Two articles in the Guardian grabbed my attention. One is on his visit to Scotland today:
Johnson's visit comes on the second day of the election campaign ...
Johnson spent little over an hour touring the rural distillery in a strictly managed visit during which he had no contact with the public. He returned immediately to RAF Lossiemouth, and from there travelled to Northern Ireland.
The other is by the medical student who tried to speak to Johnson during his visit to Addenbrooke's Hospital in Cambridge this week. As she said:
Like the majority of people working in Addenbrooke's, I had no idea Johnson was visiting that day. Most staff didn't even know he was there until after he had left — he clearly wanted to get some nice photos in a lab coat and get out of there.
The feature in common? Johnson 'campaigning' as far as possible from the public.
Why, I wonder? Could it be that he's really very frightened of ordinary people?
Or is to that, like Rees-Mogg he holds them in contempt?
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My uniformed guess is that he agrees a schedule and guidelines as to what and what not to expect & say, avoiding as much direct contact as possible with the general public when in uncharted territory. Why take unnecessary risks? Most electioneering is rehearsed theatre and rote speeches which then get headlined in the press as if its a true reflection of the relationship between candidate & average voter. The respective party campaign managers and PR staff try to arrange things to avoid any serious and unexpected glitches. And in most instances it probably goes pretty much according to plan. Of course we love it when it doesn’t. Having said that, Corbyn seems more at ease among ‘ordinary’ people, with a sort of folksy charm that is totally absent with Johnson. Different cultures. But it’s the following days’ headlines that count. And unlike Blair, JC would never contemplate a Faustian Pact with the Murdoch press.
Meeting real people? Hearing spontaneous, unfiltered comment? That would be tantamount to legitimising democracy – and we can’t have that, really! Can we?
And remember the old joke about the American tourist who said something like ” Aberdeen – It must be Thursday”.
Because he is incapable of sincerely engaging with hoi poloi.
He was always like that away from unscripted stage managed friendly studio audiences.
Remember his GLA days?
The difference is starkly noted here in Scotland.
Johnson seen leaving Addenbrookes surrounded by men in black suits like an old time Chicago gangster (in a public hospital FFS).
Nicola Sturgeon gets off the stage after speaking to a crowd of thousands in Glasgow and has selfies taken with members of the public. Presumably there are security people around (?) but you don’t see them. (They are probably looking out for MI5 operatives, the crowd itself would take care of any loony ‘yoons’ and sit on them).
Could ask you the same question.
Every time someone asks you difficult questions or prove you wrong you call them trolls, block them and hide behind your “comments policy”.
So it’s a bit hypocritical saying that Boris is hiding, isn’t it?
I will always engage with a difficult question
But not when it comes with an ad hominem attached
Because Boris knows that ‘his public’ are largely online these days and no doubt Cummings has an armoury of lies to peddle to them from now until the 13th December.
Johnson was booed out of Addenbrooke. No one in the MSM saw fit to mention it of course. Wouldn’t be fair….
Interesting. I’m reminded of his behaviour right after the EU Referendum, when Leave narrowly won–against all expectation. Johnson, who had been one of Leave’s most outspoken advocates (along with Farage) suddenly …vanished. Remember that? Instead of coming forward to savour his victory and take his rightfully earned (okay, joking here) place as the next PM after Cameron resigned …he went into hiding. For DAYS….
Says a lot, I reckon. He’s not all that sure-footed when he gets put on the spot, is he?
Shades of May in 2017 – she was/is very stiff in public (so tended to favour the stage managed stuff) – the mendacious fatberg has a different problem – people will start jeering & heckling (e.g. the hospital visit) – which is not a good look – particularly when electioneeering. By contrast, Corbyn, seems to be well liked – as a person – at worst people will say they disagree with his policies – but will not hold him in contempt – in the way that large numbers of the public seem to hold the fatberg in contempt.
