the Freight Transport Association tells the paper that the arbitrary level for skills and salary should be changed so they are based on "what the country needs". The union Unison says the proposals spell "disaster for the care sector". But Ms Patel is quoted on the front of Metro as saying employers will simply "have to adjust". The i newspaper describes the points-based system as the UK "closing the door" to low-skilled migrant workers. But the paper also carries quotes from the group Migration Watch UK, which believes the measures prove the government is "not serious" about taking control of immigration. The campaigners cite the fact that British people will still face competition for jobs - in some cases from "overseas workers from much poorer countries". Elsewhere in politics, the Guardian carries an interview with the Labour deputy leadership candidate, Dawn Butler.
In it, she claims she is mistaken for black female colleagues "at least once a week". The BBC was forced to apologise to Ms Butler earlier this month, after she was incorrectly identified as the Battersea MP Marsha de Cordova on the Parliament channel. Ms Butler adds that it is an "exhausting battle" to be correctly named. Floods "A floody disgrace" is the Daily Mirror's take on Boris Johnson's response to the flood damage caused by Storm Dennis.
The paper quotes mother-of-three Tracey Newman who found her home near Cardiff "knee deep" in water. She describes Mr Johnson's no-show in flood-hit communities as "unbelievable" - adding that she called up the government's emergency fund and was offered £80. Downing Street said the prime minister was "fully engaged" with recovery efforts. Meanwhile, the Daily Telegraph reports that Lord Steel is to be expelled from the Liberal Democrats for his handling of sexual abuse allegations against the former Rochdale MP, Cyril Smith. The paper says that a report from the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse will "castigate" the former party leader when it is published next week.
No 10 adviser "Aide exit marks first weirdos and misfits failure" is the headline in the Financial Times, as Dominic Cummings' role as the prime minister's chief adviser continues to come under scrutiny. Days after Andrew Sabisky was forced to leave his role as a "super-forecaster" for his views on eugenics and race, the paper concludes that despite wanting to bring "unconventional minds" into the heart of government, Mr Cummings' strategy is not "entirely immune" to traditional political norms. Meanwhile, a senior government source has told the Times that Mr Sabisky was not vetted for his role at Number Ten and attended meetings with Boris Johnson and defence officials.
Boris Johnson news – live: ‘Clearly clueless’ Priti Patel insists PM not racist, as Downing St tweet appears to reveal basic Brexit deal misunderstanding
Boris Johnson’s plan to block low-skilled workers from the UK after Brexit has been branded “toxic” by Labour. The opposition called Priti Patel “clearly clueless” after she suggested more than eight million “economically inactive” people could help meet any job shortages. The home secretary – who conceded in a LBC interview her own parents may not have been allowed in under the new immigration rules – defended Mr Johnson after he was called “a real racist” by rapper Dave at last night’s BRIT Awards. It comes as the government is accused of failing to understand the EU’s basic Brexit negotiating position, after the No 10 press office claimed Brussels had “changed” its stance from a previous willingness to agree a “Canada-style” free trade deal.
PM ‘not a racist’, says Priti Patel after BRIT Awards attack Lib Dems say Tory plan based on 'xenophobia' Patel 'clearly clueless' on immigration says Labour ... as home secretary admits parents may have been turned away under new rules UK ‘different ball game’ to Canada, says EU official
In the absence of Abdul, I am abhorred by today's decision to introduce an immigration points system to deny lower skilled workers entry...we will now be like Australia, one of the 'least liberal' countries in dealing with humans....Prit Patel-now there's irony
Well you Brexiteers, be careful what you wished for...
Jonny foreigner who took all our jobs and now we've 'taken back control' won't be able to do the real, tough low paid jobs in food processing and social care to name two sectors that struggle for workers
( I watched the Brexit uncivil war programme about Dominic Cummings again recently...fascinating to see the current Prime Minister/decision maker at work-yes I mean DC not Bojo!)
All those seasonal fruit and veg jobs that we couldn't fill with 'UK' workers means prices will shoot up...I run a food business and can already see the weekly, subtle shift upwards in food prices.
God knows how our social care/old persons care sector will cope- oh yes we will go to the 17-24 yr old yeah but no but uncaring generation
Still, Jacob Rees Mogg et al don't have to worry about food prices..he can send nanny in his second Bentley to collect his strawberries and cream from Waitrose
Ashamed of Taunton
"The problem is the criteria themselves suggest to me the number of people coming from outside the European Union will be even bigger"
Nigel Farage says he believes the government's planned immigration rules may lead to "more immigration, not less" https:// trib.al/Udoo9pq
In the absence of Abdul, I am abhorred by today's decision to introduce an immigration points system to deny lower skilled workers entry...we will now be like Australia, one of the 'least liberal' countries in dealing with humans....Prit Patel-now there's irony
Well you Brexiteers, be careful what you wished for...
