[Boiler]

One of the lowest-rated comments on a BBC SYB on Johnson having to appear before the Commons Liaison Committee:

Screenshot_2020-05-22 Johnson to face grilling by senior MPs next week(1).png (6.39 KiB) Viewed 232 times

...and one of the highest:

Screenshot_2020-05-22 Johnson to face grilling by senior MPs next week.png (6.53 KiB) Viewed 232 times

[oboogie]

[Kreuzberger]

I wish people would get a sense of perspective here.

It's only natural that Kuenssberg would defend to the hilt a loyal, trusted, and steadfast colleague.

[Bones McCoy]

This has the potential to be in the news for 10 days.
And we all know what happen's when you're "the news" for 10 days, don't we readers.

Let's begin with the aspects of the story that don't stack up.

Both too ill to provide childcare - probably not a unique situation.
I know of families with symptoms, and grandpatrents just around the corner who were unable to hand over their children because "The rules".

Healthy enough to drive to Durham and move into fresh accommodation (with all the suitcase lugging and linen changing that entails), but too sick to care for a 4 year old.


Now some of the collaterals.

This 260 mile journey with a 4 year old.
Are we to believe there were no "comfort stops" along the way, with the risks they entail.

The question of the child changing households also doesn't really stack up in either case.
Whether you believe the bizarre trope that children cannot catch it, or if you believe the child was at risk form the parents and was separated for that reason.


Finally the question of standards: The rules that apply to the great unwashed.

2 government advisers rapidly sacked after breaking the rules.

Around 12 million grandparents who have been isolating properly, unable to see their grandchildren for over 60 days.
This last demographic is a significant voter block.
I don't believe they will all change their opinions on the basis of this, but the government and its pals playing fast and loose around a significant pain point for them won't help.


I wonder what Starmer will make of it.

[Kreuzberger]

Once this story met contact with daylight, Cummings' sister suddenly cropped up. I haven't seen all of the coverage so I haven't seen the possibility being addressed of her moving to Cummings' spacious London townhouse for the duration.

So, generally, no. With this and so many other facets of the story being taken in to account, there appears to be very little wriggle-room.

It had occurred to me that this is the dead-cat, slain to deflect from Arcuri, (especially the emerging suggestions of deleted evidence), but that it has been seriously misjudged.

[Malcolm Armsteen]

Like many others I'm not sure if what I had in January was the virus, but I can assure you that I would have been utterly incapable of driving 250 miles to Durham. Or dancing in the garden a few days later.

This story seriously does not add up. Especially given that Mrs Cummings has claimed that she and Dom were bed bound (in London) for 10 days.

Mrs A asks "They are both busy people - what are their normal childcare arrangements?"

[oboogie]

[Malcolm Armsteen]

Fascinating Aida...

[oboogie]

No10 appear to be digging the hole a bit deeper.

[Malcolm Armsteen]

Facebook comment from my friend Mikey

Interesting, just seen Alistair Campbell talking about it, and it was put to him that, Cummings had an emergency I.e childcare. He responded both Cummings and his wife are in the top 1% of earners, and they could not get child care within 260 miles? Quite a response even for the idiots to understand. Time for Dominant Cumstain to go

Remember that at that time London was fast emerging as a hotspot and the north-east was relatively clear...

[Tubby Isaacs]

Am I missing something? Doesn't the whole family self-isolate in that situation?

[Kreuzberger]

Remember that at that time London was fast emerging as a hotspot and the north-east was relatively clear...

Any journalist, who neither wants a glittering career nor fancies a future as a supine stenographer, could quite easily point out that, by the time Tribe Cummings were on their way back down to London, that picture had been dramatically reversed.

[Cyclist]

That's a decent bit of ammunition. Cummings is responsible for transporting C 19 to the North East.

It's a pity our gutter press are all sucking Tory cock. Someone could have a field day with that.

[oboogie]

[Malcolm Armsteen]

Remember that at that time London was fast emerging as a hotspot and the north-east was relatively clear...

Any journalist, who neither wants a glittering career nor fancies a future as a supine stenographer, could quite easily point out that, by the time Tribe Cummings were on their way back down to London, that picture had been dramatically reversed.

But they were immune by then. Fuck everybody else.