I (partially) blame Hislop & HIGNFY – which “promoted” at least two of the current crop of Tory dolts in a way which gave them a profile that would otherwise have been lacking
“By contrast, Corbyn, seems to be well liked”..are you sure?.. one of the most unpopular Party leaders of all time according to opinion polls
He meets people
They like him
And there is good reason why – I confirm that as a person he is decidedly likeable
Mick Jones says:
“By contrast, Corbyn, seems to be well liked”..are you sure?.. one of the most unpopular Party leaders of all time according to opinion polls”
That will be the result of a concerted media campaign. On the basis of that campaign people believe he’s a dangerous Marxist Commie and they don’t bother to listen to him. When people do listen, they tend to find what he says not particularly radical (except in contrast to today’s madness).
Many of his opponents are lauded for speaking something approximating drivel, peppered with disingenuous soundbites. People cannot be forced to listen to, let alone understand what they don’t wish to hear.
Boris Johnson hasn’t even done a press conference as yet….
Like I say he is not really an assett in the election just an ass as soon as he opens his overentitled bluffing gon. Incase you haven’t already come across it.
This is Johnson last night addressing local NI tories – a handful – while he seems a bit tired and emotional , making up the NI brexit on the hoof and refusing to adhere to what he said WHILE still telling them not to whinge because they still have access to the SM and CU.
https://mobile.twitter.com/ManufacturingNI/status/1192564837345353728
Why is this not all over the msm?
Why instead are two very ex-Labour MPs instead?
What exactly is the broadcast media doing having tory backing messaging going on without an equal right to reply for other parties?
Why are they blatantly breaking election fair coverage rules. ?
It’s getting in the MSM now
I suspect the EU will say that’s the end of his deal
You’ve perfectly identified the two features of Johnson’s character that explain his behaviour. Fear of, and contempt for, ordinary people. The latter causes the former. These characteristics should disqualify him from taking any public office. Sadly he’s heading for Downing St again and the country is heading for Brexit, deal or no deal, Trump’s puppet (a muppet’s puppet?), privatised NHS, extreme wealth inequality, social unrest, more food banks, more crime and God knows what else. Yet the people fear Corbyn who will oppose all that. Funny old world ain’t it?
Course Boris wasn’t in Scotland at all. Roseisle distillery, near Elgin in Moray makes one of malts used in the the Johnny Walker blend but Diagio will tell you that its world best selling whisky in fact comes from the Netherlands.
Diageo used Dutch subsidiaries to transfer billions of pounds worth of its businesses out of the UK:
“…The Johnnie Walker business, worth almost £6bn, was now, it was recorded, to be “carried on through a branch located in the Netherlands”. Next, this “Netherlands branch” was incorporated and turned into a Dutch subsidiary company with an almost identical title: UDV [SJ] BV. [“BV” is the Dutch equivalent of “Ltd”.] A British tax concession allows such incorporation of existing foreign branches without the normal capital gains bill for selling the valuable asset overseas…”
https://www.theguardian.com/business/2009/feb/02/tax-gap-diageo-johnnie-walker
– He spent an hour effectively promoting a company operation that’s an effective scam to pay HM Government little or no revenue and likewise returns little to Scotland; despite that products reputation and controlled designation being based on its Scottish origin.
Thanks
Ken Waldron says:
“Diageo used Dutch subsidiaries to transfer billions of pounds worth of its businesses out of the UK:…….”
I didn’t know about that, but it doesn’t surprise me. And Boris doesn’t give a toss. After all he’s engaged in selling the UK to global capital interests. Is that wickedness or ignorance?
Not just the public. For some reasons, Boris Johnson seems to dislike being held accountable for his actions. I think I’m right in saying that he has attended PMQs only three times since he became prime minister in July.
Andrew says:
“Not just the public. For some reasons, Boris Johnson seems to dislike being held accountable for his actions. I think I’m right in saying that he has attended PMQs only three times since he became prime minister in July.”
His reputation as an orator is largely the judgement of pissed Tory sycophants of his after dinner speeches, I think.
If he mumbles something vaguely indicative of what he means, with the correct comedy timing they fall about and roll in the aisles. Works especially well if it’s a reference to classical history which nobody can quite remember form school.
Is the ‘a’ in Tapir usually long or short ? Or is it optional ?