Boris Johnson&#x27;s Finest Hour?

So far hes been fine.

Its was a very good idea to arrange the briefings in the way that he has done, where he as the leader gives the general message, then he hands it over to experts/specialists/ministers to give the detail in their area.

Those complaining that they seem more informed and give more useful information... that's kind of the point.

Its good leadership, let the people who have the expertise in those areas display it and take the credit for their work, rather than trying to steal it all and present it as your own stuff.

If - and its a big if - we come through this relatively well compared to other nations, he will see a boost in popularity.. but I'm not convinced we will come through it better than others yet.

As for Rishi - he looks great, and is a great speaker. But I worry for him. Yes everyone is happy now, but most people aren't thinking about the consequences of this.. I worry he will be the 'gordon brown' of this crisis.. who everyone blames for their financial policy for years to come because of how long it takes us to recover from, even though no one else was suggesting any different and he didn't have much choice.

Reply 62

username4969948

16

His performance has been poor. He is doing his usual floundering and flippant routine.

The government is trying to close the stable door after the coronavirus has bolted, despite having examples of Italy and Spain etc. to learn from.

Reply 63

uberteknik

Original post by Kitten in boots

His performance has been poor. He is doing his usual floundering and flippant routine.

The government is trying to close the stable door after the coronavirus has bolted, despite having examples of Italy and Spain etc. to learn from.

Rubbish.

Talk is cheap.

I'd like to see you do better placed in the highest office and being held accountable for everything you say and everything you do with potentially tens of thousands of lives at stake and the precariousness of the entire economy together, communication which navigates the minefield of preserving liberalism while not causing mass panic and with keeping social order from becoming all out riots and looting.

(edited 4 years ago)

Reply 64

Off licenses now being treated as vital shops. Once again, economic concerns are trumping reasoned management of the crisis. The off license industry complained that the supermarkets were cleaning up. It would have made a lot more sense to shut down supermarket alcohol sales as well.

Reply 65

harrysbar

OP

Original post by Fullofsurprises

It would have made a lot more sense to shut down supermarket alcohol sales as well.

Steady on.....we don't have many pleasures left :frown:

Reply 66

Original post by harrysbar

Steady on.....we don't have many pleasures left :frown:

I expect the govt didn't want to cause riots. :rolleyes:

Reply 67

username402722

Original post by Fullofsurprises

Off licenses now being treated as vital shops. Once again, economic concerns are trumping reasoned management of the crisis. The off license industry complained that the supermarkets were cleaning up. It would have made a lot more sense to shut down supermarket alcohol sales as well.

Original post by harrysbar

Steady on.....we don't have many pleasures left :frown:

Original post by Fullofsurprises

I expect the govt didn't want to cause riots. :rolleyes:

Most are corner shops anyway.

Mr Johnson still as useless this afternoon. Chief Medical Officer talked sense.

Reply 68

Original post by barnetlad

Most are corner shops anyway.

Mr Johnson still as useless this afternoon. Chief Medical Officer talked sense.

This will be the same CMO who rejected national testing early on, advice which Germany sensibly ignored and now has a much better grip on the crisis than the UK does.

Reply 69

14148tyrrella

6

Original post by 999tigger

Really?

Honestly I think he comes across as an inarticulate buffoon who is out of his depth.

The real winner here is Chris Whitty, knows his stuff, answers the question and gives clear, concise answers. There was also a superb virologist on the radio yesterday.

To compare him to Churchill have to say is ridiculous.

Completely agree, he doesn't have is apes behind him cheering him on in parliament. Professor Ram Tam deserves a mention too, as the only one to go against the government on Dominic Cummings. Notice how he hasn't done a single briefing since that day.

Reply 70

Gundabad(good)

Original post by harrysbar

Does anyone else think that Boris Johnson is coming across a bit like Winston Churchill during the war and that his popularity must have soared? Previously, he seemed better suited to Have I Got News For You than Politics - when asked if he had any real convictions, for example, he answered: “Yes, one for speeding years ago.”

At his daily briefings, however, he seems like a real Prime Minister which begs the question, Could this be Boris's Finest Hour?

His finest hour will be when he gets us a FTA with the EU. Hopefully.

Reply 71

ColinDent

14

Original post by Gundabad(good)

His finest hour will be when he gets us a FTA with the EU. Hopefully.

That would be good but with what's currently being offered by the EU his finest hour would be walking away from the table and not selling us out.

Reply 72

harrysbar

OP

I have to admit my thread has aged badly - he seemed strong to me in the first daily updates back in March but that was before he lost his authoritive tone, went down with coronavirus himself after foolishly shaking the hands of lots of people and changed it from a live audience of journalists to a system where the politicians could just "move on" quickly if they didn't like the question :confused:

It no longer feels anything like his Finest Hour - I think that has reverted to his performance in HIGNY

Reply 73

username402722

The last of the 92 daily conferences/questions today. Three of which have been led by a female Minister. Only one female Minister has led any, yet 11 men have.

Yet there are 6 women in the cabinet out of 22.

Reply 74

londonmyst

Original post by barnetlad

The last of the 92 daily conferences/questions today. Three of which have been led by a female Minister. Only one female Minister has led any, yet 11 men have.

Yet there are 6 women in the cabinet out of 22.

How many female cabinet members and MPs prefer to stick to the advice to: "stay at home, protect the NHS and save lives"?
As opposed to attending Parliament, travelling to daily conferences or answering questions of members of the media in the same room.

Personally I would rather spend 15 hours day shampooing, brushing and trimming the fur of chow chow dogs with a history of temper tantrums that agree to come or speak via webcam for the televised daily questions.

Reply 75

Sinnoh

22

Original post by harrysbar

I have to admit my thread has aged badly - he seemed strong to me in the first daily updates back in March but that was before he lost his authoritive tone, went down with coronavirus himself after foolishly shaking the hands of lots of people and changed it from a live audience of journalists to a system where the politicians could just "move on" quickly if they didn't like the question :confused:

It no longer feels anything like his Finest Hour - I think that has reverted to his performance in HIGNY

You were right that his popularity soared though. Opinion polls went up to 50% for the Conservatives in early April - that's when he was in intensive care wasn't it?

Reply 76

username402722

Original post by londonmyst

How many female cabinet members and MPs prefer to stick to the advice to: "stay at home, protect the NHS and save lives"?
As opposed to attending Parliament, travelling to daily conferences or answering questions of members of the media in the same room.

Personally I would rather spend 15 hours day shampooing, brushing and trimming the fur of chow chow dogs with a history of temper tantrums that agree to come or speak via webcam for the televised daily questions.

Parliament should have been virtual. As should have been the daily conferences.

Female cabinet ministers were excluded I expect because Mr Johnson does not value women as equals. A man who left his wife who had been diagnosed with cancer.

The Work and Pensions Secretary could have announced updates on furlough, the Attorney General on points of law v guidance, for example.

(edited 3 years ago)

Reply 77

harrysbar

OP

Original post by Sinnoh

You were right that his popularity soared though. Opinion polls went up to 50% for the Conservatives in early April - that's when he was in intensive care wasn't it?

Yes it was in early April that he went into hospital and then into intensive care.

He seemed more credible up until that point but less so after he took control again and his dogged defence of Dominic Cummings did him no favours of course

Reply 78