There are any number of ways of seeing the photograph's issued yesterday of the party Boris Johnson attended on 13 November 2020.
Denis Swayne MP managed to call it a work event yesterday, which was no excuse.
No doubt Grant Shapps will destroy any remaining credibility he has by telling the morning media round some lie or other as to why this was not an illegal gathering when we know it was, since people have been fined for being at it, and that the prime minister was entitled to be there as he was at home, which is not true as his home is in his fiat.
The Met must also gave their reasons for not fining Johnson when they did others at the same event, but I doubt they will.
But, candidly, literally nothing anyone can say will alter the fact that this was very obviously a party. And parties were illegal at the time.
So what really happened? It seems to me that an illegal party was held. The Prime Minister must have endorsed it, because he could have stopped it. He had the power to do so. No one had more power than him. He was therefore responsible for this event. He should have been held responsible for it, and should have been honed, heavily, as a result.
He lied to parliament about this event. He was asked if any party took place on this day. He said none had. He had never corrected the record. The Standards Committee now needs to address this issue.
The Met chose not to penalise him. It is said they have seen this photo. Their action is totally inexplicable.
So what to do? First, conclude that the Met is utterly corrupt. There is no other explanation for their actions. All the senior officers involved need to be disciplined, in my opinion. A total reorganisation is required and its excess powers need to be stripped from it.
Second, there is no point expecting the Met to take further action, and anyway this is all about politics now.
Third, the Standards Committee needs to suspend Johnson for lying to the House. The penalty should be at least ten days. Then there can be a recall petition in Uxbridge. This is the right way to punish this charlatan.
Fourth, we need a government that realises we face a systemic, existential crisis. It must appreciate we have faced fascism. It must be aware fascism has almost won. It must be willing to address that. It has to create unity and real choice. It has to sweep away the systems that let us reach this state. We need a democratic and constitutional revolution. We need all democrats to combine to guarantee the delivery of that now. We need them to name the enemy we face. We need to start this process immediately. We are in deep danger. We are in the biggest political crisis I have ever known. I just hope politicians can rise to it.
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For a century in Great Britain we are used to democratic change which happens at the ballot box.
I’m assuming that a call for revolution is a call for change using some kind of different and more immediate process seen before in other countries. Could you clarify?
It means we vote in a government to make sweeping changes to our constitution
Revolutionary change to that constitution so that democracy can be safeguarded, as far as possible
A revolution is a change to the constitutional arrangements. For example the glorious revolution, where parliament usurped power from monarchy and invited a foreigner to invade England tp take his place.
From my understanding of the UK constitution, only parliament has the legal right to carry out a revolution.
Perhaps you could answer a few questions yourself about democratic change. Richard has clearly stated what he means by revolutionary.
However, given this government’s numerous attacks on democracy it may well be impossible to get rid of them via the ballot box. For example, the totally unnecessary requirement for voter ID, copied from the hard right in the USA, which will result in the ‘accidental’ disqualification of voters in many poor areas which the government knows perfectly well are unlikely to be tory voters. Which could make all the difference in close run marginals, which under our FPTP system are the seats that determine which party wins.
Perhaps you’d also like to comment on the governement’s attack on the independence of the Electoral commission, who ensure elections are free from bias and corruption?
Given that is is headed by a known liar, has been shown in court to be corrupt in its awarding of contracts to political cronies and personal friends of tory party members, it’s clear that this government intend to make sure that the Electoral commission will side with them in case of any dodgy practices the tory party gets up to in the next election.
So if as a result of these measures the tories win the next election what do you suggest progressives do? Would you object to non-Parliamentary revolutionary action? I assume not.
Fascism rules by using and exploiting fear.
The police, the Tory party, Parliament much of the population are now in hock to fear.
Those using fascist techniques have no qualms about being unaccountable, no interest in normal standards of conduct. The future is theirs for the taking.
The hour is much later than you think. It’s all happening in slo’ mo right before us.
To paraphrase Milan Kundera, the only reason why the Tory Fascists want to create the future is to change the past: as though the promises made in 1946 were never made.
That is the modern Tory project.
I wonder how much fear played a part for those attending the various No. 10 parties? ‘It will look bad if you don’t attend’, ‘show that you are a team player’ etc etc.
