A government can survive a loss of confidence in it.
A Tory government can even survive a loss of confidence in it from its usually sycophantic media.
But as Politico notes this morning:
In the firing line: Hancock rarely puts a foot wrong when he's (virtually) touring the studios, but faces a tough old gig this morning after a rocky 24 hours for the government. Those hot takes suggesting “hysterical lefties” had cooked up the criticism about a lack of clarity are somewhat undermined by fresh attacks today from famous socialist activists such as, erm, the Sun newspaper, which rips into the “shambles” in its leader column; the Telegraph's Camilla Tominey, who says Johnson's No. 2 Dominic Raab made “already baffling advice even more bewildering;” commuter freesheet Metro, which savages the new social distancing rules with this mocking front page; the Financial Times, which splashes on a “day of confusion;” and members of the Cabinet, who (h/t Nick Watt) were “eye-rolling” over “the government's handling of the last 24 hours.” Yikes.
Not to mention: BoJo's old selfie chum Phillip Schofield, who went Full Piers yesterday with this viral rant on This Morning. Happily, Hancock has taken up Schofield's challenge and will be appearing on the show at 10 a.m. to face the music. The health secretary will not, however, be appearing on ITV's Good Morning Britain, which remains firmly in the Cain/Cummings sh*t house and has now gone two full weeks without even a junior minister to interview.
That's pretty savage, and Radio 4 has already had a good go at Hancock.
Tolerance of incompetence in the face of adversity is not high.
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It reflects the fact that the Tories no longer see Labour as a threat with Sturmey Archer at the helm. You may think I’m biased but Corbyn was clearly a bigger threat in their eyes. Now he’s gone they can criticise the government but that would all change if Labour started to attack. Don’t think for one moment the media will cause serious problems for this government of national embarrassment.
It’s clear that Starmer is starting to attack
Timing is everything here
I’d be building up slowly if I was him…
https://www.politico.eu/article/boris-johnsons-coronavirus-fudge/
This article says the public is behind bojo and his mates, no matter the high death toll.
It seems the media is still with him. It also appears the british public is and no amount of attacks on bojo lessen this. He can cause 200,000 to die and the British public will still back him. In other words bojo can walk on water, he can do miracles because his support base is very strong.
Depressing
But I also doubt it’s true
“There’s definitely trouble at ‘mill. But if not Johnson — who?” – you are absolutely right. There is nobody available who has the elector appeal of Johnson. And only Gove, the detestable slimey duplicitous toerag Gove, has the intelligence. Or maybe Hunt, with the unfortunate rhyme. Try to imagine Raab, or Hancock, or Sunak, or Patel sitting opposite Starmer in the HoC. And keeping on board Rees Mogg and the ERG. And keeping the Red Wall constituencies sweet. And confronting the EU when “negotiations” take place. And chumming up with the orange faced lout in the White House.
The only answer, eventually, should be, but won’t be, a coalition. Eventually, maybe there is going to be some sort of constitutional crisis. When the Weimar Republic decayed, Hindenberg had a strong leader to hand over to and ensure that Germnany had effective government (I am being just a little ironic here). The soon to be Disunited Kingdom has nobody of that ilk.
The reason why we will get change is that in the end they will panic on Brexit and have to defer and Johnson cannot do that
I hear that the discussion of replacements is prevalent….
I may hear wrongly….
But I would be surprised
There’s definitely trouble at ‘mill. But if not Johnson – who? This dilemma has been raised many times. Raab? Sunak? Gove? Out of the frying pan into the fire. I suppose that if/when the Tory Grandees decide BoJo has become too much of a liability they might take a flier on the six former Sunak. Has there ever been such a paucity of experience & talent in a UK administration?
Probably never
Even Chamberlain and Halifax would look good in this crowd
I’m guessing Murdoch’s choice, Gove, hence the media current antipathy towards Johnson. .
Hopefully BoJo will go very soon – whoever replaces him will be a bonus – why? – because there is no one else who will get the let-off that Boris gets – he is liked by many even when he remains a liability.