Boris Johnson’s Advent Calendar of Chaos

By TruePublica Editor: Boris Johnson, largely regarded as the worst post-war Prime Minster Britain has had to endure, is now the hapless hostage of the right-wing factions within the imploding Tory party. We are a country that is effectively leaderless.

Over the last two years, our Prime Minister has lied: about illegal parties in lockdowns, the Downing Street renovations, to the Queeen, about care home testing, the economy, poverty, climate change, dodgy donors, Covid contracts and more.

Throughout the last month or so, the government has been mired in scandal after scandal and its response has been to put forward various Bills designed to take away the rights of the general public, who at some point may well decide enough is enough. The government is currently stuffing an agenda that will ban protest, disenfranchise millions of voters, hand itself government control of the Electoral Commission, quash judicial review and remove human rights along with enabling the removal of citizenship arbitrarily. These are the actions of authoritarians who have no respect for the country, its traditions or the people they are supposed to serve.

Here is a list of events that have happened during December alone – best described as an advent calendar of chaos.

 

December 1st – While it is reported that Boris Johnson and scientists clash over the new Omicron variant – reports also arrive that Johnson and No10 staff were breaking their own Covid rules. Doctors say any delay in new measures against Omicron coronavirus variant risks adding to UK’s death toll. The so-called ‘Plan B’ is roundly rejected by Downing Street. Doctors, scientists, and experts all agree, some measures need to be implemented soon. The Mirror headlines with – “It’s one rule for them … No10 hosted boozy bashes while millions endured strict lockdowns” – which kicks off a series of accusations and images of lockdown lawbreaking by Downing Street.

December 2nd – The “Booze, nibbles & party games until early hours” story breaks wide open … while the rest of us were cancelling 2020 Christmas, isolating and miserably witnessing relatives die alone in hospitals as front line workers put themselves in harm’s way.

December 3rd – Boris tries to defuse a diplomatic row over his claims that Brexit was solely responsible for the fast-track approval of the Pfizer/Bio NTech vaccine, which would not have been the case if Britain had been a member of the EU’s European Medicines Agency. German diplomats swiftly responded to these ‘lies.’

December 4th – A billionaire Tory donor’s firm took millions in furlough cash despite that year recording an annual profit of £75m. A £500,000 donation to Boris Johnson’s party was all it took – alledgedly.

December 5th – “Our loved ones died whilst No10 partied” – say families furious over Downing Street Parties. Boris Johnson now facing a trust crisis as sleaze shatters faith in MPs.

December 6th – Anger as the government plans to sell off the UK’s vaccine manufacturing plant that would leave the country vulnerable to future pandemics. And Boris Johnson plans to let ministers throw out legal rulings in a ‘fresh war with judges.’

December 7th – The chaos of the UK’s Kabul evacuation. Tens of thousands plea for help as the failure of the government cruelly betrayed friends and allies.

December 8th – Video is leaked showing Downing Street staff along with Allegra Stratton laughing and joking about No 10 parties. In another report, the Foriegn Office boss stayed away during the disastrous Afghan withdrawal – and calls for his sacking are widely reported. A Tory rebellion builds as with a Cabinet rift over plans for vaccine passports.

December 9th – Don’t go to work – but do go to office parties says Boris Johnson. Allegra Sratton resigns and leaves Downing street amid Downing street parties scandal and headlines saying – “The PM is taking the public for fools.’

December 10th – Poll blow as trust in Johnson and the Tories rapidly falls. On the same day, it is reported that Tory contenders are lining up and ‘circling a PM in peril.’

December 11th – The Downing Street parties scandal continues as it’s now reported that 4 out of 5 people will be less willing to follow strict Covid measures just as infecton rate starts to rise.

December 12th – Johnson accused of hypocrisy as a new leak reveals he hosted a Downing Street quiz and was breaking their own Covid rules whilst the general public did their bit. Labour races to 9-point lead in the polls as scientists openly state that falling trust in the government will damage public health.