Jonny foreigner who took all our jobs and now we've 'taken back control' won't be able to do the real, tough low paid jobs in food processing and social care to name two sectors that struggle for workers
( I watched the Brexit uncivil war programme about Dominic Cummings again recently...fascinating to see the current Prime Minister/decision maker at work-yes I mean DC not Bojo!)
All those seasonal fruit and veg jobs that we couldn't fill with 'UK' workers means prices will shoot up...I run a food business and can already see the weekly, subtle shift upwards in food prices.
God knows how our social care/old persons care sector will cope- oh yes we will go to the 17-24 yr old yeah but no but uncaring generation
Still, Jacob Rees Mogg et al don't have to worry about food prices..he can send nanny in his second Bentley to collect his strawberries and cream from Waitrose
Ashamed of Taunton
Priti Patel's proposals for the UK's immigration system feature widely in Thursday's newspapers. The Financial Times thinks the new policy is a gamble. It says the new rules assume that if businesses cannot hire low-paid migrants, they will invest in training, automation and recruitment to improve workers' productivity. However, companies could also shut up shop and relocate abroad, it warns, leaving consumers with high prices and less choice. Most concern is focused on the care sector. In the view of the i newspaper, there appears to be no plan to mitigate the impact on social care, already in a dire state. It points out that hourly pay across the sector is lower than in almost every supermarket chain - far short of the threshold to qualify for coming to the UK. For some, the changes are primarily political, not economic. The Guardian's Martin Kettle writes that the governing approach is to impress the voting public rather than to solve the labour market issues. The practical side takes second place to the message, he believes. For Matthew Lynn in the Daily Telegraph, there is no point in denying that Ms Patel's measures will be hard on some businesses. But, he argues, curbing low-skilled immigration can change the economy for the better because it will bring about higher productivity and higher wage industries
For far too long, the Times says, businesses have expanded on the basis of cheap labour made available by EU membership. That has diverted them from vital long-term investment in training and automated production, with the result that Britain has a chronic productivity problem, the paper adds. Ms Patel is the subject of the main story in the Times - but for a different reason. It reports that she has attempted to oust her most senior civil servant after a clash at the top of the Home Office.
According to the paper, multiple sources inside the department have accused the home secretary of bullying and creating an "atmosphere of fear". A Home Office spokesman tells the paper there have been no formal complaints against Ms Patel and it takes the welfare of staff extremely seriously. The paper adds that her allies have rejected the claims of bullying, saying that while she was a demanding boss, she had never been unreasonable. Flooding For its lead, the Guardian says official figures reveal that one in ten of all new homes in England since 2013 have been built on land at the highest risk of flooding. The number of properties built in these high-risk areas annually has more than doubled in recent years, it adds.
The flooding makes the lead for the Daily Mirror. It has a picture of a man wading into floodwater in Monmouth to rescue a freezing woman trapped in her submerged car. But the paper says that while the rescuer risked his own life, Boris Johnson has come under fire for failing to visit flood areas.
Budget According to the Sun, motorists are to be targeted in next month's Budget, with the first rise in fuel duty in a decade. It quotes Treasury sources as saying the prime minister's chief aide, Dominic Cummings, wants to end the freeze on fuel duty to fund the government's promised spending on infrastructure outside London. But the paper's leader column warns that "whacking voters with a whopping great tax for the privilege of taking their children to school won't make [Boris Johnson] any friends". The Daily Mail's leader column is aghast at another Budget proposal for a £10bn pensions raid by axing higher rate tax relief on retirement pots. It describes the plan as "unbridled madness" and "daylight robbery". Paring back pension tax breaks would send a dangerous message, it warns: save for old age, and the Treasury will plunder it.
Meanwhile, there is anger at the EU's apparent reluctance to give Britain a similar trade deal to that of Canada unless it follows rules set by Brussels. The Daily Telegraph accuses the EU of acting in bad faith and says no self-respecting independent nation of the UK's size and clout would accept such a demand. In the Mail's view, the EU is playing "pathetic games" and if it will not negotiate seriously, Britain will walk away.
