How do you think Boris has handled it so far ? 8th May

[A1X]

To be fair, his 'Lockdown' speech came across like that as well. But it's all the rest isn't it.

Interesting to note both of those were pre-recorded so presumably could have multiple takes / be spliced together.

 

[Uncle Spielberg]

Good idea to update this

 

[vegster]

Interesting to note both of those were pre-recorded so presumably could have multiple takes / be spliced together.

This is the problem for Johnson, to him almost everything is a show, a gig, a bit of fun, it's The Footlights, HIGNFY etc etc. Not for him the hard nights burning the midnight oil reading his briefs, no Thatcherite 5 am starts either. Almost certainly anything important has to be scripted and possibly edited in advance in case he wanders off script and contradicts himself or throws a new policy in on the hoof.

When May, Cameron or Blair strode to the lectern you knew that they knew what they were saying and that they could tackle any questions afterwards with confidence. I don't think we will ever see that with Johnson.

 

[PILTDOWN MAN]

This is the problem for Johnson, to him almost everything is a show, a gig, a bit of fun, it's The Footlights, HIGNFY etc etc. Not for him the hard nights burning the midnight oil reading his briefs, no Thatcherite 5 am starts either. Almost certainly anything important has to be scripted and possibly edited in advance in case he wanders off script and contradicts himself or throws a new policy in on the hoof.

When May, Cameron or Blair strode to the lectern you knew that they knew what they were saying and that they could tackle any questions afterwards with confidence. I don't think we will ever see that with Johnson.

Autocue to Boris is the point his mouth opens and his hands wave about.

 

[blue-shifted]

This is the problem for Johnson, to him almost everything is a show, a gig, a bit of fun, it's The Footlights, HIGNFY etc etc. Not for him the hard nights burning the midnight oil reading his briefs, no Thatcherite 5 am starts either. Almost certainly anything important has to be scripted and possibly edited in advance in case he wanders off script and contradicts himself or throws a new policy in on the hoof.

When May, Cameron or Blair strode to the lectern you knew that they knew what they were saying and that they could tackle any questions afterwards with confidence. I don't think we will ever see that with Johnson.

All three of those you mention, were far from beyond criticism, but I'd bite your hand off for one of those to be PM at the moment. Especially Blair

 

[vegster]

All three of those you mention, were far from beyond criticism, but I'd bite your hand off for one of those to be PM at the moment. Especially Blair

Indeed, but they all understood issues and put in the hard yards when needed.

 

[blue-shifted]

Indeed, but they all understood issues and put in the hard yards when needed.

So, you mean they didn't bunk off from meetings on subjects they weren't interested in and didn't reject the chance to get items they needed because of ideological objections?

 

[WATFORD zero]

I still remember when Michael Heseltine said

“Well, I think that you have to see Boris as a career map. He works it out, he decides which way the wind is blowing, and that wonderful phrase about a politician - a man who waits to see the way the crowd is running and then dashes in front and says, ‘Follow me’”

I roared with laughter at his brilliant, accurate and cutting summation, when he said it.

I'm not laughing now

 

[Badger Boy]

I voted Poor initially but I've downgraded the government response to Very Poor. Amateurish if we're being honest.

 

[vegster]

I still remember when Michael Heseltine said

“Well, I think that you have to see Boris as a career map. He works it out, he decides which way the wind is blowing, and that wonderful phrase about a politician - a man who waits to see the way the crowd is running and then dashes in front and says, ‘Follow me’”

I roared with laughter at his brilliant, accurate and cutting summation, when he said it.

I'm not laughing now

We were all warned, all the ex wives and mistresses, all the Brussels diplomats, his previous employers they all said he was a lying duplicitous scoundrel out for himself...I only get one vote, I used mine wisely, sadly not enough others did.

 

[Wozza]

I voted Poor initially but I've downgraded the government response to Very Poor. Amateurish if we're being honest.

Out of interest (sorry to pick on you), did you vote for Brexit? And, either way, do you trust this governement to negotiate great trade deals?

 

[Chicken Run]

It's quite clear they made a few but bad decisions at the start and have run out of ideas now their expected outcome has failed. Rather than leading on the issue, they have simply accepted the fact that the general public have started to gradually ignore the guidelines.

All they have now is fog and nuance and it's over to us however we want to play it

After this is over an inquiry can't come quick enough. The terms of reference must extend beyond the start of the crises and why previous warnings about lack of readiness were ignored.

