2020 No. 10 Christmas Party!

[El Pollo Diablo]

It doesn't really matter if they broke the law. It's unlikely they'll be prosecuted even if they did. The problematic nature of the parties (plural) is not based on the legality of the parties. It's based in the fact that Liz mcfucking Truss is being spoken of as the potential next prime minister, with an air of seriousness.

It depends on whether you want to unpick things or just run around waving your hands in the air. As I get older the latter does increasingly feel like the more rational response but I'm aware there are young 'uns on the forum and we need to put up a good show in times like these.

Not about me tbh, it's about how everyone else is reacting. Most people don't give a sh.t about politics 98% of the time. But they do care about this, and aren't minded to unpick it or question whether, according to the letter of the law, it was illegal - they just see it as clearly wrong, hence why the tories have tanked in the polls.

[Grumble]

When I’ve done anti-corruption training we have to avoid the appearance of corruption almost as much as actual corruption.

The government should avoid the appearance of illegality almost as much as actual illegality.

[plodder]

It doesn't really matter if they broke the law. It's unlikely they'll be prosecuted even if they did. The problematic nature of the parties (plural) is not based on the legality of the parties. It's based in the fact that Liz mcfucking Truss is being spoken of as the potential next prime minister, with an air of seriousness.

It depends on whether you want to unpick things or just run around waving your hands in the air. As I get older the latter does increasingly feel like the more rational response but I'm aware there are young 'uns on the forum and we need to put up a good show in times like these.

Not about me tbh, it's about how everyone else is reacting. Most people don't give a sh.t about politics 98% of the time. But they do care about this, and aren't minded to unpick it or question whether, according to the letter of the law, it was illegal - they just see it as clearly wrong, hence why the tories have tanked in the polls.

Sure, the optics for the Xmas bash are appalling and he'll sack optics people until the next thing comes along. The by-election next week looks fun, the Lib-Dems are apparently ahead for some of the bookies. Losing that would obviously increase pressure as will the news that Boris' big booster push has resulted in the UK running out of lateral flow tests within about 24 hours. If he's still overseeing a shambles with a lost by-election the knives might sharpen a bit more, but there's no immediate rush for the Tories to boot him out. He needs to be a dead man walking for a few weeks to allow them to organise their stalking horse, identify whether there's a candidate who can actually beat him in a leadership election etc.

He's not even a dead man walking yet.

[Bird on a Fire]

Johnson will survive this. Nobody else wants to be PM during a pandemic winter.

He's always been venal and incompetent, which provides a useful distraction while the rest of the government orchestrates the UK's sleepwalk into fascism.

The main outcome will be the political impossibility of mandating any kind of lockdown around Christmas. Nobody will stick to it, because they won't believe anyone else will.

[Fishnut]

Johnson will survive this. Nobody else wants to be PM during a pandemic winter.

He's always been venal and incompetent, which provides a useful distraction while the rest of the government orchestrates the UK's sleepwalk into fascism.

The main outcome will be the political impossibility of mandating any kind of lockdown around Christmas. Nobody will stick to it, because they won't believe anyone else will.

Not only that, but many of those who did follow the rules last time will still have lost loved ones this year because the pandemic has been so badly managed. If they're going to get sick and maybe die, might at least see family and make some good memories in the meantime.

[Little waster]

Pie's balanced and thoughtful take on the story.

NSFW obv.

[nezumi]

Pie's balanced and thoughtful take on the story.

NSFW obv.

Yep. Spot on as per.

[Stranger Mouse]

Photo from the Shaun Bailey party. Pippa Crerar is knocking it out of the park right now

https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/politics/ ... s-25699183

[tenchboy]

Update Mirror again.
"Organisers had been planning for staff to attend the "virtual quiz" in person for days ahead of the event in December last year - and a senior official told attendees: "Go out the back" "

[Woodchopper]

Photo from the Shaun Bailey party. Pippa Crerar is knocking it out of the park right now

https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/politics/ ... s-25699183

Worst part of that picture is the food. It’s one thing for people sharing an office anyway to open a bottle or two. But that party was catered.