December 13th – Investigation into Downing street parties will now include the PM’s quiz by the cabinet office – who would subsequently become embroiled themselves in yet another party scandal.

December 14th – There is alarm over the government attacking human rights, which is described by the Law Society and Liberty as a ‘blantant, unashamed power grab‘ and a ‘rushed and oppressive bill.’ Meanwhile, Boris Johnson is about to get eaten by his own creators reports Byline Times. Steven Baker MP, the Conservative MP for Wycombe leading the charge against new mask and vaccine mandates is spearheading his new rebellion – that some believe could unseat Boris Johnson’s premiership

December 15th – Dominic Raab, the deputy PM accuses a TV presenter of “ranting at politicians” after he repeatedly made mistakes over the number of Omicron patients in hospitals after he gave conflicting answers about the figures across a series of media appearances on Tuesday morning.

According to lawyers that journalists at ITV news trust, Boris Johnson has appointed a tough and scrupulous retired appeal court judge Heather Hallett to chair the most important public enquiry in years – into the government’s management of the Covid19 crisis. The speculation is that this is a gamble for Johnson – or quite simply, that he doesnt think he’ll be PM by the time Hallett makes her report public.

Also on the 15th – A parliamentary committee has found that the Government’s draconian Elections Bill proposals lack transparency and consultation, and fail to provide evidence as to why the changes are “necessary and proportionate”

December 16th – Mixed messages from the government about what can and can’t be done over the Christmas period hit headlines and social media. Johnson says one thing, the governments own scientific advisors say another. On the same day, a Tory MP is exposed for pleading with a fixer to secure a well paid second job with a Mid-East government. At 4 am on the 16th of December, 11 countries were removed from the UK travel ban red list. At 4 pm the same day all 650 MP’s went on annual leave until January. Guess who doesn’t need a vaccine passport to travel. And yes, you guessed it, MP’s.

December 17th – The Police are now involved in Downing Street’s ‘partygate‘ scandal, the Archbishop appeals for some honesty in public life, interest rates rise to counter inflation and the Met Police chief is mocked on social media by a ‘led by donkey’s video that goes viral.

December 18th – Partygate reaches a crescendo with headlines such as “They were all at it.” To add yet more embarrassment, Simon Case, the country’s most senior civil servant steps aside from his promised investigation into Downing Street parties as his own office is also caught up in where he himself hosted a party. Many backbenchers are now voicing serious concerns and state – this is the ‘last chance saloon for the PM.’ Even the Daily Telegraph has to report that the PM’s bid to move on from the recent poll rout is derailed by fresh leaks over partygate.

December 19th – Lord Frost – Boris Johnson’s Brexit minister and very close ally abandons his post and resigns from cabinet in a bitter blow to Johnson’s failing administration. Teachers say the government plan to test pupils for Covid is ‘inoperable.’ The FT reports that border chaos and gridlock at Eurostar is imminent as UK’s Brexit transition ends on December 31st. France has employed 900 additional border guards. The UK has done nothing in preparation. Privatisation of the NHS rears its head again. It was reported that Richard Branson has sold Virgin Care UK to US private equity company Twenty20 Capital. Its new name will be HCRG Care Group. The US outfit will be responsible for around £2b worth of NHS contracts. And for a sneak-peak of what we can expect from this company – here is its boss being investigated in a fraud probe.

December 20th – Liz truss is to take over Brexit negotiations. Since Brexit in 2016, the only new trade deal signed from scratch is with Australia – meaning literally nothing for the UK in terms of significance. Truss managed to get this non-deal over the line before changing jobs in a reshuffle after Johnson attempted to clean up the front bench to something more serious. In the meantime, some members of the cabinet are now in open warfare mode against new Covid restrictions. Then, just as you thought ‘partygate’ was over – another leak emerges and No10 is back in the frame – this time with Boris Johnson photographed in the gardens of No10 where the rightwing political editor of The Sun is spotted.

