Sue Gray report

[Dave-G]

So its out and typically the 'mejia' are milking it well.

I personally think the rules were flawed and that people who worked together in the same workplace ought to have had provision/exceptions made for socialising, rather like an 'extended bubble. However that could have made too many rules to observe and possibly given too many people too much latitude.

Edited May 25, 2022 by Dave-G

[mel b3]

I think that they should have just stuck to their own rules , that they forced onto the rest of us ( and enforced with police assistance) . Then everyone would be happy .

[Rim Fire]

The o

20 May 2020: ‘bring your own booze’ No 10 garden event
The report relates lengthy messages in which Reynolds planned the event and invited staff, but also ones in which Lee Cain, then Johnson’s communication chief, called the idea of the mass gathering “somewhat of a comms risk in the current environment”. Another official warned that given the Covid press conference taking place in Downing Street, “just be courteous with sound from 4-6pm”. In the end, 30 to 40 people attended, including Johnson for about 30 minutes. The morning after, Reynolds sent a message saying “we seem to have got away with” holding it.

18 June 2020: leaving event in the Cabinet Office for a No 10 private secretary
Also organised by Reynolds, messages obtained by Gray show Cain again warning it appeared a bad idea. After the formal event with speeches attended by more than 25 people, No 10 officials, among them Reynolds, drank prosecco and ate pizza, and used a karaoke machine. This was the event that included someone being sick and the altercation. The last person to leave did so at 3.13am.

19 June 2020: Johnson’s birthday
This was the brief party for Johnson in the cabinet room for which he, his wife, Carrie, and the chancellor, Rishi Sunak, were fined. It lasted about 20 minutes, Gray found, and Johnson was present throughout. This is the only event for which the prime minister received a fine.

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13 November 2020: Lee Cain leaving party
One of the two events for which photos are appended – the same ones leaked to ITV News on Monday. Johnson was among those who attended, and drank wine, and also gave a speech.

27 November 2020: leaving party for a special adviser
Gray does not name the adviser, but this was Cleo Watson. About 15 to 20 people attended, some drinking alcohol. Johnson was there briefly, and said some words.

10 December 2020: Department for Education drinks
Organised by the then education secretary, Gavin Williamson, and attended by about 20 to 30 staff. Lasting about an hour, alcohol was served.

15 December 2020: No 10 Christmas quiz
This was mainly online, though some were there in person, among them Johnson. Comprising a quiz and prize-giving, it lasted approximately three and a half hours.

17 December 202: online quiz in Simon Case’s office
Mainly virtual, with some staff taking part in person. It involved alcohol and food and lasted about 90 minutes.

17 December 2020: leaving party for two No 10 officials
Alcohol was drunk, Johnson spoke and attended briefly. A small number of staff stayed drinking until about 1am.

17 December 2020: leaving party in the Cabinet Office
This was for Kate Josephs, the outgoing head of the Covid taskforce. It was meant to be socially distanced, but this did not happen. Alcohol was drunk and pizzas ordered, and some staff moved into No 10 to join the leaving party taking place on the same evening.

18 December 2020: No 10 Christmas event
Billed as a “wine time Friday” event, this was pre-planned and involved a mock awards ceremony and secret Santa gift exchange. At one point an alarm was accidentally triggered and security staff “observed a large number of people in the area”. Some people drank to excess and wine was spilled on a wall and on “a number of boxes of photocopier paper”.

14 January 2021: leaving event for two No 10 officials
Alcohol was drunk, with Johnson attending briefly to give a leaving speech.

16 April 2021: two leaving parties that merged
One was for James Slack, Johnson’s then head of communications, and the other for a “private office official”, believed to be one of Johnson’s personal photographers. The latter event, held in the No 10 basement, was especially rowdy, with music played and a number of people drinking excessively. The two parties later merged in the No 10 garden. Gray notes the last person to leave did so at 4.20am.

ne so called works gathering wine spilled up the walls two others that was there was fighting they had to be split up 

Wine spilled up the walls two others fighting 🤣

[Scully]

Sounds better than our parties! 😀

[Newbie to this]

2 hours ago, mel b3 said:

I think that they should have just stuck to their own rules , that they forced onto the rest of us ( and enforced with police assistance) . Then everyone would be happy .

This ^^^

Or better still, they should have just let everyone make their own choice to get on with their lives or hide away.