Its quite easy, after all, to intimidate, particularly junior, members of staff into doing things they might be uncomfortable with. Just as importantly for this argument it can be very difficult to prove that any intimidation occurred.
Bits and pieces of a new constitution are already party policy among the opposition. PR is favoured among Labour party members, and has always been Lib Dem, SNP and Green policy.
Reform of the Lords likewise. They just need to present a broad common front -thought this raises the issue of working with other parties. Party loyalists of all parties make this difficult. This is a time for them to step up.
Reform needs to go beyond voting. I saw a post about political donations from people on the ‘rich list’. Labour £1.5 million, Lib Dems £200,000 but UKIP £4.5million ! The Conservatives £57 million.
The influence of the press needs to be addressed. If we had a more objective press, we would not be suffering Brexit or facing Fascism. The ghost of the 1930s Daily Mail owner must be laughing.
Judicial review, right to protest and automatic registration of voters needs to be restored or implemented.
The powers of the head of State should be in there too.
Thanks
If the Head of State is going to serve any purpose at all then they should be guardian of the constitution. When BoJo wanted to prorogue parliament Mrs Windsor should have refused. If Boris has broken the ministerial code, which he has, then Mrs Windsor should dismiss him as her Prime Minister. She was quite happy to do that in Australia if you remember Gough Whitlam (but he was a bit of a lefty of course).
Re-defining the constitutional duties of our head of state is something that definitely needs doing.
If nothing else Johnson’s arrogance and dishonesty has done a good job of highlighting the profound lack of checks and balances in the way we are governed.
I understood that the Lords were also looking at ways of redressing the balance between our legislature and executive but this appears to have been subjected to a complete news blackout.
I am also pleased to see the right-wing overthrow of the elected Gough Whitlam government is remembered by somebody else in this country.
I have always thought that if you were trying to find the origins of the wave of corruption and neo-fascism currently threatening the west, then that would be one of the good places to start looking
The victories of Biden and Albanese show that the neo-fascists can be beaten at the ballot box but as Joe Biden has found out and Albanese is likely to find out it is all too easy for those that have benefitted so much from the last forty years to frustrate them by every democratic and non-democratic means possible.
Therefore any coalition, or much better a loose confederation of the UK opposition needs a shared platform of constitutional, economic and social reform that they can all support in a general election.
There will never be a better opportunity.
After the Austerity, Brexit and Johnson years even the moderate Tories of Amersham and North Shropshire have started to understand that there is something deeply wrong.
The Met have some questions to answer if they are to avoid being seen as complicit and corrupt as they have on many occasions before (Morgan, Everard et al). It may be that Sue Gray will put the boot in, but don’t hold our breaths. We certainly are heading, if not revolution, at least a Tory defeat at the next general election. I agree that fascism is a danger and the billionaires are calling the shots at the moment. The Commons select committee on standards may have some influence on what happens, but again this may be a forlorn hope.
“It has to sweep away the systems that let us reach this state”
By which you mean democracy?
We do not have a democracy, from the Crown onwards
“We do not have a democracy, from the Crown onwards”
Well we have aa general election in 18months time, when in all probability and thankfully a Labour govt will be elected..we have a full democracy not a flawed democracy or a hybrid democracy or an authoritarian regime..not my definition but that of the Economic Intelligence unit https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Democracy_Index
It is your definition which is incorrect
The Electoral Commission is corrupted
The Lords is unelected
First past the post is not democratic
Elections are being rigged
The government is unaccountable
The electorate are being disenfranchised
Politely, don’t be stupid
Or admit you’re a fascist
“Politely, don’t be stupid..Or admit you’re a fascist”..
Listen to yourself, you have the rhetoric of a rabid madman. And I am neither and I am citing the Economic Intelligence unit https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Democracy_Index . Or maybe they are fascist too?
You said having an election prices we’re a democracy
Putin has them too
And when Lord Judge (former Lord Chief Justice) has called for revolution to end the tyranny of this government I can assure you I am not mad
But you may have many questions to ask of yourself
Spot on about Shapps. “He only popped in raised a glass and left”
You couldn’t make this stuff up
🙂
This is related on the basis of compare & contrast. Entitled elites such as Mendacious Fatberg & his confederates vs this:
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2022/may/24/mallory-mcmorrow-speech-democrats-michigan-midterms
It brought a tear to my eye. This was a speech & nailed the issues in the USA & indeed with modest changes, in the UK.