Boris Johnson news – live: Priti Patel hit by bullying allegations, as Cummings’ ‘ludicrous’ designer babies views emerge amid eugenics storm
Cummings an ‘arrogant thicko’, says Charlie Brooker
The screenwriter and Black Mirror creator Charlie Brooker has attacked the No 10 supremo Dominic Cummings – calling him an “an arrogant thicko”.
“The sole upside of living through this humblingly s***** era is knowing you’ll *probably* get to witness arrogant thicko Dominic Cummings’ inevitable comeuppance five minutes before a blinding white flash in the sky,” he tweeted.
He added: “‘Superforecasting’. Christ. What a f***ing clown.”
Earlier this week Cummings recommended everyone read Philip Tetlock’s book Superforecasting.
It’s good to see Boris and the Government not rising to the media bait, after they got their nose put out of joint. Deflecting all this media tosh will just make him a stronger PM. The media are sinking to new lows,poor souls.
It’s good to see Boris and the Government not rising to the media bait, after they got their nose put out of joint. Deflecting all this media tosh will just make him a stronger PM. The media are sinking to new lows,poor souls.
The media are overwhelmingly pro-Conservative and pro-Brexit.
Which one do you classify as "media bait"? Expecting a PM to pretend to care about natural disasters in his own country? Or superforecasters-people who believe they know more than experts in every single field. 21st Century Mystic Megs. Pah.
It’s good to see Boris and the Government not rising to the media bait, after they got their nose put out of joint. Deflecting all this media tosh will just make him a stronger PM. The media are sinking to new lows,poor souls.
I think that to take this view you have got to completely ignore everything that is going on around you. Boris was all over the floods during the general election campaign, taking advantage of every photo opportunity. Now the election is over and done with, he seems allergic to floods. I am surprised that you haven't blamed Tony Blair for the floods, you are slipping. The Government seem to be shooting themselves in the foot and exposing their own incompetence almost on a daily basis. You cant blame the press for reporting on it, that's their job. Perhaps Tony Blair is to blame for that too.
It’s good to see Boris and the Government not rising to the media bait, after they got their nose put out of joint. Deflecting all this media tosh will just make him a stronger PM. The media are sinking to new lows,poor souls.
I remember as a young boy, my Father asked me what I thought of something, and I replied "rubbish". He then pointed out to me that just to criticise something as being rubbish, was inadequate, and nobody would take me seriously. He explained that to have my opinion respected, I would need to be much more specific, and explain the reasons for my criticism. He was right of course.
You have reminded me of this conversation. You continually do this by criticising the media as if it was a single organisation, that was always completely out of touch, and had decided to publish slurs about Boris and The Government at every opportunity, and ignore any good deeds. They even have a single nose that has been put out of joint? You also blame Tony Blair for everything under the sun, despite the fact he no longer plays a part in day to day politics.
Yet you never explain anything.
Why is the media nose out of joint?
Which media tosh?
What media bait?
Which new lows?
Wouldn't you think that having a free press is fundamental to any democracy?
How do you hide behind freedom of the press?
Why would you describe the media as poor souls?
Why is Tony Blair responsible for all our terrorism?
Why is Tony Blair responsible for Islamophobia?
Is he responsible for all the terrorism, and Islamophobia throughout the world, or just in this country?
You have previous convictions for an unwillingness to answer questions, so I wont hold my breath.
It’s good to see Boris and the Government not rising to the media bait, after they got their nose put out of joint. Deflecting all this media tosh will just make him a stronger PM. The media are sinking to new lows,poor souls.
The media are overwhelmingly pro-Conservative and pro-Brexit.
Which one do you classify as "media bait"? Expecting a PM to pretend to care about natural disasters in his own country? Or superforecasters-people who believe they know more than experts in every single field. 21st Century Mystic Megs. Pah.
Joining the dots up, I’d say Blair is responsible for the Terrorism in this country, the Islamaphobia,all ongoing. Which incorporates the release dates etc, all ongoing. Which the media would love to blame the government for, but can’t. Not relevant to Brexit? Which also applies to a lot of the above cartoons.
Tony Blair did it.
Man stabbed at mosque in London's Regent's Park
An elderly man has been stabbed at a mosque in central London during afternoon prayers. The man, in his 70s, was taken to hospital after he was stabbed at London Central Mosque in Regent's Park just after 3pm. Police said he is in a non-life threatening condition after being treated at the scene and taken to a major trauma centre. He is believed to be the muezzin who leads the call to prayer and was at the front of the hall when he was stabbed.
