Politics Today

[Hermann]

Genuine question. Is there anybody on Exeweb who thinks Johnson is remotely competent or has the skills and mindset needed to be a functioning prime minister?

I'd be surprised if this has altered Ramone's and Tavy's opinions on him.

 

[Rosencrantz]

The funny thing is that it's not Cummings' job to govern.
The real question Johnson should be asking himself is "Can I govern?"

But he has already answered that in effect to himself. If he thought he could Cummings would have been gone by now. It's a question many Tory MP's are struggling to find an answer to because it's so obvious to the public from who they are receiving correspondence from in their thousands. They (the MP's) don't know why Boris is undermining his own and the cabinets credibility and authority, and in extension the Party's, for one unelected official.

 

[arthur]

This, thanks to Indo, is exactly what I've been saying. Major lost it on Black Wednesday in 1992 and never recovered - this is the same, but worse, because Johnson is so much more useless than Major. And again, all the more bizarre, since Cummings is supposed to understand the importance of "valence"

Fascinating interview on Peston last night with Stephen Reicher when he said this stuff. His main ire was not so much with Cummings, but with Johnson, not s for much for defending him, but the way he did it

His [Cummings] explanation was entirely about his judgments as an individual, his decisions, his personal concerns. At no point was there any thought to the impact of his actions on others....

In effect, Johnson’s defence of Cummings turned an issue of communal responsibility into an issue of individual preference. Had everyone done that – had we all put so much energy into thinking about loopholes that served our personal circumstances rather than thinking about the impact of our actions on others – then lockdown would not have worked, the infection would still be raging and the NHS would have been overwhelmed.

Cummings' actions have taken the ‘we' out of keeping to lockdown rules | Stephen Reicher

Let’s hope our sense of shared responsibility during the coronavirus crisis hasn’t been shattered, says behavioural science expert Stephen Reicher

www.theguardian.com

 

[arthur]

I'd be surprised if this has altered Ramone's and Tavy's opinions on him.

I'd love to hear their evidence for deciding that he is competent. And wasn't Jinx hugely impressed when he became PM - "I do like the cut of his jib"

 

[arthur]

The funny thing is that it's not Cummings' job to govern.
The real question Johnson should be asking himself is "Can I govern?"

He knew the answer to that as soon as he became leader. That is why he appointed Cummings

 

[Grecian2K]

I'd love to hear their evidence for deciding that he is competent. And wasn't Jinx hugely impressed when he became PM - "I do like the cut of his jib"

Not to mention Exewebs No1, original *******.
Perhaps he'll be charging back into the fray on his blue unicorn once the schools start up again and he can use their computers once more?

 

[Rosencrantz]

This, thanks to Indo, is exactly what I've been saying. Major lost it on Black Wednesday in 1992 and never recovered - this is the same, but worse, because Johnson is so much more useless than Major. And again, all the more bizarre, since Cummings is supposed to understand the importance of "valence"

Fascinating interview on Peston last night with Stephen Reicher when he said this stuff. His main ire was not so much with Cummings, but with Johnson, not s for much for defending him, but the way he did it

His [Cummings] explanation was entirely about his judgments as an individual, his decisions, his personal concerns. At no point was there any thought to the impact of his actions on others....

In effect, Johnson’s defence of Cummings turned an issue of communal responsibility into an issue of individual preference. Had everyone done that – had we all put so much energy into thinking about loopholes that served our personal circumstances rather than thinking about the impact of our actions on others – then lockdown would not have worked, the infection would still be raging and the NHS would have been overwhelmed.

Cummings' actions have taken the ‘we' out of keeping to lockdown rules | Stephen Reicher

Let’s hope our sense of shared responsibility during the coronavirus crisis hasn’t been shattered, says behavioural science expert Stephen Reicher

www.theguardian.com

Like Red Paul has alluded to previously, the public have in some cases with the Lockdown been a couple of steps ahead of the government in taking decisions. That I would think is purely down to lack of information, evidence and most of all trust. People are generally looking abroad to form their opinions which would indicate they trust some foreign governments more than our own.

 

[IndoMike]

But he has already answered that in effect to himself. If he thought he could Cummings would have been gone by now. It's a question many Tory MP's are struggling to find an answer to because it's so obvious to the public from who they are receiving correspondence from in their thousands. They (the MP's) don't know why Boris is undermining his own and the cabinets credibility and authority, and in extension the Party's, for one unelected official.

I think neither of us needs to convince the other. Johnson is just the front to Cummings, who is the defacto power behind the throne. I imagine all ministerial appointments were proposed by him or had to be approved by him, too. I'm sure he selected the most pliable.

 

[IndoMike]

He knew the answer to that as soon as he became leader. That is why he appointed Cummings

IIRC Johnson was DESPERATE to hire Cummings. The story was that Cummings didn't want it but Johnson perauaded him. Maybe he was just playing hard to get. Or maybe I'm wrong

 

[IndoMike]

I'd love to hear their evidence for deciding that he is competent. And wasn't Jinx hugely impressed when he became PM - "I do like the cut of his jib"

The public was offered sh*t or sh*t and sugar, so they chose the latter (the sugar being BREXIT)