Attempts At Under-Bus Throwing.

[Atheist]

Johnson today blamed his excellent civil servants and advisers and the current PM and Ms Gray and Dominic Cummings and everybody he's ever met, for everything bad that's ever happened to him. Do you feel sorry for him?

[jourdain2]

I tend to agree with Prudie, although I railed against the idiotic restrictions. Given the situation and the character(s) involved, I can well see that someone said 'It's OK' and he charged in.

[Hopkirk]

OG, why are the hire bikes irresponsible?

[Atheist]

Prudie; about bus drivers. I just remember hearing some govt apologist claiming that Johnson was a hero because he caught covid, and that all the Downing St staff were heroes because they worked hard and late every day and then had to go home late at night, not in limos but on public transport. And during the day they were taking lockdown and precautions as a joke and then coughing all over the tube or buses?
Being thrown under a bus means being used as a scapegoat to protect a powerful person. If you feel sorry for Johnson, then that's your opinion but certainly not mine. I think that he will be seen as a worse historical figure tnan Cameron, and that's saying something.

[Atheist]

jourdain, did you lose an close ones to covid?

[Old_Geezer]

Because they are bikes of course. Only someone with a death wish entertains the idea of going out on a flimsy vulnerable mechanical self powered contraption on a busy road with motorised vehicles. A civilised society with the care of their citizens as a priority wouldn't allow them on public roads, and actually encouraging this reckless behaviour is beyond the Pale. Care in the community is not working.

[Atheist]

OG; maybe wrong post?
While you're here, why blame cyclists for being vulnerable? Do you blame young women for being sexy and not wearing chastity belts?

[Prudie]

"And during the day they were taking lockdown and precautions as a joke". That is just emotional rot. They were going into the office as key workers. Are you saying all keyworkers who went into the office were taking lockdown precautions as a joke? How was it a joke?

[Atheist]

Prudie, I was saying that the govt people were doing that, and I was being unfair and shouldn't have used the word joke of the No 10 staff. They would have been doing what was expected of them and doing what was the work culture. I suspect (based on Johnson's brag that he wasn't going around with a mask and that he intended to shake hands with anyone he wanted) that the culture was to be macho, a bit like Trump and still part of the culture.
It's not easy to be brave when you are embedded in a culture (cf the Met).

[Gromit]

So the conclusion is that Boris lied but not recklessly deliberately.

His defence that he was very dim, stupid and clueless was believed by everybody.

Very embarrassing really for a Prime Minister to present this defence, even he ultimately gets away with it.

[jno]

was believed by everybody

I suspect "was accepted by everybody" would be closer to the truth.

[jourdain2]

Atheist 20.54 Not loved ones, but friends - one was a good friend. People die. Without exception the people I knew who died of/with Covid had conditions which would have finished them off sooner rather than later. Covid made their endings more frightening and lonely.

Covid would have got them earlier perhaps, had there been no lockdown, but the suffering lockdown caused to millions in other ways overweighs all that. Sounds callous? I'm not, and you should know it. I'm rational, asthmatic and was very vulnerable to Covid. Life is to be lived - and died from eventually.
The overwhelmingly good and humanitarian impulse which many people felt in order to protect others, descended into nit-picking idiocy.

[Gromit]

I was looking forward to Boris’ interrogation today, but unfortunately couldn’t watch it live this afternoon.
Not for the first time in his life, his lies have caught up with him.
But he has a loyal constituency (even here on AB) who still love him despite his lack of truth.
The polls predict that he will not win his constituency at the next election. So it is in the hands of the public.

[Atheist]

Thanks, Jourdain. My stepsister's daughter's husband was a paramedic at the start of covid and was stuck in ambulances taking sick people to hospital (there were still hosps in those days) and succumbed to viral overload - with or without masks you're vulnerable in the back of an ambulance trying to keep people going, day after day. I don't think they or bus drivers spent much time on drinkies on Friday afternoons.
He wasn't old and due to die, it was just one of those things that happen when you have that sort of job. I hope you and mr j are well.
Bonne nuit.

[jourdain2]

A tu aussi, Atheist. I'm very sorry about the death your family suffered. Good people died.
I currently have Shingles after wearing myself out because Mr. J2 was whisked into hospital A&E about 10 days ago - from 4.30 p.m. to 3.45 a.m. was too much for me sitting on a chair next to him in A&E Waiting Room (coldest night of the year) and I went home to see to dog, eat and have a couple of hours shut-eye. Worst hospital experience of my life. Not a word of criticism from me re. the personnel - but the systems stink and expose everyone to harm.

[fripfrip]

Atheist if what those photos show is your idea of a party do not invite me to one of yours.

[Cloverjo]

I am no fan of Johnson, and am very sorry for the the people who suffered during lockdowns while the government was taking the pee out of us all.

However, I don’t see the point of this grilling of Johnson. He is no longer PM (thanks be to whoever), so let it go. We all know the man is a liar and a cheat. What’s more to be gained?

[gness]

I didn't even get to see my dying mother through glass but people still remembering it doesn't upset me at all, Old Geezer. Those people are not the ones who should be ashamed.

The medics in my family worked in groups but didn't have parties.

It surprises me that people defend and were happy to have the bumbling, lying man as Prime Minister.
Do they not wonder what other lies they are being fed?

[Gromit]

// What’s more to be gained? //

After any wrong doing there should be some punishment.
Or it will keep on happening.

[douglas9401]

Another lying, cheating, conniving politician for whom the buck stops anywhere but with him.

A pitiful example of humanity.

[ynnafymmi]

Lets hope him and the Murrells get thrown into the same jail cell together.Should make interesting viewing through the peep hole!