British Politics

Which shows the benefits of the Union, and why he's resisting an independence vote.

 

M in lockdown ‘work meeting’ at No 10 (with cheese and wine)

updated
Chris Smyth, Whitehall Correspondent | Steven Swinford, Political Editor
Monday December 20 2021, 11.00am, The Times
UK politics

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Boris and Carrie Johnson were pictured sharing wine and cheese in the Downing Street garden but insisted it was a meeting
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Downing Street staff deserved a drink after work because they had been working so hard on the pandemic, the deputy prime minister has said as he insisted that a photo of Boris Johnson gathered with staff during lockdown broke no rules.

Dominic Raab said that the photo of Johnson, his wife and 17 others in the Downing Street garden in May last year was “staff having a drink after a busy set of work meetings” and defended Carrie Johnson’s presence.

No 10 denied last week that there was a social event on Friday, May 15, at which guests enjoyed wine, spirits and pizza inside and outside the building. They insisted that it had been a work meeting.

The picture obtained by The Guardian shows a bottle of wine and suggests that social distancing was not observed by the groups of people on the Downing Street terrace and lawn.

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A Downing Street spokesman said that Downing Street was “the prime minister’s home as well as his workplace”
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At the time social mixing between households was limited to two people. In workplaces, in-person meetings were allowed only if deemed “absolutely necessary”.

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On the same day, Matt Hancock, health secretary at the time, held a press conference to urge people to follow the rules and not socialise outside despite good weather that weekend.

A Downing Street spokesman said: “Work meetings often take place in the Downing Street garden in the summer months. On this occasion there were staff meetings following a No 10 press conference. Downing Street is the prime minister’s home as well as his workplace. The prime minister’s wife lives in No 10 and therefore also legitimately uses the garden.”

In a separate development, a minister suggested that Simon Case, the cabinet secretary, could be investigated over a Christmas party held in his office during lockdown. Case recused himself from overseeing an investigation into Christmas parties held at No 10 after it emerged that one had been held in his office. He insisted that he was aware of the gathering but did not participate.

Sue Gray, a former director of propriety and ethics who works in Michael Gove’s department for levelling up, has been drafted in to replace Case.



Sajid Javid, the health secretary, said that Gray, 64, would have complete freedom in what she investigated. Asked if she could look into Case, who is ultimately her boss, he said: “She will be able to investigate what she wants. If she wants to investigate one particular individual, whatever.”

Johnson admitted that public anger about the parties last year had contributed to the Conservatives’ loss in the North Shropshire by-election, a seat that they had held for 200 years.

Downing Street’s hopes of escaping criticism over the parties in an inquiry led by Case were dashed after The Times revealed that his office organised a party on December 17 last year. The Christmas quiz was held on the evening before a Downing Street gathering.

 

Row over Oxfordshire council vegan-only rule: Uproar as Green Party BANS meat and will serve only plant-based food at official events
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"A carrot not a stick approach should be employed"

 

During lockdown police would routinely turn up in a meat wagon mask less then put masks on to fine people for not wearing masks.

It must only be remainer voter commie types that actually care about this bullshit tattle tailing on each other.

 

He actually said that.

 

Well obviously the government doesn't care; but they are the ones telling us what we can and can't do, so I think it's only reasonable for the rest of us to care when they take the ****ing piss.

You voted for these ****s btw. Have the decency to show some remorse, in fact hang your head in shame ffs.

 

Plod around here are pretty much disinterested in the whole thing, and only really act if someone is being a total arse and disrupting others.

 

One of the reasons Boris is bringing in this pantomime nonsense is because the opposition ( the ****s you voted for ) are demanding more severe restrictions.

Sir Rodney desperately wants to blame Boris for everything and last time we didn't lock down early enough and opened up too soon .

The ****s you vote for would lock down forever , climate lockdowns and LGBTQP lockdowns lockdowns for racial disparity.

Power mad commie ****s .

Covid-19 didn't exist when we voted last time anyway you dolt.

 

Perhaps they could put more effort into catching Muslim ***** gangs

 

I reckon it's the same in other areas where these perverts operate, but there are some harrowing back stories to that.

It's ****ing shameful.

EDIT: To be fair, plod did use the slack time to focus on many other criminal activities, with a great deal of success, so credit where its due on that front.

 

Linking Owen Jones is a bannable offence

 

I thought all the fines were basically thrown out and nobody had actually ended up paying them? Plus, to be fair, the guidance was so ridiculously explained that every force in the country seemed unsure as to what they were even meant to be policing, if anything. Then again, I suppose using that as an excuse to put on a show of force and then backtrack, knowing you've already terrified people, would be tempting for any chief constable and superintendent...

 

Paul Marsh jailed for killing Jessica Dalgleish after she refused to eat lunch
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-kent-59730120

Eleven years!?