By now the electorate has had enough of the daily scandals about the Prime Minister. YouGov (founded in the UK in May 2000 by Tory MP Nadhim Zahawi) asks the question – “Do you think that Boris Johnson is doing well or badly as Prime Minister? The public answers emphatically – Well: 23% (-6) Badly: 71% (+7).

December 21st – Insiders reveal that key EU leaders, like Angela Merkel (and her successor Olaf Scholz), France’s Emmanuel Macron and Netherlands’ Mark Rutte, say they believe successive UK prime ministers David Cameron, Theresa May and Boris Johnson, were dishonest with them. Here is an interesting thread from the BBC’s Europe editor, which is damning for the future relationship with Britain’s neighbours and biggest trading partners. The cabinet deadlock over Covid continues as does the confusion it has caused. Dominic Raab is back in the firing line over his defence of the No10 garden booze-up. Bereaved families now accuse Boris Johnson of ‘flagrant disregard of their own rules while relatives battled for their lives.

December 22nd – It is reported that Boris Johnson invited editors of the right-wing press (The Daily Mail, The Sun, The Telegraph and Sunday Telegraph) into Downing Street on the day of the lockdown party on 27th November 2020. According to The Guardian, Johnson “came in and made a speech, mentioning how crowded it was in the room before leaving.”  Dominic Cummings also alleged that a number of political journalists had attended such parties inside Downing Street during lockdown. He tweeted that the journalists, who he declined to name, had sought to “bury” the story.

It emerges that Boris Johnson now blames the farming and fishing industry for ‘holding Britain back’ and that they can’t expect the government to hold up their industries because of Brexit – that they supported in the first place.

The Centre of European Reform and the UK’s OBR says that the UK’s goods trade has been reduced by between 11 and 16 per cent as a result of exiting the single market and customs union in January 2021, consistent with the UK government’s own estimate that Brexit will reduce GDP by 4–5 per cent (circa £100bn at current prices). They also report this will continue until at least 2030. This comes before the UK has implemented full border checks on imports from the EU, starting on 1 January 2022 (link HERE – see ‘Cost of Brexit’).

Keir Starmer is now 12 points ahead in the latest YouGov poll.

December 23rd – The police watchdog has now finally confirmed it will not investigate complaints that officers failed to properly look into an alleged party at Downing Street during the lockdown in December last year. We are all now free to make our own minds up not just about Boris Johnson and his government on this matter, but about the watchdogs on duty – who are now clearly looking the other way.

Cummings has stated he will start releasing more images and clips of Downing Street parties to continue the erosion of support for Johnson.

December 24th – Although parliament broke up for the Christmas recess on the 16th (not to return until the 5th of January), political backstabbing in the Tory party continues. Lord Frost, very publicly and disloyally walked out on Johnson last week. On the 23rg it is reported that Lord Adonis believes Frost plotted with Dominic Cummings to bring about johnsons downfall.  “He owes everything—peerage, position, power—to Boris and would have been nobody without him” – said Lord Adonis.

“Now he has turned Brutus to Caesar, just like Dominic Cummings. I wouldn’t be surprised if the two of them plotted his departure together, along with that Maoist resignation letter bemoaning that the Brexit revolution is failing because it isn’t revolutionary enough.”

Today, Christmas Eve should be politically quiet.

 

As a footnote to all of the chaos we are all immersed in as a result of allowing a self-serving narcissist like Boris Johnson into Downing Street, don’t forget this one little gem. If there’s a leadership race sometime in 2022 – any many political commentators think there will be, there is one candidate the Tory faithful keep talking about – and that is … Liz Truss. Truss is a step up from Johnson but that fact alone only goes to show the quality of politicians today, especially Tory politicians.

Apparently, this is the best Britain can do.

Happy Christmas!

 

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