Very good
Richard,
I hope your family member is all right.
I might make several points, some not necessarily related to your post but certainly related to this issue.
Firstly we need to look at how the PM is appointed, in particular when the leadership changes between elections, I suggest that there should be some sort of questioning of a candidate, probably with standard questions, and a Security Service report followed by ratification by parliament on a free vote.
Secondly there is the issue over the dual role of the Met as both the Police and the Security Service, apart from any other issues this causes in terms of a very widely spread organisation there is also the issue of Police Officers having to protect Politicians and witness what they get up to. I suggest that if there was a separate ‘Protection’ organisation with no Law Enforcement functions we would not have the situation where a Police Officer had to stand at the door of Number 10 while a party went on inside.
Finally of course, as with Beergate this is an intensley political issue. In recent years a number of MP’s have gone to jail, most of these were to use the term ‘bang to rights’ and fairly straightforward cases. This however is not, the initial non investigation of the Downing Street parties was heavily criticised, as is the outcome of the decision to issue some fixed penalty notices.
I am not really sure what the way forward is, in some European States MP’s enjoy legal immunity, which I dont think is necessarily appropriate but I do wonder if there needs to be a better way of dealing with such politically charged investigations
It is impossible to understand the mess that the Met Police have made of investigating Partygate unless you first understand that the Met are for good reason intimidated and terrified of offending the powerful people that run this country
The problem for honest policemen is that they know trying to bring to justice anybody in the ruling triumvirate of Tory party/Right-wing media Barons/ the City of London usually ends up with the culprits getting away with it and dozens of policemen being convicted and/or losing their jobs.
Look no further than the so called phone hacking scandal, more correctly the largest criminal conspiracy this country has ever seen, or even a much lesser incident like Plebgate.
If the Met is corrupt we need to speculate about what the Quid Pro Quo is for the Police officers leading the work. What has BoJo offered them? Gongs at the New Years Honours? Peerages? Lucrative jobs at the Home Office? Any good ideas?!
If the Met is corrupt we need to speculate about what the Quid Pro Quo is for there Police officers leading the work. What has BoJo offered them? Gongs at the New Years Honours? Peerages? Lucrative jobs at the Home Office? Any good ideas?!
Fascism
Power
Easy to answer that one
I trust all is well with you and your family, Richard.
I think all will be OK
Advice suggests it will take a little while to reach that state, so help is required right now
We need a Constitution full stop. Recent history has shown that a Prime Minister who doesn’t recognise the responsibilities of an “unwritten constitution” supported by a compliant parliamentary majority can result in serious undermining of democracy.
I wouldn’t go as far as saying the UK is undemocratic, only that we have an archaic system which is letting us down in the absence of honourable leadership. It needs a thorough overhall to produce something fit for the next century with all the checks and balances to prevent future undermining.
But … those of us thinking this way are a minority. It isn’t in itself a manifesto to win an election. The only way for it to happen is for it to be a part of a core programme attracting multi-party consensus. Other non-Conservative parties are never going to agree on everything, but if they agree on a core there is a prospect of a functional coalition which re-sets the important democratic parameters.
(To be fair, there are no doubt a fair number of Conservatives who would sign up to a similar core, except that they would be blocked from nomination as candidates).
Those promoting a solution to anything are always a minority
I think a majority know we have a problem now
The issue of course is not only a Constitution but ‘Constitutionalism’ that is to say a culture that follows the values of the Constitution. As a for example Mike Pence insisted on ratifying the votes of the last US Presidential Election that saw Trump defeated despite the fact that he was Trumps Vice President
Electronic Voting by “The People”.
Electronic voting to replace our ‘unrepresentative’ parliamentary system.
All can vote to Jail the corrupt.
Hold toryZ feet over the fire of democratic transparency.
“The People” VOTE bad policies away.
Available too all of “The People”. All of the time.
Making fooling “The People” much harder.
Freedom requires eternal democratic vigilance.
Democracy is cooperation not coercion.
Votes not riots?
Two more years?
Tyranny toryZ leave us now by the ‘Will of The People’