Politics Today

[RedPaul]

Not alone Arthur but the one thing Johnson has is optimism and belief in the country. That resonates, for all his myriad of failings and resonates in comparison with the alternatives.

I know you abhor the need to be seen to be waving flags but after 5 years of bitter argument over Brexit, and still a sizeable rump that are desperate to say "I told you so", tied in with an agenda pushed by elements on the left of what out history should be, I understand why someone who "Backs Britain" even if just in word, not deed, is more popular than someone who people still don't really know, and who took over from someone who clearly hated Britain.

The damage that the parliament of 2019 did in being seen to frustrate the referendum result will long cast a shadow.

Vacuum of integrity is a good phrase and may stick. It's true, but there is still a vacuum of an alternative.

 

[arthur]

Liar/chancer/talks a good game.

Would fit plenty of politicians apart from Bunter.

How about The Reverend Blair ?

This has gone on too long Al. You know perfectly well that where is no equivalence in between the sheer wilful mendacity of Johnson and Blair's relentless spinning. If you persist with this calumny I shall be forced to demand from you a formal submission of the list of Blair's lies so that we can compare them to Johnson's.

You'll have seen this

Some Blair equivalent examples should be included in your answer.

And if you could give examples of the individuals Blair has lied (colleagues, wives, bosses etc.) that will also help. Johnny Mercer and Andrew Mitchell both said "He looked me in the eye and promised" - some Blair equivalents would be good.

Finally some Labour Campaign slogans that were outright lies are required. Things like this

 

[Alistair20000]

It is. He's the boss. Common knowledge.

Yep agrees with my sauces.

It’s his command
He’s in charge
The boss
Head man
Top dog
Big cheese
Head honcho
Numero uno

 

[arthur]

Not alone Arthur but the one thing Johnson has is optimism and belief in the country.

And Dommers had optimism and belief in Tisdale. Rose tinting can only get you so far before hard evidence and brutal reality kicks in. Then what have you got - a dysfunctional bunch of people fighting amongst themselves, with no idea about what to do. This is what happens when administrations elected on gut emotion take control - within five minutes they split into factions each claiming they are the true carriers of the populist will. (Think UKIP or BNP controlled councils, or Corbyn's presiding over the Labour Party, or Trump's White House).

The interesting thing about John Major is that once all the chaos had died down (Mellor and his Chelsea shirt, brown envelopes at the Ritz, Lamont singing in the bath as sterling went down the plughole) and Labour had an unassailable lead (you could canvass in 1995/96 and hardly meet a single Tory voter), he and Ken Clarke quietly got on with stabilising the economy and bequeathing a chalice to Gordon Brown that was far from poisoned. The thought of Johnson quietly getting on with doing something sensible is inconceivable....

 

[Alistair20000]

Good morning art

In part reply to the homework you have set me, the lies of Rev Blair over the Iraq war are my primary evidence. Lots of quotes from the Manchester Guardian available if you want me to paste them up.

 

[tavyred]

Its a vital part of the anti-Boris narrative that he is viewed as being uniquely dishonest, it’s a bit like the narrative about the U.K. and it’s COVID response having to be worst in the world. The fact is neither is true and it’s probably why BJ (currently at least) is polling higher than Starmer in the approval ratings and apparently the U.K. as regards excess deaths now has twenty nations in a worse state than us.
It’s like people can see through the politicised hyperbole.

 

[arthur]

Good morning art

In part reply to the homework you have set me, the lies of Rev Blair over the Iraq war are my primary evidence. Lots of quotes from the Manchester Guardian available if you want me to paste them up.

Good morning Al, and thanks for your response.

You make my point exactly. Blair was far from totally honest about one big thing - Iraq - which was a hole he dug for himself. He was well intentioned - misplaced messianic zeal - but unbelievably stupid, and his political career and legacy was destroyed because of it.

Johnson, on the other hand, routinely lies to everyone about everything for the simple reason that he cares about absolutely nothing apart from himself. This is why I maintain he is in a completely different league to Blair when it comes to persistent and wilful deceit.

 

[Greyhound]

Dominic Grieve (who, of course, has no axe to grind) joins in the fun by describing BJ as a "vacuum of integrity".

 

[arthur]

Its a vital part of the anti-Boris narrative that he is viewed as being uniquely dishonest,

You are correct. "Boris" is not uniquely dishonest https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2017/06/23/opinion/trumps-lies.html

 

[arthur]

Dominic Grieve (who, of course, has no axe to grind) joins in the fun by describing BJ as a "vacuum of integrity".

One of many people who knew Boris Johnson and were horrified that other people, who also knew Boris Johnson, were prepared to vote for him, knowing what that would do to the the Party they loved...

And they were right...

“Half of my fellow MPs are intolerant ideologues and we just don’t share the same principles. They are throwbacks and nationalists … their actions will diminish Britain,” (Alan Duncan)

Music to the ears of Tavy and Jinx of course....