Should there be a Parliamentary Inquiry into Johnson's handling of covid?

[wilts rover]

Dominic Cummings seems to think so!!

'The proper way for such issues to be handled is via an urgent Parliamentary inquiry into the government’s conduct over the covid crisis which ought to take evidence from all key players under oath and have access to documents. Issues concerning covid and/or the PM’s conduct should not be handled as No10 has handled them over the past 24 hours.'

Also claims Carrie influenced Government business:

'I told him that he could not possibly cancel an inquiry about a leak that affected millions of people, just because it might implicate his girlfriend’s friends.'

https://dominiccummings.com/2021/04/23/statement-regarding-no10-claims-today/

[BillyStubbsTears]

As I have said on multiple occasions, Cummings has a tendency to go off like a Claymore when he feels he has been wronged.

I suspect there are several people in Govt shitting themselves about what they might have detonated here.

Odd though, given that Kuenssberg was always so quick to get Cummings's words into print and onto the news. Not a dickie bird from the BBC about this.

[BillyStubbsTears]

Wow! Cummings is really going into Tasmanian Devil mode.

Re the flat. The Prime Minister’s DOC has also made accusations regarding me and leaks concerning the PM’s renovation of his flat. The PM stopped speaking to me about this matter in 2020 as I told him I thought his plans to have donors secretly pay for the renovation were unethical, foolish, possibly illegal and almost certainly broke the rules on proper disclosure of political donations if conducted in the way he intended. I refused to help him organise these payments. My knowledge about them is therefore limited. I would be happy to tell the Cabinet Secretary or Electoral Commission what I know concerning this matter.

[scawsby steve]

Wow! Cummings is really going into Tasmanian Devil mode.

Re the flat. The Prime Minister’s DOC has also made accusations regarding me and leaks concerning the PM’s renovation of his flat. The PM stopped speaking to me about this matter in 2020 as I told him I thought his plans to have donors secretly pay for the renovation were unethical, foolish, possibly illegal and almost certainly broke the rules on proper disclosure of political donations if conducted in the way he intended. I refused to help him organise these payments. My knowledge about them is therefore limited. I would be happy to tell the Cabinet Secretary or Electoral Commission what I know concerning this matter.

"Hell hath no fury......"

[SydneyRover]

Dominic Cummings seems to think so!!

'The proper way for such issues to be handled is via an urgent Parliamentary inquiry into the government’s conduct over the covid crisis which ought to take evidence from all key players under oath and have access to documents. Issues concerning covid and/or the PM’s conduct should not be handled as No10 has handled them over the past 24 hours.'

Also claims Carrie influenced Government business:

'I told him that he could not possibly cancel an inquiry about a leak that affected millions of people, just because it might implicate his girlfriend’s friends.'

https://dominiccummings.com/2021/04/23/statement-regarding-no10-claims-today/

Now that's a statement for the defence, thanks Wilts

[SydneyRover]

I assume this headline from the bbc is tongue-in-cheek?

''Dominic Cummings launches attack on Boris Johnson's integrity''

[BillyStubbsTears]

Fascinating sub-plot here is that Cummings has never been a Tory.

He and Johnson had a symbiotic relationship.

Johnson used Cummings's brilliance at campaigning to further Johnson's career by winning the Brexit vote.

Cummings believed he had a messianic mission to rip Govt apart and rebuild it as he saw fit. He bought into the Johnson project because that was Cummings's route to getting to the heart of Govt.

But Cummings is a vicious, vindictive type. He's making it clear now that he knows where the bodies are buried and crucially, he owes no allegiance to Johnson or the Tories.

This has the potential to get very nasty for Johnson.

[bpoolrover]

Unless he has proof which he might have, no one will believe a word he says, when he was a advisor not one person on this board believed a word he said so going off that what he is saying now is all lies?

[SydneyRover]

that's a big problem bp when you have a disreputable person for a pm and an ex spad both quite happy to tell the electorate bare faced lies to cover their arses, in this case assume johnson is the biggest liar.

[big fat yorkshire pudding]

Interesting one isn't it. He was previously someone who couldn't be trusted with the truth in his blogs, now he's critical of government he's trustworthy again and telling the truth.....

On what he claims though, anyone who doesn't already believe that Boris Johnson does things that he shouldn't is at best naive.

[SydneyRover]

The interesting thing is yp is that before, they were both lying to protect each other now they are lying to protect themselves.

