love* in the time of plague (and by love* i mean brexit* and other dreary matters of uk politics)

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I don't know who Mr John Wilson is, but that letter from him above is tremendous. Poignant, desperate, furious.

the pinefox, Monday, 25 May 2020 11:57 (four years ago) link

his is middle england iirc: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whitchurch

mark s, Monday, 25 May 2020 11:59 (four years ago) link

It really is. The messaging that Cummings was only doing what any decent parent would do obviously carries the subtext for everyone who lost someone and didn’t see them before they died/didn’t attend a funeral of ‘what sort of husband/wife/child are you?’

crisp, Monday, 25 May 2020 12:00 (four years ago) link

I don't think it's possible to be more wrong than imago is being at this moment.

Is Lou Reed a Good Singer? (Tom D.), Monday, 25 May 2020 12:11 (four years ago) link

I have so many questions. like what is he going to wear? i hope he left the iron in Durham

stet, Monday, 25 May 2020 12:11 (four years ago) link

i'll be pleased to be wrong this time, let's see

imago, Monday, 25 May 2020 12:14 (four years ago) link

the awkward, abrasive brazen overgrown-whizzkid archetype is a british standard and the public love someone who fronts up, he will come out of today much more popular than how he began it, guaranteed


this isn’t clive sinclair answering for the failure of the sinclair c5, this smug cunt talking about why it was vital that he do everything that the rest of the country has been trying hard not to do is going to be the first time a lot of people have seen him and i don’t think it’s going to win him a lot of fans outside the leave eu hardcore who probably already buy into his myth of sinister genius

he'll selectively detail his timeline and selectively quote guidelines and legislation to support his actions then rigidly stick to both until we do the Limmy shoulder slump

BRAVE THE AFRIAD (onimo), Monday, 25 May 2020 12:21 (four years ago) link

yeah i still don’t think he’s getting fired

If they let Peston fuck it up again I’ll be so angry

gyac, Monday, 25 May 2020 12:23 (four years ago) link

struggling to remember the last time he didn’t fuck it up tbh

I reckon he'll say he's decided to step aside for the moment, in the national interest, but that the scheduled inquiry will clear him of any wrongdoing.

Is Lou Reed a Good Singer? (Tom D.), Monday, 25 May 2020 12:26 (four years ago) link

... Cummings that is, not Peston, though his performance is worthy of a public inquiry.

Is Lou Reed a Good Singer? (Tom D.), Monday, 25 May 2020 12:26 (four years ago) link

don't know if he'd take questions if he was stepping back. I think this is an attempt at giving MPs a chance to say "he has answered the public's questions fully and now it's time for us to focus on the vital task of getting the rest of you back into lockdown"

stet, Monday, 25 May 2020 12:28 (four years ago) link

It's so out of character for the charmless cunt to acknowledge other human beings even exist and are worthy of his attention that the whole taking questions thing is so weird.

Is Lou Reed a Good Singer? (Tom D.), Monday, 25 May 2020 12:32 (four years ago) link

Hoping for some kind of Prince Andrew special here

stet, Monday, 25 May 2020 12:35 (four years ago) link

Anyone know what time this farrago is occurring?

some infected evening (Matt #2), Monday, 25 May 2020 12:37 (four years ago) link

the awkward, abrasive brazen overgrown-whizzkid archetype is a british standard and the public love someone who fronts up, he will come out of today much more popular than how he began it, guaranteed

Someone has apparently never seen a Mourinho press conference.

Anyway he's going to play it humble and reasonable, the gentle family man not the snarling attack dog. It won't work but it might take some sting out of the tail. Either that or he's just not cut out for it and will make things a million times worse.

Matt DC, Monday, 25 May 2020 12:38 (four years ago) link

when's he on?

nb imago i find him more entertaining than most ilxors but he doesn't exude any competence to anybody except fash mentalists, seeing him in the flesh might even finish one or two of them off

Children of Bo-Dom (Noodle Vague), Monday, 25 May 2020 12:40 (four years ago) link

I think he'll say he's stepping aside. The whole thing is such a train wreck now that the only question for the govt is what is the least worst way to bring it to an end.

Zelda Zonk, Monday, 25 May 2020 12:41 (four years ago) link

you think he doesn't?

Boris has a cult of personality around him, I don't see how Cummings would? He was barely known outside poli nerd circles until this. If he had the capacity to form a cult of personality around himself he wouldn't need Boris.

xposts I really doubt he'll say he's stepping down, too much of a disruptor and egomaniac to play by the rules no matter how large the trainwreck

Daniel_Rf, Monday, 25 May 2020 12:44 (four years ago) link

He would need a personality first.

Is Lou Reed a Good Singer? (Tom D.), Monday, 25 May 2020 12:46 (four years ago) link

the clip of him flatly saying 'get brexit done' is worth a hundred thousand boris blurts

imago, Monday, 25 May 2020 12:46 (four years ago) link

I very much doubt that persuaded a single person to vote Tory.

Is Lou Reed a Good Singer? (Tom D.), Monday, 25 May 2020 12:48 (four years ago) link

/ the awkward, abrasive brazen overgrown-whizzkid archetype is a british standard and the public love someone who fronts up, he will come out of today much more popular than how he began it, guaranteed/

Someone has apparently never seen a Mourinho press conference.

Anyway he's going to play it humble and reasonable, the gentle family man not the snarling attack dog. It won't work but it might take some sting out of the tail. Either that or he's just not cut out for it and will make things a million times worse.


