Putin The Boot In

Vladimir Putin to the @FT on the Tory leadership contest: “In your country, one leader has left, and the second leader, who is for all intents and purposes the top figure in the state, is not elected by a direct vote of the people, but by the ruling party.”

— Christopher Hope📝 (@christopherhope) June 28, 2019

Carole Might Be Right..For Once!

OMG. I can’t believe I’ve only just realised this..Lynton Crosby is a genius. And we have all been played like fucking fools. pic.twitter.com/9FqeeEBv5M

— Carole Cadwalladr (@carolecadwalla) June 26, 2019

Media Plumbs New Depths of Stupidity - #SockGate

The big Tory leadership issue of the day: did ⁦@BorisJohnson⁩ wear the same socks 4 days in a row? No, I can reveal. He has multiple pairs of these (which bear an image of Ashurbanipal, the last king of the Neo-Assyrian Empire who ruled from 668 BC with extreme brutality) pic.twitter.com/pVG5drwjFs

— Tom Newton Dunn (@tnewtondunn) June 26, 2019

Boris Live on LBC - Someone Tell Hunt!

Boris Johnson is live on LBC, answering listeners' questions. Watch it live.#AskBoris https://t.co/qm1ZPCVuox

— LBC (@LBC) June 25, 2019

Contrary to what Hunt says, Boris is not hiding from media questions.

Ironically, all that seems to interest LBC is the provenance of a photo of Boris and Carrie sitting in a garden!

Methinks Max Speaks With Forked Tongue

For those sharing the Max Hastings takedown of Boris Johnson: reminder that Hastings continued to employ him despite his writing utter nonsense from Brussels and talking to a friend about assaulting a journalist. Also suggested he stand for London mayor. https://t.co/yueqzaerPM

— Alan Beattie (@alanbeattie) June 25, 2019

A Policeman Permanently On The Door

 

Boris Johnson still planning to live with Carrie Symonds in Downing Street despite row https://t.co/a1eysMGWEE

— The Telegraph (@Telegraph) June 23, 2019

If Boris wins, he and Carrie will reside in Number 10.

Doubtless this will be a massive relief to Carrie's "concerned" neighbours, as there will be a policeman on the door 24/7; no need to send any more recordings to the Guardian! 

Boris vs Hunt

If Hunt has any sense, he will spend this weekend thinking about what the country needs (leadership now!), and announce on Monday that following a period of reflection he will step aside and let Boris lead the country immediately (rather than waste a month waiting for the membership to rubber stamp Boris).

This will afford Hunt the added bonus of remaining as Foreign Secretary, and keeping his grace and favour home Chevening House.

Hammond's Resignation Speech

Philip Hammond to warn Boris he’ll have to trigger a second referendum or Election unless he gets real on Brexit - another blistering intervention from the soft shoe Chancellor https://t.co/1NNx8zcVBb

— steve hawkes (@steve_hawkes) June 19, 2019

Good riddance!

Un Cri de Cœur

@BorisJohnson @RoryStewartUK @sajidjavid @michaelgove @Jeremy_Hunt For pity's sake gentlemen, sort this farce out now & agree who will lead the country - put your egos aside. We cannot waste another month on this pointless public slanging match. The country needs leadership NOW!

— Ken Frost (@ken_frost) June 19, 2019

The BBC Really Fucked Up The Leadership Debate

Abdullah from Bristol Wants to Know “Does the Panel Agree Words Have Consequences?” https://t.co/q5Jdhf30Rn pic.twitter.com/Z0TkcCmj1H

— Guido Fawkes (@GuidoFawkes) June 18, 2019

I would like to apologise. We had the Imam from the BBC Tory leadership debate on our programme this morning. His social media comments have been extremely disturbing. We should have checked. We didn’t. I’m sorry.

— Nicky Campbell (@NickyAACampbell) June 19, 2019

The Farce Continues

Any actual winners tonight? https://t.co/0KHndajjnF

— Laura Kuenssberg (@bbclaurak) June 18, 2019

This really needs to be sorted out now, not in a month's time!

 

Shenanigans Galore In The Tory Leadership Contest

Boris could get >150 votes today and word is he’s lending at least 15 MPs to Jeremy Hunt who he regards as a safe, low-energy opponent. https://t.co/4WBX3ziL7b

— Fraser Nelson (@FraserNelson) June 18, 2019

The next round of voting is tonight, and team Boris appear keen to make sure that Rory is knocked out.

Whatever the result for Rory, I trust and assume that the Tory Party understands that it needs people like Rory to maintain/rekindle its broad church appeal. Therefore when this excessively lengthy farce of a contest is over, the new Prime Minister should award Rory a Cabinet position.

The Media and Boris

I'm beginning to think that some of the media don't like Boris!

Errmmm.....