Comments
I wasn't really a Sajid Javid fan, but you have to admire him for not wearing it.
From the article above.
That’s why, to name but one, Matt Hancock gladly carries on, in service of a Brexit he knows is horrific. That’s why Liz Truss gladly ploughs on as secretary of state for international trade, despite proclaiming in June 2016, when she was a Remainer (she still is a Remainer) that leaving the EU will not lead to better trade terms with any country, anywhere in the world. She was right then;she’s wrong now. But she’s still in a job. and that’s the main thing.
The main story for the Sunday Times is that Downing Street has vowed to scrap the television licence fee and make viewers pay a subscription for BBC services.
It says the national broadcaster could also be compelled to sell off most of its local and national radio stations and reduce the number of its television channels.
A No 10 source is quoted as saying: "The PM is firmly of the view that there needs to be serious reform. He is really strident on this."
However, the paper says the decision to ramp up hostilities is a high-risk move for No 10, with polls showing the BBC retains high approval ratings with more than 80% of voters.
The paper also reports that Boris Johnson has shelved plans to impose a "mansion tax" on owners of expensive homes, following a major backlash among Conservative MPs and grassroots.
It understands the prime minister "cooled" on the idea of including the measure in the Budget after discussing it with Sajid Javid before he resigned as Chancellor.
A cartoon in the Sunday Times shows Boris Johnson leaving Number 10 to take his ministers for a walk.
He's holding several dog leashes and they are on all fours.
After the cabinet reshuffle, the Mail on Sunday says Downing Street is the court of King Boris.
Andrew Rawnsley, in the Observer, talks of a Number 10 power grab and an absolute monarchy.
But, he warns, the prime minister will encounter the sheer physical impossibility of trying to run everything from Downing Street.
An organism as complex as the government of an advanced nation can't all be managed from one terraced house in SW1, he adds.
Dan Hodges writes in the Mail that while Downing Street's authority has been reinforced, the authority of the prime minister has actually been weakened.
This morning, he goes on, people are no longer talking about Johnson's government, but the government of Dominic Cummings, his chief aide.
He says Mr Cummings is in danger of neutering his own prime minister.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/blogs-the-papers-51518853
Home Office tells 100-year-old Italian man parents must confirm his identity for settled status
A 100-year-old Italian man was told his parents must confirm his identity if he wants to stay in the UK after Brexit.
Giovanni Palmiero, who has lived in London since 1966, went to an advice centre in Islington, north London, to apply for settled status.
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/settled-status-uk-brexit-immigration-italy-home-office-eu-london-a9333001.html
They’re always hiding behind “ the freedom of the press”.
Of course, they want to fill their rags with defamatory cartoons and misinformation,pays the bills.
The election was won by the Tories, dishing out a crushing defeat to Labour.
Best not upset the legions of Labour voters who voted Tory.
You say you’re a happy camper? How can that be true?
Every day, by the looks of things, you’re searching out derogatory things about the Government,that’s quite sad in itself.
Let’s hope they borrow hundreds of billions.
Of course then incoming moaning from the opposition about 10 years of austerity.
Nice hard Brexit, lots of borrowing, and no sulking for five years👍
Which incorporates the release dates etc, all ongoing.
Which the media would love to blame the government for, but can’t.
Not relevant to Brexit? Which also applies to a lot of the above cartoons.
The paper found that 32 centres have shut in the past three years across the UK and that an extra 100,000 patients a year are ending up in hospital.
The charity Age UK tells the paper that for the older people affected and their families the withdrawal of community services is devastating.
Boris Johnson has promised his government will "fix the social care crisis once and for all".
The Guardian says Labour is calling on Boris Johnson to sack a new Downing Street aide whose past pronouncements have caused outrage.
Andrew Sabisky is said to have been appointed after the prime minister's adviser, Dominic Cummings, appealed for "weirdos and misfits" to work at Number 10.
It's reported that, six years ago, the 27-year-old researcher proposed mandatory birth control at the onset of puberty to avoid unplanned pregnancies creating an "underclass".
He's also said to have claimed on Twitter that black Americans have a lower average IQ than white people.
The Telegraph says it's spoken to an aide to a senior cabinet minister who described Mr Sabisky's comments as "highly offensive", while another said they would refuse to work with him.
Mr Sabisky has not commented.
Britain and the European Union will "rip each other apart" during negotiations on a future trade deal, according to the French foreign minister, who's quoted in several of the papers.
The prediction by Jean-Yves Le Drian is the main front-page story in the Times and the Express.