[Herbert Anchovy]

Interesting one isn't it. He was previously someone who couldn't be trusted with the truth in his blogs, now he's critical of government he's trustworthy again and telling the truth.....

On what he claims though, anyone who doesn't already believe that Boris Johnson does things that he shouldn't is at best naive.

This is spot on. The problem is though that many voters don’t seem to care that Johnson is a lies and has little integrity. People will vote for him whatever.

[drfchound]

As I have said on multiple occasions, Cummings has a tendency to go off like a Claymore when he feels he has been wronged.

I suspect there are several people in Govt shitting themselves about what they might have detonated here.

Odd though, given that Kuenssberg was always so quick to get Cummings's words into print and onto the news. Not a dickie bird from the BBC about this.

That last statement isn’t true BST.
It was highlighted a few weeks ago on the BBC that Cummings was raising issues and I mentioned it on this forum.
It was on the BBC breakfast news again today.
I have no doubt by the way that Cummings will be lauded on here as this situation evolves, which I also said a few weeks ago but no one responded to.
After decrying all Cummings said in the past I suspect he might become someone who is loved by the left supporters and all he says will be deemed to be true.

[wilts rover]

As I have said on multiple occasions, Cummings has a tendency to go off like a Claymore when he feels he has been wronged.

I suspect there are several people in Govt shitting themselves about what they might have detonated here.

Odd though, given that Kuenssberg was always so quick to get Cummings's words into print and onto the news. Not a dickie bird from the BBC about this.

That last statement isn’t true BST.
It was highlighted a few weeks ago on the BBC that Cummings was raising issues and I mentioned it on this forum.
It was on the BBC breakfast news again today.
I have no doubt by the way that Cummings will be lauded on here as this situation evolves, which I also said a few weeks ago but no one responded to.
After decrying all Cummings said in the past I suspect he might become someone who is loved by the left supporters and all he says will be deemed to be true.

It also wasn't true last night. It was the third story on the 10 o'clock news and Newsnight did a big piece on it.

https://twitter.com/lewis_goodall/status/1385752964296581123

I doubt Cummings will ever be 'lauded' by anyone other than those who voted for Brexit. But his appearance at the Spending Select Committee next month where he has proposed to fully co-operate and answer fully any questions on his time in government should be extremly interesting.

And welcolmed by all who oppose corruption, cronyism and dishonesty in government I would have thought.

[SydneyRover]

It will be a sell out I would think Wilts

[BillyStubbsTears]

Interesting one isn't it. He was previously someone who couldn't be trusted with the truth in his blogs, now he's critical of government he's trustworthy again and telling the truth.....

On what he claims though, anyone who doesn't already believe that Boris Johnson does things that he shouldn't is at best naive.

BFYP.
I'm guessing that's aimed at me, given that I've posted more than anyone about Cummings's blog.

I don't recall ever saying that Cummings had lied on his blog. If you know where I have, I'd be happy to accept that.

What I HAVE said is that he is an egotistical maniac, very, very intelligent but vicious and quite happy to throw a hand grenade in the face of anyone who crossed him.

It's that combination that terrified me about him being close to the centre of Govt, not lying (although he did of course lie through his teeth over his breaking of the COVID lockdown).

[belton rover]

It was suggested on THAT radio station that Cummings and Johnson were still in bed with each other, and this is is another stunt concocted to eventually make Johnson look good over it all.  Can’t see how, personally, but there you go.

Either way, Cummings is showing again than that he is a cretin who doesn’t give a shit about anyone but himself but sells himself very well (yes Wilts: this from someone who voted leave).

Perhaps thats why they get on so well.

[BillyStubbsTears]

As I have said on multiple occasions, Cummings has a tendency to go off like a Claymore when he feels he has been wronged.

I suspect there are several people in Govt shitting themselves about what they might have detonated here.

Odd though, given that Kuenssberg was always so quick to get Cummings's words into print and onto the news. Not a dickie bird from the BBC about this.

That last statement isn’t true BST.
It was highlighted a few weeks ago on the BBC that Cummings was raising issues and I mentioned it on this forum.
It was on the BBC breakfast news again today.
I have no doubt by the way that Cummings will be lauded on here as this situation evolves, which I also said a few weeks ago but no one responded to.
After decrying all Cummings said in the past I suspect he might become someone who is loved by the left supporters and all he says will be deemed to be true.

It also wasn't true last night. It was the third story on the 10 o'clock news and Newsnight did a big piece on it.

https://twitter.com/lewis_goodall/status/1385752964296581123

I doubt Cummings will ever be 'lauded' by anyone other than those who voted for Brexit. But his appearance at the Spending Select Committee next month where he has proposed to fully co-operate and answer fully any questions on his time in government should be extremly interesting.