Every older person should die with dignity and respect#C4debates #HastobeHunt pic.twitter.com/QUD77Cpgxi

— Jeremy Hunt (@Jeremy_Hunt) June 16, 2019

Should have thought that through a little more!

Rory Stewart Goes Full Metal Jacket

First Ballot Results Expected at 13:00 Today

Ahead of the first ballot of Tory MPs, here’s our tally based on publicly declared support:

Johnson 83
Hunt 34
Gove 32
Raab 21
Javid 18
Hancock 17
Stewart 8
Harper 7
McVey 5
Leadsom 4

— Nick Eardley (@nickeardleybbc) June 13, 2019

Why Was Saj Off The Guest List?

Sajid Javid says he doesn't know why he wasn't invited to the Trump State Banquet earlier this month.
Tells @BBCr4today that his office asked No10 for an invite but "they said no."
"I don't like it, it is odd," he says.

— Matt Dathan (@matt_dathan) June 13, 2019

The Whips Are Out

Three line whip for Tory MPs against Labour motion to seize control of the order paper pic.twitter.com/gLTYel7jII

— Sam Coates Sky (@SamCoatesSky) June 12, 2019

Boris Officially Launches His Campaign Today

For what is worth (and t is a secret ballot) these are numbers among MPs who have publicly declared support - Johnson 76
Hunt 31
Gove 30
Raab 21
Javid 18
Hancock 15
Harper 6
Stewart 6
McVey 5
Leadsom 4

— Laura Kuenssberg (@bbclaurak) June 12, 2019

Boris has of course been running his campaign for years!

Tory Leadership Candidates as Doctor Who Monsters

Tory leadership candidates as Doctor Who monsters – a thread I’m knocking up in two seconds because why not pic.twitter.com/Z34M1W89d1

— David Lewis (@davidclewis) June 10, 2019

The Government's Deft Sleight of Hand

In a move that would grace any star studded magic show, the government stopped funding the BBC £700M for the free licences for the the over 75's and told the BBC it had the power to stop giving away free licences.

When the BBC did just that, the government blamed the BBC.

Class act!

Prime Minister Gove Addresses The Nation in 2020

"I am sorry that I initially lied about taking drugs.

That was wrong of me.

I am sorry that my education department, in 2014, passed a code of conduct that disqualified teachers convicted of possessing class A drugs.

That was wrong and hypocritical.

I am sorry that as an MP and minister I stood behind a law that criminalised drugs and those (who are not MPs, journalists or celebrities) from using them.

That was clearly wrong and hypocritical.

I am sorry that MPs, journalists and celebrities are allowed to get away with behaviour that the rest of you aren't.

That is wrong!

As such my government will be ending the hypocrisy and waste of resources wrt our hypocritical drugs laws, and passing legalisation that will:

- decriminalise drug use,

- promote better education of the consequences,

- enable those with drug problems to seek help without being stigmatised

- and end the "magic money tree" of supplying illegal drugs that feeds/enables the criminal underclass and destroys the lives of so many. 

We will legalise drugs."

That speech will never happen:

1 Gove will never have the guts to make it,

2 Gove will most likely pull his leadership bid today.

Labour Holds Peterborough By The Skin of Its Teeth

Peterborough by-election results:

- Labour, Lisa Forbes: 10,484
- Brexit Party, Mike Greene: 9,801
- Conservatives, Paul Bristow: 7,243
- Lib Dems, Beki Sellick: 4,159

Results in full: https://t.co/PGEGUjAnOO pic.twitter.com/W4cnRSFkyP

— BBC Politics (@BBCPolitics) June 7, 2019

The postal vote percentage was 69.4% postal turnout.

Raab Uses The "P" Word

Dom Raab has refused to rule out proroguing Parliament to ensure Britain leaves without a deal on October 31

This is what senior figures in the ERG have been demanding - get round MPs by simply pushing the nuclear button and proroguing

— Steven Swinford (@Steven_Swinford) June 5, 2019

Corbyn Plays The Fool

Jeremy Corbyn today will lead and speak at a demonstration against Donald Trump.

All very well and democratic, if you are in student politics or a junior backbencher. However, Corbyn is a salaried leader of Her Majesy's Opposition with ambitions to become Prime Minister.

Like it or not Trump was democratically elected by members of the public of our closest ally.

Suck it up Corbyn if you want an adult job, you have to behave like an adult!

The Queen Gets It!

Widders Joins Twitter

Hello Twitter! #myfirstTweet

— Ann Widdecombe MEP (@ann_widdecombe) May 28, 2019

Sadiq the Terrible!

.@SadiqKhan, who by all accounts has done a terrible job as Mayor of London, has been foolishly “nasty” to the visiting President of the United States, by far the most important ally of the United Kingdom. He is a stone cold loser who should focus on crime in London, not me......

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 3, 2019