[oldypigeonpopper]

Hello, now I see a report on abuse at number 10 of cleaning and security staff during or after the parties, 🤔 , 

Just now, oldypigeonpopper said:

Hello, now I see a report on abuse at number 10 of cleaning and security staff during or after the parties, 🤔 , 

Hello, I think this will go down in British politics as the death of Conservative values , let's see how the votes go in Winchester , 

3 minutes ago, oldypigeonpopper said:

Hello, now I see a report on abuse at number 10 of cleaning and security staff during or after the parties, 🤔 , 

Hello, I think this will go down in British politics as the death of Conservative values , let's see how the votes go in Winchester , 

Seems Move On !!!! has become the Tories new slogan 

[Mungler]

I could not care any less about this.

All those column inches and hours on the airwaves dedicated to this and yet we have a war in Ukraine and a cost of living crisis in plain sight and we’re arguing about who had a beer when.

All the other world leaders must be watching us (notably Putin) and laughing their backsides off.

This London media bubble needs sorting out - I haven’t met and don’t know anyone who gives two hoots about any of this. 

 

[ditchman]

16 minutes ago, Mungler said:

I could not care any less about this.

All those column inches and hours on the airwaves dedicated to this and yet we have a war in Ukraine and a cost of living crisis in plain sight and we’re arguing about who had a beer when.

All the other world leaders must be watching us (notably Putin) and laughing their backsides off.

This London media bubble needs sorting out - I haven’t met and don’t know anyone who gives two hoots about any of this. 

 

This is excactly my view...........its really a bit rich when Kay Burley and her side kick got stung for doing the same thing ..and here they are interogating one and all for doing what they were doing ...bloody media hypocrites

[Ratlegs]

On the farm years ago it came in bags it was mixed with water and brushed inside the barn walls

it was called WHITEWASH

they lie faster than Bolt can run

[udderlyoffroad]

18 minutes ago, Mungler said:

This London media bubble needs sorting out - I haven’t met and don’t know anyone who gives two hoots about any of this. 

So much this.  The rules were absurd.  Bet every world leader has broken their own rules.

If they could devote just 1/10th of the time they've spent on this, to scrutiny of the decision making process that lead to these rules, then the media 'bubble' might just start claw back some respect.

[Mungler]

3 minutes ago, ditchman said:

This is excactly my view...........its really a bit rich when Kay Burley and her side kick got stung for doing the same thing ..and here they are interogating one and all for doing what they were doing ...bloody media hypocrites

I talk to lots of people everyday. Everyone wants to talk about energy prices, cost of living, interest rates, Ukraine and their next family holiday; in short the future.

Just now, udderlyoffroad said:

So much this.  The rules were absurd.  Bet every world leader has broken their own rules.

If they could devote just 1/10th of the time they've spent on this, to scrutiny of the decision making process that lead to these rules, then the media 'bubble' might just start claw back some respect.

Agreed. Where is the full hauling over the coals of Whitty and that philanderer who made up the R rating?

Ppfffftt in fairness I’m not even worried by that now because we’ve all learnt that lesson and it won’t happen again.

The future is important, not dwelling on beer gate (either side of the political spectrum).  

[oowee]

Break the rules we set. Lie about it until proven guilty. Apologise to the pleb's but don't mean it.  Give everyone a £400 bung and they will forget about it.

............................until that is it happens all over again. The bloke is a liability from the Trump mold. 

[oldypigeonpopper]

10 minutes ago, ditchman said:

This is excactly my view...........its really a bit rich when Kay Burley and her side kick got stung for doing the same thing ..and here they are interogating one and all for doing what they were doing ...bloody media hypocrites

Hello, well said Simon , talk about double standards when she bleats on to anyone involved in the conservative party about breaking COVID rules, 

[oldypigeonpopper]

16 minutes ago, oowee said:

Break the rules we set. Lie about it until proven guilty. Apologise to the pleb's but don't mean it.  Give everyone a £400 bung and they will forget about it.

............................until that is it happens all over again. The bloke is a liability from the Trump mold. 

I think it starts from ones upbringing , wealthy family, private education, the likes of Eton , one of the Bullingdon boys , then with a mind set in politics, don't do as I do, do as I say, Cameroon is another candidate , but this is only a small proportion as I'm sure there are those that had the same but have become good honest MPs,

Edited May 26, 2022 by oldypigeonpopper

[Gordon R]

Boris and the rest at the "parties" were stupid, but human. Just the same as the sanctimonious Starmer and Rayner. Jimmy Krankie attended events without a mask. Media coverage of these pathetically insignificant events is scraping the barrel.