The Times says negotiations over fishing rights are expected to be particularly tough.
The Mail quotes a UK government spokesman as saying that Britain is hoping for a relationship based on "friendly co-operation".
The Express says the UK's negotiator, David Frost, has made it clear that Boris Johnson will walk away from the talks unless the EU drops what the government considers to be "ridiculous" and "unreasonable" demands for Britain to sign up to EU rules.
Writing in the Financial Times, he says good regulation may hurt Facebook's business in the near term, but will be better for everyone over the long term.
His company is publishing a paper today setting out the questions that regulation might address.
The FT says the government's proposals on holding big tech companies to account and protecting users from exploitation, terrorism, revenge **** and hate crime need far more work if they're to be effective.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/blogs-the-papers-51526307
Many of Tuesday's newspapers continue to focus on the flooding caused by Storm Dennis, which an expert tells the Daily Mirror now represents a "national emergency".
Angela Terry, an environmental scientist, says the response so far - including sending in the army to fill sandbags - amounts to a "sticking plaster".
"Where the floody **** is Boris?" the Sun asks.
"The prime minister is in danger of misjudging the public mood," its leader column says.
"Whole communities are under water for the second time in months... but Boris Johnson is nowhere to be seen."
No 10 disagreement
Meanwhile, the Times says Boris Johnson is at odds with senior Downing Street advisers, including Dominic Cummings, over plans to scrap the BBC licence fee and replace it with a voluntary subscription.
On Sunday, it was reported that Downing Street wanted to "whack" the corporation.
But the Times says it's been told by an ally of Mr Johnson that he's "not as gung-ho on the licence fee as Dom", adding: "With the PM it's more reform than revolution".
Many of the papers digest the resignation of the Downing Street adviser and self-styled "super-forecaster" Andrew Sabisky, following criticism of alleged past remarks on pregnancies, eugenics and race
The Daily Mail says the 28-year-old had been one of the first to respond to an appeal from Dominic Cummings - the prime minister's most powerful aide - for "weirdos and misfits".
The Daily Telegraph calls it an "embarrassing setback" for Mr Cummings - a man whose "abrasive approach" to government, the Guardian suggests, is causing "consternation" among some Tories.
"What is the point of saving?" is the Daily Mail's headline, as it reports that National Savings and Investments has "slashed" interest rates to "rock-bottom" levels, and cut its prizes.
Instead of trying to reverse the "race to the bottom" savers face, the Mail says, the government is "joining it".
Its editorial urges the new Chancellor Rishi Sunak to "make his mark" by overturning the cuts in the forthcoming budget.
According to the Times, Mr Sunak could have other priorities, as it reports he and the prime minister are considering cutting pension tax relief for higher earners.
It says the Treasury has drawn up plans to reduce it from 40 to 20 per cent, a move that would raise £10bn a year.
Currently, the wealthy get more relief than lower earners. "If that's levelling up then I'm a flying pig," a government source tells the Times.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/blogs-the-papers-51540161
For Boris Johnson’s pantomime authoritarians, overt cruelty is a winning hand
The cabinet’s culture warriors are targeting ‘foreign criminals’ and ‘unelected judges’. Legal challenges alone won’t stop them
It has become received wisdom among Westminster pundits that the new winning formula in politics is to “move left on economics and right on culture”. Boris Johnson’s cabinet reshuffle looks like an attempt to put this lesson into practice: forcing Sajid Javid, an advocate of strict spending limits, out of the Treasury suggests that the prime minister wants to strategically splash money around – however superficial this moving “left” might prove to be. At the same time, Johnson’s government has sent a series of clear signals to the right – on immigration, on perceived liberal bias at the BBC, on the “free-speech crisis” in universities – the latest of which is the appointment of Suella Braverman as attorney general.
This suggests that the government intends to pursue the pantomime authoritarianism displayed by the home secretary, Priti Patel, at last year’s party conference: an ostentatious cruelty, directed at people who supposedly threaten public safety, and waved like a taunt to the liberal elite that stands in the government’s way. Braverman comes from the hard-right milieu that has increasingly set the tone in the Conservative party since the EU referendum. Last year, she drew criticism from the Board of Deputies of British Jews and others for saying the right was engaged in “a battle against cultural Marxism”, echoing a conspiracy theory with antisemitic connotations that has made its way from the extremist fringe into the mainstream via websites such as Breitbart.
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2020/feb/18/boris-johnson-panto-authoritarians-cruelty
I suppose you think that Osama Bin Laden is responsible for a well funded NHS.
