Boris Johnson - a warning from history

I was talking about the families I work with casdon, whose lives are so difficult that getting children to school is often an impossibility, let alone having the time or space to be engaged politically.

Galaxy

I dont think its unforgivable. People must have no understanding of peoples lives if they think that's unforgivable.

Seriously? I’d say the people who do care about politics are often those who are the most engaged with other peoples lives and want to improve them. It’s therefore immensely frustrating when the attitudes of the more comfortably off who aren’t directly affected themselves by changes in the economy which affect services can’t be bothered to find out accurate information, and are uninformed, with fixed beliefs in the face of all the evidence.

"That the Dog returns to his Vomit and the Sow returns to her Mire, And the burnt Fool's bandaged finger goes wabbling back to the Fire;"

Matthew Parris has it right this morning, I think...

(this link may, or may not work, the Times usually being behind a paywall)

www.thetimes.co.uk/article/b77d2fee-5171-11ed-b120-ca4f3ffbcdc5?shareToken=fa8792dd1a6995776649241c66450eed

A small thought:
Parliament is sitting. Boris Johson is MP for Uxbridge. He is on holiday.
Are the people of Uxbridge feeling represented through these turbulent days?
Sums the man's attitude to democracy up in a nutshell for me. No respect, no sense of accountability.

I dont think its unforgivable. People must have no understanding of peoples lives if they think that's unforgivable.

MaizieD

I suppose it's like the fundamentalist Christian support for Trump in the USA. Though it still strikes me as an indication of a non-existent moral compass.

I’m not sure about a lack of moral compass, I think millions of people are disinterested in politics, can’t be bothered to question what information they are fed by the media, and don’t watch or listen to any debates to make them question anything - they are gullible and have fixed beliefs. You see it frequently on Gransnet, and on other social media sites. It’s an unforgivable trait in the eyes those who care and are engaged, but I don’t think it is easy to change at all.

I suppose it's like the fundamentalist Christian support for Trump in the USA. Though it still strikes me as an indication of a non-existent moral compass.

And something they said made me realise that Johnson becomes everything to everybody.

I think you’re right MayBe. I’ve been trying really hard to understand why MPs & Tory members will vote to get Johnson back, and also why ordinary people say they would welcome his return. And I think the point you make hits the nail on the head. Johnson appeals to any individual for whom one or more of the following is OK:

Racism
Misogyny
Homophobia
Adultery
Brexit
Lying
Elitism
Egocentrism
Law breaking

It’s not that a Johnson supporter necessarily ‘signs up’ to all the above (although probably some do) but even one similarly held belief / trait is enough to make them think Johnson’s ‘not that bad’. When the rest of us say ‘but look at Johnson, you know he’s flawed’, it is precisely those flaws that are his appeal for many people. So, Johnson becomes ‘everything to everyone’. We can only hope that there are enough humane, compassionate, decent people left in this country to ensure that the good rise to the top - eventually.

nanna8

I wonder how much Liz Truss was paid for her role in this? And where they hid the money.

Probably in the same suitcase that the booze from Tescos was sneaked in for the parties!

I’ve been pondering on all this all evening. I listened to the latest The Rest is Politics, which, to a certain extent keeps me sane. And often throws up something that makes sense of what is happening. And something they said made me realise that Johnson becomes everything to everybody. Ben Wallace looks on him as someone that will support Ukraine and increase defence spending. And Alok Sharma, who totally shocked me when he said he supported Johnson ( I really thought he was a good guy) thinks Johnson really cares about climate change. Sometimes MP’s come across as really good eg Tom Tugendhat, but it’s only because they feel passionately about a particular subject and in his case it was Afghanistan. But when it comes to people not being able to pay their mortgages he’s as bad as the rest of them. He surely can’t come out in favour of Johnson because he publicly said he was a liar in the last leadership election. I wish I could go to sleep for a year and just wake up when it’s all over and we, hopefully, have a new government.

*Lucca

Ladyleftfieldlover
Seriously, if I was a lot younger I would leave this country and start again elsewhere. It would be easy if Brexit hadn’t happened, but…
Me too*

Yep, and me

I wonder how much Liz Truss was paid for her role in this? And where they hid the money.

Ladyleftfieldlover

Seriously, if I was a lot younger I would leave this country and start again elsewhere. It would be easy if Brexit hadn’t happened, but…

Yes, me too.

For the Boris supporters
twitter.com/ByDonkeys/status/1583360491032047616?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Etweet

Ladyleftfieldlover

Seriously, if I was a lot younger I would leave this country and start again elsewhere. It would be easy if Brexit hadn’t happened, but…

Me too.

Seriously, if I was a lot younger I would leave this country and start again elsewhere. It would be easy if Brexit hadn’t happened, but…

A poll on sky says only 27% electorate would be pleased to see Johnson back. It’s the media stirring the pot.

Cummings was detested by many until he started aiming to bring Boris down. Then he was golden boy and everyone believed everything he said!

I've never had any time for him and I don't now

I posted in another thread this morning that Cummings tweeted in July the exact same thought as the OP.

Indeed chocolatelovinggran, some good might come if BJ gets in, we would probably have end up with a general election but at what cost to the country. If I could leave the uk and live elsewhere I would be gone like a shot.

The old saying that a week in politics is a long time, has certainly proved the case this year.Who would ever have thought that Boris Johnson would be perhaps making a come back? I have seen on tv and heard in the radio, interviews with people on the street, who would really like him to be PM again.Many MP’s too.
Despite the Downing St parties, many think he would be best for the ‘big problems’ facing our country.So yes, it looks as if he is still a popular figure.

To know that there are some on GN who would actually want him back- if just beyond belief!

Remind me of the results of the by elections held when Johnson was pm.

A warning to which I would like to add

Clandestine meeting with KGB officer - never explained

Lying to the Queen

Illegal prorogation

I am sure others can add to the list

Indeed, Barmeyoldbat. Several MPs have said they would resign if BJ returns as leader. I think that the resultant by -elections might cause the Conservative party to endure a number of humiliating defeats, resulting in (at least) a hung parliament. So, as someone who despises the lying toad with no moral compass, I say - bring it on, conservatives, illustrating a fine example of the activity known as turkeys voting for Christmas.