National politics

[Hugo]

Welsh health minister says latest Downing Street party claim 'defies belief'
The Prime Minister is facing difficult questions after an email invitation allegedly invited more than 100 Downing Street staff to an evening gathering during lockdown                      



https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/welsh-health-minister-says-latest-22712402

[norman08]

If Boris wasn't such a clown he would either come out and carry on lying and say he wasn't at any so called party, or for once tell the truth and admit he was there, also the met police have a lot to answer as you cannot get in/out of Downing Street back or front without their say so, I just hope this Sue Grey inquiry won't end up being a coverup. 😡

[Hugo]

If Sue Grey is a Conservative then what do you think Norman?           

[norman08]

Well she reports to Gove so let's wait and see.

[mull]

Ian Blackford asked a good question in yesterdays debate---- Did she attend any of the "gatherings" as they were called ?

[Hugo]

Did Ian Blackford get an answer Mull?         

It must be nice when you have a job and you are encouraged to bring a bottle to work       

[norman08]

Watching PMQs today Boris and his front bench cronies are laughing at the public, could anyone imagine any work place allowing drinks to be brought in to the workplace, drinking in the workplace is a sackable offence. It is also disgusting that the met police didn't notice all the booze going in.

[BrianP]

Saying you made a mistake, does not excuse Boris or any other person present at the party in May. The Met have to prosecute and Boris should resign.

[Ian]

I agree, but when the Home Secretary works for you, and controls the police, what chance of any prosecution?

Johnson wasn't really apologising, either; or if he was, it was for getting caught. And it's worth remembering he's been forced into this, as nothing would have emerged had the Tories and his own staff not started leaking memos and emails.

But Johnson is lazy.  That's more or less at the root of all this. He thinks lying is fine, believing no one will ever find out. He was sacked for repeatedly lying in the Times, he was sacked in 2008 for lying about an affair (you may well ask which one?) and it seems lying is a default position for him.

He avoids dealing with issues by going missing. Why, for example, did he not attend the first five COBRA meetings at the outset of the pandemic? It's fairly mind boggling that he's survived this long.

[Hugo]

Boris Johnson's staff accused of more rule-breaking parties inside No 10


https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-59989946

[Ian]

Seems as though the egregious Johnson would be in trouble were it not for the fact that the Met won't dare lay a finger on the PM or the cabinet...

[SteveH]

In an answer to a written question from Clwyd West MS Darren Millar, a Labour minister confirmed that just 19 per cent of the programme’s funds ended up in the six counties in North Wales.

The region received a total of £44,908,197 – while £40.2million was spent in the Swansea Council area alone.

The most-spent in a single northern council was £12.5m in Denbighshire, followed by £10.6m in Wrexham.

Meanwhile, South Wales received £152,557,532 – accounting for 65 per cent of the budget.

The remaining £37,399,621 (16%) per centwent to four counties in Mid and West Wales.

It means North Wales councils received, on average, less than those in anywhere else in the nation; its average was £7.5m, while for South Wales councils, it was £12.7m, and £9.4m in those in the Mid and West.

cont https://www.northwalespioneer.co.uk/news/19957245.ms-condemns-north-south-divide-north-wales-receives-19-per-cent-labours-town-fund/

[Cambrian]

Just proves what a lot of folk have been saying for years.

[SteveH]

MPs will get a £2,212 pay rise on 1 April, seeing an MP's basic salary go up to £84,144 a year.

The 2.7% rise will come in the same week that millions of workers see their wages hit by a National Insurance increase.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer have both said MPs should not get a rise this year.

But their pay is set by an independent body, which says it should be in line with other public sector workers.

MPs' pay was frozen last year due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Richard Lloyd, chairman of Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority (Ipsa), which sets salaries, said: "This is the first increase in pay for MPs in two years and follows the average of increases across the public sector last year.

cont https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-60576639

[Ian]

In his speech to the Conservative spring conference in Blackpool, Boris Johnson said it is the “instinct of the people of this country, like the people of Ukraine, to choose freedom”, with the Brexit vote a “famous recent example”.

The comparison was condemned by Tory peer Lord Barwell, who pointed out Ukraine is seeking to join the EU.

Writing on Twitter, he said: “Apart from the bit where voting in a free and fair referendum isn’t in any way comparable with risking your life to defend your country against invasion + the awkward fact the Ukrainians are fighting for the freedom to join the EU, this comparison is bang on.”

Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey said the Prime Minister “is a national embarrassment”, adding: “To compare a referendum to women and children fleeing (Vladimir) Putin’s bombs is an insult to every Ukrainian.

SNP Westminster leader Ian Blackford said: “Boris Johnson’s comments comparing Ukraine’s life-threatening situation with Brexit was crass and distasteful, and shows just how dangerously obsessed the Tories are with Brexit.”