[tenchboy]

He was said to have briefly attended to give a speech thanking the group, some of whom stayed on for the banned gathering, at its end-of-year-briefing.

Chinny f.cking Reckon!!!

[tom p]

Photo from the Shaun Bailey party. Pippa Crerar is knocking it out of the park right now

https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/politics/ ... s-25699183

Worst part of that picture is the food. It’s one thing for people sharing an office anyway to open a bottle or two. But that party was catered.

Shaun Bailey is a f.cking simpleton. It's no surprise he was stupid enough to (a) hold such and event & (b) get caught attending it

[IvanV]

Shaun Bailey is a f.cking simpleton. It's no surprise he was stupid enough to (a) hold such and event & (b) get caught attending it

And has now resigned.

[Bird on a Fire]

How come it's taken a whole year for these various bits of footage to leak?

Does it mean the leaker has now moved to another job, or the media held it back, or what?

Given that media leaks are the only source of transparency with this shower I think it's important we understand how they function.

[Nero]

How come it's taken a whole year for these various bits of footage to leak?

Does it mean the leaker has now moved to another job, or the media held it back, or what?

Given that media leaks are the only source of transparency with this shower I think it's important we understand how they function.

Specifically interesting is the video footage of Allegra Stratton, very few people would have access to that.

[IvanV]

Specifically interesting is the video footage of Allegra Stratton, very few people would have access to that.

A week or so ago I listed to the Media Show or similar name on Radio 4, when the journalists who uncovered the video talked, very carefully, about how they got it, and decided to publish it. They said that informants had told them of its potential existence since shortly after it was taken. But it was only recently that the potential for them to get hold of it arose.

Essentially a journalist has to cultivate a source who will show it to them, knowing that it might in effect shafting their mates or colleagues. If the source is presenting something to a journalist through vindictiveness, that is a concern to the journalist, who will then have to be careful. It is preferable if it can be verified that the source is doing it on grounds of propriety, not vindictiveness. Then the journalists have to be clear that the provenance is reliable, that it is in the public interest to publish it, and that it can be done in a way that doesn't compromise the source.

There is some suggestion that the video as published is not a forwarded copy of the original, but rather one device has filmed it being played on another device, to avoid any electronic fingerprints of the source. The journalists would not confirm or deny this.

[Nero]

Specifically interesting is the video footage of Allegra Stratton, very few people would have access to that.

There is some suggestion that the video as published is not a forwarded copy of the original, but rather one device has filmed it being played on another device, to avoid any electronic fingerprints of the source. The journalists would not confirm or deny this.

Meta data of the source device wouldn't be an issue, it's a camera(s) insitu in the conference room. Meta data from a secondary source videoing the original footage would be problematic for the leaker.

Some of the slightly odd aspect ratios in the video do look as though it might be a secondary device recording a primary monitor.

[Bird on a Fire]

I assume there's a thread for "adverts that have aged like milk"

[plodder]

drip drip drip

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/ ... ay-sources

[monkey]

Simon Case, in charge of investigating Christmas parties, had a Christmas party - clicky

[monkey]

Unsurprisingly, he's now Simon off the Case.

[Little waster]

Unsurprisingly, he's now Simon off the Case.

What a thoroughly unexpected turn of events.

So much for 23-dimensional chess this is barely tic tac toe.

[Gfamily]

Unsurprisingly, he's now Simon off the Case.

What a thoroughly unexpected turn of events.

So much for 23-dimensional chess this is barely tic tac toe.

The usual explanation is that 22 of the dimensions are curled up very small and are crying in the corner

[shpalman]

Simon Case, the cabinet secretary, allegedly had drinks for up to 20 staff

Wow, he must have been absolutely wasted. Should have let his staff have the drinks at least.

[Stranger Mouse]

Unsurprisingly, he's now Simon off the Case.

What a thoroughly unexpected turn of events.

So much for 23-dimensional chess this is barely tic tac toe.

The usual explanation is that 22 of the dimensions are curled up very small and are crying in the corner

The state of the world as it is I spend a lot of my time curled up very small so I don’t blame them.