A public flogging for all of them won't bring economic prosperity or world peace. It was time to move on quite some time ago. For those who say they broke the rules that they set - just what did you expect? The only honest politician that I can recall is Frank Field. He had principles and stuck to them. Hardly surprising that he was never elevated to the top.

[wymberley]

Until 1963, half of the population knew which way was up. Two generations on and those in the know have become more thinly spread. Those who do know understand  the difference between hooliganism and high spirits in their various forms and it has forever been thus.

Edited May 26, 2022 by wymberley

[udderlyoffroad]

22 minutes ago, wymberley said:

Until 1963, half of the population knew which way was up.

What happened in 1963?

[oowee]

37 minutes ago, udderlyoffroad said:

What happened in 1963?

[udderlyoffroad]

I think he might be referring to the contraceptive pill?

Quote

Philip Larkin  (1922-1985)

 

Annus Mirabilis

Sexual intercourse began
In nineteen sixty-three
(which was rather late for me) -
Between the end of the "Chatterley" ban
And the Beatles' first LP.

Up to then there'd only been
A sort of bargaining,
A wrangle for the ring,
A shame that started at sixteen
And spread to everything.

Then all at once the quarrel sank:
Everyone felt the same,
And every life became
A brilliant breaking of the bank,
A quite unlosable game.

So life was never better than
In nineteen sixty-three
(Though just too late for me) -
Between the end of the "Chatterley" ban
And the Beatles' first LP.

 

[Mice!]

3 hours ago, Mungler said:

I could not care any less about this.

All those column inches and hours on the airwaves dedicated to this and yet we have a war in Ukraine and a cost of living crisis in plain sight and we’re arguing about who had a beer when.

All the other world leaders must be watching us (notably Putin) and laughing their backsides off.

This London media bubble needs sorting out - I haven’t met and don’t know anyone who gives two hoots about any of this. 

 

It doesn't happen often but I agree with most of that, the reason I posted about Labour was because its funny how much fuss they made , despite having done exactly the same, hypocrisy at its best.

2 hours ago, Mungler said:

talk to lots of people everyday. Everyone wants to talk about energy prices, cost of living, interest rates, Ukraine and their next family holiday; in short the future.

I haven't heard anyone mention fuel prices for quite some time, despite it hitting £1.80 for diesel up here, cost of living and Ukraine rarely gets a mention but holidays certainly do.

[Ratlegs]

2 hours ago, oldypigeonpopper said:

I think it starts from ones upbringing , wealthy family, private education, the likes of Eton , one of the Bullingdon boys , then with a mind set in politics, don't do as I do, do as I say, Cameroon is another candidate , but this is only a small proportion as I'm sure there are those that had the same but have become good honest MPs,

Putin is getting away with it. He thinks he can

[Scully]

I have to admit I’m very disappointed in Boris, but not surprised; they’re politicians after all, but there again I’m in no position to criticise anyone.
However, I also think this has turned into something of a witch hunt, and while my respect for politicians couldn’t be lower, it is still higher than that I have of the media. 
Regardless of what’s gone on, just about everyone I’ve met when conversation has inevitably got round to this, has just shrugged and asked ‘ Aren’t there more important issues to be getting on with?’ Or, ‘Did we all abide by the law to the letter?’ 
I’m assuming all the blurry faces in these photos and the whistle blowers themselves have also been fined? 
 

[udderlyoffroad]

Just now, Scully said:

my respect for politicians couldn’t be lower, it is still higher than that I have of the media. 

This.

Given the what the media have made out of this, I expected pictures of Boris doing 'gear' off a hooker's surgically-enhanced assets.

 

[ditchman]

4 hours ago, udderlyoffroad said:

I think he might be referring to the contraceptive pill?

 

what a carp poem.............written by some luvvi poet too far up his own rear end

was he a communist ?

i wouldnt even write that upon the back of a toilet door

Edited May 26, 2022 by ditchman

[Scully]

34 minutes ago, udderlyoffroad said:

This.

Given the what the media have made out of this, I expected pictures of Boris doing 'gear' off a hooker's surgically-enhanced assets.

 

You would think so wouldn’t you! 
I’m assuming the photographer has been fined also?