Hoping for the latter. He’s still held in contempt of parliament for refusing to be questioned iirc, not sure how successful the family man thing will be. Every WhatsApp group in the country will be circulating those memes about his road trip and multiplicity of stories.

gyac, Monday, 25 May 2020 12:48 (four years ago) link

Only parallel I can think of is Alastair Campbell going on C4 News to defend his disastrous sexed-up dossier during his fight with the BBC. It was, er, not widely thought to be a success. https://t.co/uTFE2hy715

— James B (@piercepenniless) May 25, 2020

gyac, Monday, 25 May 2020 12:49 (four years ago) link

can you draw a parallel with a literal war crime though? i mean maybe. all about perception

imago, Monday, 25 May 2020 12:50 (four years ago) link

the clip of him flatly saying 'get brexit done' is worth a hundred thousand boris blurts

...and known by far fewer people. "Get Brexit done" is associated with Boris in people's minds, not Cummings.

I mean this is how Power-Behind-The-Throne works man, the cult of personality is around the boisterous strongman, the wonk is in the shadows doing the actual decisions.

Daniel_Rf, Monday, 25 May 2020 12:53 (four years ago) link

I would guess that currently more people in the UK have heard of Cummings than starmer

plax (ico), Monday, 25 May 2020 12:56 (four years ago) link

Cardinal Richelieu is expected to give a public statement and take questions later himself

Children of Bo-Dom (Noodle Vague), Monday, 25 May 2020 12:56 (four years ago) link

Alastair Campbell was on the telly all the time, try keeping him off it, the only public statements you ever hear from Cummings is his lame zings when doorstepped by reporters.

Is Lou Reed a Good Singer? (Tom D.), Monday, 25 May 2020 13:00 (four years ago) link

These posts are being removed -from the Government’s own websites. @10DowningStreet @BorisJohnson pic.twitter.com/Wl1JNhKOnK

— Joe McGann (@JosephMcGann) May 25, 2020

xyzzzz__, Monday, 25 May 2020 13:05 (four years ago) link

Anyone know what time this farrago is occurring?

― some infected evening (Matt #2), Monday, May 25, 2020 2:37 PM (twenty-eight minutes ago) bookmarkflaglink

when's he on?

― Children of Bo-Dom (Noodle Vague), Monday, May 25, 2020 2:40 PM (twenty-five minutes ago) bookmarkflaglink

Anyone?

Le Bateau Ivre, Monday, 25 May 2020 13:06 (four years ago) link

Not confirmed yet. Hope he does a May and rocks up to the lectern three hours late before telling us we are cunts

stet, Monday, 25 May 2020 13:07 (four years ago) link

one big difference between US / UK is that a Republican senator or congressional rep would have 7 swoop-haired interns in boat shoes named Swanson to write boilerplate dismissive emails, whereas Tory MPs delight in personally telling the peasants to fuck off https://t.co/22G1YLEsVn

— Dr. Strategy (@inthesedeserts) May 25, 2020

gyac, Monday, 25 May 2020 13:08 (four years ago) link

surely by any calculus he should be taking one for the team here. draw attention away. “tank” it, as the RPGs have it. “when advisers become the story it’s time to step aside”. it’s a revolving door. he’ll be back.

Li'l Brexit (Tracer Hand), Monday, 25 May 2020 13:09 (four years ago) link

really enjoying #CumGate trending on Twitter

Children of Bo-Dom (Noodle Vague), Monday, 25 May 2020 13:12 (four years ago) link

I think post-Mandelson, post-Iraq, post-Patel etc. there is very little reason to leave, or bother with the circus of going and then coming back six months later.

xyzzzz__, Monday, 25 May 2020 13:15 (four years ago) link

If he does step aside he'll make sure to insinuate (or outright snarl) that he was entirely justified in everything he did, and that the public are essentially to blame for anything that happens to them from now on.

some infected evening (Matt #2), Monday, 25 May 2020 13:17 (four years ago) link

Press conference is 3pm

gyac, Monday, 25 May 2020 13:21 (four years ago) link

aw i was going to Aldi

Children of Bo-Dom (Noodle Vague), Monday, 25 May 2020 13:22 (four years ago) link

stoked for the madness

is the BBC showing it as CumGate Live?

Children of Bo-Dom (Noodle Vague), Monday, 25 May 2020 13:22 (four years ago) link

Cum on feel the poise

some infected evening (Matt #2), Monday, 25 May 2020 13:26 (four years ago) link

Two hours late, remorseful, with a shiner.

he's just not cut out for it

I'm not sure what it is here though - like I don't think non-politicians in government should have to have good media skills (I don't think politicians should either but we are where we are)

Andrew Farrell, Monday, 25 May 2020 13:34 (four years ago) link

he's going to be on at 1700

stet, Monday, 25 May 2020 13:36 (four years ago) link

I remember when Campbell did that mad interview, I'm still fairly certain it wasn't sanctioned by Blair and he just veered off road. This is part of a calculated campaign.

Matt DC, Monday, 25 May 2020 13:38 (four years ago) link

Where are you seeing the timing stet?

gyac, Monday, 25 May 2020 13:46 (four years ago) link

lol the Telegraph says 4pm, i think they're fucking with us

Children of Bo-Dom (Noodle Vague), Monday, 25 May 2020 13:47 (four years ago) link

Starts at 4pm, but Peston starts asking his question at 3pm.

Dan Worsley, Monday, 25 May 2020 13:49 (four years ago) link


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