You may not have noticed, but the Tories have been admitting for ages that they have an Islamophobia problem.
I am not sure why you would think that it is possible to blame previous PMs for anything, when we have had a Tory Government for 10 years.
Anything The Government is not happy with can be changed, and surely 10 years is long enough to do that.
The cartoons are relevant to Boris, and he owns Brexit.
Surely a free press is fundamental to any Democracy.
The lobby journalists are invited to Westminster for a briefing twice per day, while Parliament is sitting.
This has gone on for 150 years.
The other day, The Government, at a whim, decided to ban the lobby journalists representing media outlets that they didn't like, from the briefings.
This, in most peoples eyes amounts to censorship.
You seem oblivious.
This was nothing to do with who calls the shots.
We have laws in this country preventing misinformation being published.
I don't understand why you would think that I am not a happy camper?
Being unhappy about any decision The Government makes would be silly as I am unable to affect any of them.
Although I am able to make my opinions clear on this forum.
I can assure you that I don't have to search very hard for anything that is posted on this thread. However sad you may think this is.
I admire your optimism in respect of the immediate future, although I feel it is misplaced.
I don't intend to ask you to iterate the reasons for your optimism, as you will struggle to provide a coherent explanation.
Rather like your statement regarding Tony Blair being responsible for all our terrorism, and your complete lack of understanding of The Governments dispute with the lobby journalists.
Well you Brexiteers, be careful what you wished for...
Jonny foreigner who took all our jobs and now we've 'taken back control' won't be able to do the real, tough low paid jobs in food processing and social care to name two sectors that struggle for workers
( I watched the Brexit uncivil war programme about Dominic Cummings again recently...fascinating to see the current Prime Minister/decision maker at work-yes I mean DC not Bojo!)
All those seasonal fruit and veg jobs that we couldn't fill with 'UK' workers means prices will shoot up...I run a food business and can already see the weekly, subtle shift upwards in food prices.
God knows how our social care/old persons care sector will cope- oh yes we will go to the 17-24 yr old yeah but no but uncaring generation
Still, Jacob Rees Mogg et al don't have to worry about food prices..he can send nanny in his second Bentley to collect his strawberries and cream from Waitrose
Ashamed of Taunton
The papers dedicate significant column inches to the government's post-Brexit immigration plans for a points-based system.
"Priti makes her points," is the Sun's headline as all the papers dedicate coverage to the government's post-Brexit immigration plans.
The Daily Express welcomes Ms Patel's efforts to "cut migrant numbers".
In an editorial for the newspaper, the Conservative immigration minister Kevin Foster, writes that the new system will be "firmer and fairer" and will allow the UK to "flourish".
However, the paper also points out that a plumber, with good English and a £24,000 a year contract, would be blocked from entering.
In a comment piece for the Daily Mail, David Goodhart - from centre-right think-tank Policy Exchange - says the government is finally responding to "popular instruction" after three years of parliamentary "dithering".
The paper adds that the rules represent the "biggest shake-up" of border guidance since 1973.
The Guardian highlights concerns from those involved in industries including transport and warehousing, food processing and tourism regarding the immigration plans.
Sally Gilson from the Freight Transport Association tells the paper that the arbitrary level for skills and salary should be changed so they are based on "what the country needs".
The union Unison says the proposals spell "disaster for the care sector".
But Ms Patel is quoted on the front of Metro as saying employers will simply "have to adjust".
The i newspaper describes the points-based system as the UK "closing the door" to low-skilled migrant workers.
But the paper also carries quotes from the group Migration Watch UK, which believes the measures prove the government is "not serious" about taking control of immigration.
The campaigners cite the fact that British people will still face competition for jobs - in some cases from "overseas workers from much poorer countries".
Elsewhere in politics, the Guardian carries an interview with the Labour deputy leadership candidate, Dawn Butler.
In it, she claims she is mistaken for black female colleagues "at least once a week".
The BBC was forced to apologise to Ms Butler earlier this month, after she was incorrectly identified as the Battersea MP Marsha de Cordova on the Parliament channel.
Ms Butler adds that it is an "exhausting battle" to be correctly named.
Floods
"A floody disgrace" is the Daily Mirror's take on Boris Johnson's response to the flood damage caused by Storm Dennis.
The paper quotes mother-of-three Tracey Newman who found her home near Cardiff "knee deep" in water.
She describes Mr Johnson's no-show in flood-hit communities as "unbelievable" - adding that she called up the government's emergency fund and was offered £80.
