BoJo in trouble…
London, Saturday,
The strategy seems not to have helped. Starmer now has a 10-point lead over the Conservatives in the latest polls. This week, he called on 'Big Dog' to resign, stating that it is in the "national interest" for him to do so and that BoJo should have stuck to the rules he'd made.
But this led us to ask ourselves the following question: Was the real error Johnson not respecting his own rules, or was it making them in the first place?
After all, to begin with, when countries like Italy, Spain or France were taking extreme health measures to stop the spreading of Covid-19, the UK's government at first refused to do so, saying such rules that would damage the country's economy, divide the population and hurt civil liberties.
Indeed, the drinking and chatting in the Downing Street garden was, in its own way, "politicians at work". Doubtless ideas were exchanged and morale improved. In the eyes of politicians at least, this contributes to good governance.
Unfortunately, having imprisoned the general population in their homes and forbidden more or less everything, today, 'Big Dog' just looks like a naughty puppy.
London, Saturday,
After nearly two years of Covid, the British government has a new emergency plan. Dubbed 'Operation Big Dog' it involves all members of the government in a 24 hour media blitz.
Is it to highlight new treatments for Covid? Or to push new health measures? No, this plan is simply about saving the skin of the British Prime Minister, Boris Johnson (57), after newspapers revealed that at the height of the Covid emergency, the government was organizing "wine and cheese" parties at Number Ten Downing Street, the prime minister's official residence. The British press is full of comparisons with ordinary citizens who were at this time forbidden to see their loved ones in hospitals, or even to attend funerals.
Divisions in the Conservative Party over the Partygate scandal and Boris Johnson's future as leader are bursting into the open, with loyalists taking up the cudgels for the Prime Minister and others claiming his position is now untenable.
Six Conservative MPs have called for the Prime Minister to quit so far, but Johnson and his inner circle have instead spent the weekend drawing up a list of officials to offer their resignations instead. Other elements of 'Operation Save Big Dog' (so-called by the prime minister himself), include highlighting Johnson’s achievements - seen as pushing through Brexit and obtaining early vaccines - and claiming that opposition leaders have also not been following the Covid rules. A secretly recorded film has been released showing Keir Starmer, the leader of the Labour Party, having a drink while talking to colleagues.
Is it to highlight new treatments for Covid? Or to push new health measures? No, this plan is simply about saving the skin of the British Prime Minister, Boris Johnson (57), after newspapers revealed that at the height of the Covid emergency, the government was organizing "wine and cheese" parties at Number Ten Downing Street, the prime minister's official residence. The British press is full of comparisons with ordinary citizens who were at this time forbidden to see their loved ones in hospitals, or even to attend funerals.
Divisions in the Conservative Party over the Partygate scandal and Boris Johnson's future as leader are bursting into the open, with loyalists taking up the cudgels for the Prime Minister and others claiming his position is now untenable.
Six Conservative MPs have called for the Prime Minister to quit so far, but Johnson and his inner circle have instead spent the weekend drawing up a list of officials to offer their resignations instead. Other elements of 'Operation Save Big Dog' (so-called by the prime minister himself), include highlighting Johnson’s achievements - seen as pushing through Brexit and obtaining early vaccines - and claiming that opposition leaders have also not been following the Covid rules. A secretly recorded film has been released showing Keir Starmer, the leader of the Labour Party, having a drink while talking to colleagues.
"The parties included people drinking and dancing to music while one attendee was sent off with a suitcase to fill up with bottles of fine wine…"
The strategy seems not to have helped. Starmer now has a 10-point lead over the Conservatives in the latest polls. This week, he called on 'Big Dog' to resign, stating that it is in the "national interest" for him to do so and that BoJo should have stuck to the rules he'd made.
But this led us to ask ourselves the following question: Was the real error Johnson not respecting his own rules, or was it making them in the first place?
After all, to begin with, when countries like Italy, Spain or France were taking extreme health measures to stop the spreading of Covid-19, the UK's government at first refused to do so, saying such rules that would damage the country's economy, divide the population and hurt civil liberties.
Indeed, the drinking and chatting in the Downing Street garden was, in its own way, "politicians at work". Doubtless ideas were exchanged and morale improved. In the eyes of politicians at least, this contributes to good governance.
Unfortunately, having imprisoned the general population in their homes and forbidden more or less everything, today, 'Big Dog' just looks like a naughty puppy.
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