And welcolmed by all who oppose corruption, cronyism and dishonesty in government I would have thought.

It WAS true when I wrote it. I checked throughout the BBC website and there wasn't a word about it, nor any tweet from Kuenssberg.

I don't make this shit up you know.

I'm assuming there were some panicked high level BBC meetings figuring out what the editorial take was going to be. Given that Kuenssberg has spent two years breaking stories given to her directly from Cummings, it is very unlikely that she wasn't aware of this blog post. But she's still posted nowt on Twitter about it.

[drfchound]

BST, it WAS on the bbc news a few weeks ago.
I wrote about it on here.

[BillyStubbsTears]

Hound.
I'm talking about THIS development.

The stuff on the news a few weeks ago was, if I recall correctly, briefings from No10 spin doctors blaming Cummings for leaks about the November lockdown. They did the same thing on Thursday night, accusing Cummings of leaking info about the Johnson/Dyson texts. Then Cummings went supernova yesterday afternoon and the BBC said not a word about it for hours, while the rest of the media were going apeshit over it.

[wilts rover]

Looks like even Cummings didn't trust them!

Dominic Cummings may have secret audio recordings from his time in government

https://twitter.com/PoliticsForAlI/status/1386005429847724036

[bpoolrover]

Looks like even Cummings didn't trust them!

Dominic Cummings may have secret audio recordings from his time in government

https://twitter.com/PoliticsForAlI/status/1386005429847724036

not sure he would admit it if he did, would probably land him time in jail

[drfchound]

Wouldn’t Cummings have had to sign some kind of confidentiality agreement.

[BillyStubbsTears]

Hound.
He will undoubtedly have to have signed the Official Secrets Act.

But this is politics, not national security. If Cummings breaks that agreement, but in doing so puts into the public domain evidence of Johnson having broken the law, or being responsible for a serious policy failure, prosecuting him would only look like trying to protect the PM.

You haven't learned what Cummings is like. He's a vindictive, egotistical maniac. He thinks, rightly or wrongly, that Johnson has slighted him. And he's doing what he does in those circumstances.

If (IF) Johnson has done anything very seriously wrong, and Cummings has the evidence, this is going to get very, very nasty for Johnson.

[wilts rover]

If Johnson has done nothing wrong why do 'No10 fears Cummings bombshell dossier':

https://twitter.com/TmorrowsPapers/status/1386063805944373252

If he has done nothing wrong there will be nothing to fear - he always acts with honesty and integrity doesn't he?

[Bentley Bullet]

It makes no difference if Boris has done nothing wrong, he will still be guilty in some peoples eyes. It will just be called a cover-up.

[BillyStubbsTears]

BB
That gets to the heart of the problem in current debate.

There is a concept of absolute truth. Johnson either DID do wrong in getting someone to pay for his flat renovation without declaring it, or he didn't. He either DID do wrong in attempting to block an inquiry because it might point the finger at his missus's friend or he didn't.

I don't know if he did or didn't. Neither do you. But if there is compelling and unarguable evidence either way (and Cummings is suggesting that he has that) then I'd hope that all of us would accept that.

The problem these days is that too many people take a position and stick to that regardless of what evidence is put in front of them.

[Bentley Bullet]

BST, I agree entirely with that, especially the last chapter which was exactly my point.

[BillyStubbsTears]

Good then we are in agreement. If (as is quite possible) this is just Cummings having one of his nail bomb rants and he has no evidence of Johnson doing wrong, then that puts Cummings to bed. Of course absence of damning evidence is not proof of absence of guilt though. And the statement from No 10 today (saying that Johnson has personally paid for all the renovations THIS YEAR) is an odd one, no? Surely if has done nothing wrong at all, he could put the matter to rest immediately by doing what Labour have asked him to do: publish the invoices for the whole work. It would be odd if he refuses to do that while having evidence to exonerate himself, no?

Because refusing to do a simple thing which would clear his name is itself evidence which we can all use in coming to our own judgements.

[BillyStubbsTears]

Think about a murder trial. Lack of video evidence of Joe Bloggs firing the gun doesn't mean that Joe Bloggs isn't the murderer. If Joe Bloggs says "I couldn't have done it because I wasn't there, I was in Spain" but refuses to show the police evidence that he was in Spain, that refusal would be taken as information that the jury would use in coming to their verdict.