Downing Street said the prime minister was "fully engaged" with recovery efforts.
Meanwhile, the Daily Telegraph reports that Lord Steel is to be expelled from the Liberal Democrats for his handling of sexual abuse allegations against the former Rochdale MP, Cyril Smith.
The paper says that a report from the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse will "castigate" the former party leader when it is published next week.
No 10 adviser
"Aide exit marks first weirdos and misfits failure" is the headline in the Financial Times, as Dominic Cummings' role as the prime minister's chief adviser continues to come under scrutiny.
Days after Andrew Sabisky was forced to leave his role as a "super-forecaster" for his views on eugenics and race, the paper concludes that despite wanting to bring "unconventional minds" into the heart of government, Mr Cummings' strategy is not "entirely immune" to traditional political norms.
Meanwhile, a senior government source has told the Times that Mr Sabisky was not vetted for his role at Number Ten and attended meetings with Boris Johnson and defence officials.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/blogs-the-papers-51554581
Boris Johnson news – live: ‘Clearly clueless’ Priti Patel insists PM not racist, as Downing St tweet appears to reveal basic Brexit deal misunderstanding
Boris Johnson’s plan to block low-skilled workers from the UK after Brexit has been branded “toxic” by Labour. The opposition called Priti Patel “clearly clueless” after she suggested more than eight million “economically inactive” people could help meet any job shortages.
The home secretary – who conceded in a LBC interview her own parents may not have been allowed in under the new immigration rules – defended Mr Johnson after he was called “a real racist” by rapper Dave at last night’s BRIT Awards.
It comes as the government is accused of failing to understand the EU’s basic Brexit negotiating position, after the No 10 press office claimed Brussels had “changed” its stance from a previous willingness to agree a “Canada-style” free trade deal.
PM ‘not a racist’, says Priti Patel after BRIT Awards attack
Lib Dems say Tory plan based on 'xenophobia'
Patel 'clearly clueless' on immigration says Labour
... as home secretary admits parents may have been turned away under new rules
UK ‘different ball game’ to Canada, says EU official
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/boris-johnson-news-live-brexit-latest-no-deal-eu-labour-leadership-immigration-dave-today-a9343511.html
"The problem is the criteria themselves suggest to me the number of people coming from outside the European Union will be even bigger"
Nigel Farage says he believes the government's planned immigration rules may lead to "more immigration, not less"
https://
trib.al/Udoo9pq
Priti Patel's proposals for the UK's immigration system feature widely in Thursday's newspapers.
The Financial Times thinks the new policy is a gamble. It says the new rules assume that if businesses cannot hire low-paid migrants, they will invest in training, automation and recruitment to improve workers' productivity.
However, companies could also shut up shop and relocate abroad, it warns, leaving consumers with high prices and less choice.
Most concern is focused on the care sector. In the view of the i newspaper, there appears to be no plan to mitigate the impact on social care, already in a dire state.
It points out that hourly pay across the sector is lower than in almost every supermarket chain - far short of the threshold to qualify for coming to the UK.
For some, the changes are primarily political, not economic.
The Guardian's Martin Kettle writes that the governing approach is to impress the voting public rather than to solve the labour market issues.
The practical side takes second place to the message, he believes.
For Matthew Lynn in the Daily Telegraph, there is no point in denying that Ms Patel's measures will be hard on some businesses.
But, he argues, curbing low-skilled immigration can change the economy for the better because it will bring about higher productivity and higher wage industries
For far too long, the Times says, businesses have expanded on the basis of cheap labour made available by EU membership.
That has diverted them from vital long-term investment in training and automated production, with the result that Britain has a chronic productivity problem, the paper adds.
Ms Patel is the subject of the main story in the Times - but for a different reason.
It reports that she has attempted to oust her most senior civil servant after a clash at the top of the Home Office.
According to the paper, multiple sources inside the department have accused the home secretary of bullying and creating an "atmosphere of fear".
A Home Office spokesman tells the paper there have been no formal complaints against Ms Patel and it takes the welfare of staff extremely seriously.
The paper adds that her allies have rejected the claims of bullying, saying that while she was a demanding boss, she had never been unreasonable.
Flooding
For its lead, the Guardian says official figures reveal that one in ten of all new homes in England since 2013 have been built on land at the highest risk of flooding.
The number of properties built in these high-risk areas annually has more than doubled in recent years, it adds.
The flooding makes the lead for the Daily Mirror. It has a picture of a man wading into floodwater in Monmouth to rescue a freezing woman trapped in her submerged car.