This word nuance has slipped quietly into NSC’s over used on trend words recently.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

 

[CheeseRolls]

Trying to be objective here and probably failing miserably, I think there are three interconnected things in play right now.

1 I don't think the PM is fully fit yet. Given he doesn't have a great reputation as a grafter, not being able to step up in a crisis must be personally chalenging.
2 He has built a very small group of trusted lieutenants. Maybe related to point one, but too many people who should be on message in cabinet and expert advisors, appear to be off message. Communication and engagement are hard work.
3 When public sentiment is against you, defending your position is hard work and finding fault, both deserved and undeserved critisicm is not terribly difficult.

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

Trying to be objective here and probably failing miserably, I think there are three interconnected things in play right now.

1 I don't think the PM is fully fit yet. Given he doesn't have a great reputation as a grafter, not being able to step up in a crisis must be personally chalenging.
2 He has built a very small group of trusted lieutenants. Maybe related to point one, but too many people who should be on message in cabinet and expert advisors, appear to be off message. Communication and engagement are hard work.
3 When public sentiment is against you, defending your position is hard work and finding fault, both deserved and undeserved critisicm is not terribly difficult.

Very well put. I agree. He sounded sad, contrite almost broken today. His only flourish was explaining the alerts thing - their use in informing decisions (then basically binning the slogan by mentioning it only once). The latter is a minor issue but it reflects the situation; Boris is not able to lead right now, only follow. And when the guidance and message need to be delivered coherently, he can't do it.

I think he's been cut a huge amount of slack so far. I feel sorry for him (sort of), but he put himself up for this, and he either has to make a decent fist of it, or quit. At the moment, through lack of attention rather than rank stupidity, he's confusing the public.

 

[Swansman]

I dont know why he is doing press conferences on his own? Isnt it better to have a few people in there: someone responsible for medical equipment etc, someone who is an expert on viruses etc, someone who is responsible for public information..? I was watching a lot of his press conference today and he had difficulties answering a lot of questions, which is of course poor but at the same time you cant expect him to be all-knowing.

 

[Motogull]

He's a particularly egregious statesman. Sturgeon is far more impressive in such a setting.

 

[Machiavelli]

I still remember when Michael Heseltine said

“Well, I think that you have to see Boris as a career map. He works it out, he decides which way the wind is blowing, and that wonderful phrase about a politician - a man who waits to see the way the crowd is running and then dashes in front and says, ‘Follow me’”

I roared with laughter at his brilliant, accurate and cutting summation, when he said it.

I'm not laughing now

Max Hastings was absolutely cutting about Johnson, having been his editor at The Telegraph, and insisted that he was entirely unfit for office.

 

[Bodian]

I dont know why he is doing press conferences on his own? Isnt it better to have a few people in there: someone responsible for medical equipment etc, someone who is an expert on viruses etc, someone who is responsible for public information..? I was watching a lot of his press conference today and he had difficulties answering a lot of questions, which is of course poor but at the same time you cant expect him to be all-knowing.

He was flanked by these!

Whitty was asked whether they had been consulted on the new 'Stay Alert' slogan - his answer made it quite clear that he wasn't.

 

[studio150]

I dont know why he is doing press conferences on his own? Isnt it better to have a few people in there: someone responsible for medical equipment etc, someone who is an expert on viruses etc, someone who is responsible for public information..? I was watching a lot of his press conference today and he had difficulties answering a lot of questions, which is of course poor but at the same time you cant expect him to be all-knowing.

But you should expect him to be prepared and briefed.
Given the questions today would obviously be around the next steps given his TV statement yesterday and his statement to the House this afternoon, surely you would expect him to know the detail given we were led to believe he was fully involved in establishing the way forward.
Johnson has a reputation for not being strong on detail, and his performance currently is just reflecting that.

 

[Bodian]

But you should expect him to be prepared and briefed.
Given the questions today would obviously be around the next steps given his TV statement yesterday and his statement to the House this afternoon, surely you would expect him to know the detail given we were led to believe he was fully involved in establishing the way forward.
Johnson has a reputation for not being strong on detail, and his performance currently is just reflecting that.

He would also have known the questions beforehand. They were on the screen as they were being asked. So, it would be easy to be prepared and briefed (you would think).