But the paper says that while the rescuer risked his own life, Boris Johnson has come under fire for failing to visit flood areas.
Budget
According to the Sun, motorists are to be targeted in next month's Budget, with the first rise in fuel duty in a decade.
It quotes Treasury sources as saying the prime minister's chief aide, Dominic Cummings, wants to end the freeze on fuel duty to fund the government's promised spending on infrastructure outside London.
But the paper's leader column warns that "whacking voters with a whopping great tax for the privilege of taking their children to school won't make [Boris Johnson] any friends".
The Daily Mail's leader column is aghast at another Budget proposal for a £10bn pensions raid by axing higher rate tax relief on retirement pots.
It describes the plan as "unbridled madness" and "daylight robbery".
Paring back pension tax breaks would send a dangerous message, it warns: save for old age, and the Treasury will plunder it.
Meanwhile, there is anger at the EU's apparent reluctance to give Britain a similar trade deal to that of Canada unless it follows rules set by Brussels.
The Daily Telegraph accuses the EU of acting in bad faith and says no self-respecting independent nation of the UK's size and clout would accept such a demand.
In the Mail's view, the EU is playing "pathetic games" and if it will not negotiate seriously, Britain will walk away.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/blogs-the-papers-51567465
Boris Johnson news – live: Priti Patel hit by bullying allegations, as Cummings’ ‘ludicrous’ designer babies views emerge amid eugenics storm
Cummings an ‘arrogant thicko’, says Charlie Brooker
The screenwriter and Black Mirror creator Charlie Brooker has attacked the No 10 supremo Dominic Cummings – calling him an “an arrogant thicko”.
“The sole upside of living through this humblingly s***** era is knowing you’ll *probably* get to witness arrogant thicko Dominic Cummings’ inevitable comeuppance five minutes before a blinding white flash in the sky,” he tweeted.
He added: “‘Superforecasting’. Christ. What a f***ing clown.”
Earlier this week Cummings recommended everyone read Philip Tetlock’s book Superforecasting.
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/boris-johnson-news-live-brexit-eu-no-deal-priti-patel-cummings-labour-leadership-latest-a9345676.html
Deflecting all this media tosh will just make him a stronger PM.
The media are sinking to new lows,poor souls.
Which one do you classify as "media bait"?
Expecting a PM to pretend to care about natural disasters in his own country?
Or superforecasters-people who believe they know more than experts in every single field. 21st Century Mystic Megs. Pah.
Boris was all over the floods during the general election campaign, taking advantage of every photo opportunity.
Now the election is over and done with, he seems allergic to floods.
I am surprised that you haven't blamed Tony Blair for the floods, you are slipping.
The Government seem to be shooting themselves in the foot and exposing their own incompetence almost on a daily basis.
You cant blame the press for reporting on it, that's their job.
Perhaps Tony Blair is to blame for that too.
He then pointed out to me that just to criticise something as being rubbish, was inadequate, and nobody would take me seriously.
He explained that to have my opinion respected, I would need to be much more specific, and explain the reasons for my criticism.
He was right of course.
You have reminded me of this conversation.
You continually do this by criticising the media as if it was a single organisation, that was always completely out of touch, and had decided to publish slurs about Boris and The Government at every opportunity, and ignore any good deeds.
They even have a single nose that has been put out of joint?
You also blame Tony Blair for everything under the sun, despite the fact he no longer plays a part in day to day politics.
Yet you never explain anything.
Why is the media nose out of joint?
Which media tosh?
What media bait?
Which new lows?
Wouldn't you think that having a free press is fundamental to any democracy?
How do you hide behind freedom of the press?
Why would you describe the media as poor souls?
Why is Tony Blair responsible for all our terrorism?
Why is Tony Blair responsible for Islamophobia?
Is he responsible for all the terrorism, and Islamophobia throughout the world, or just in this country?
You have previous convictions for an unwillingness to answer questions, so I wont hold my breath.
I wonder why?
Tony Blair did it.
Man stabbed at mosque in London's Regent's Park
An elderly man has been stabbed at a mosque in central London during afternoon prayers.
The man, in his 70s, was taken to hospital after he was stabbed at London Central Mosque in Regent's Park just after 3pm.
Police said he is in a non-life threatening condition after being treated at the scene and taken to a major trauma centre.
He is believed to be the muezzin who leads the call to prayer and was at the front of the hall when he was stabbed.
https://uk.yahoo.com/news/man-stabbed-mosque-londons-regents-park-160500178.html