Fire extinguishers at the ready...

[BillyStubbsTears]

Remember how incandescent some folk were in here at the mere hypothetical thought that anyone might use a major crisis for political gain?

The Times reports today that the Conservative Party are to invite Zelensky to their annual conference in September. Apparently the election campaigning team are very supportive of this idea.

Get the fire extinguishers out. There'll be one or two high minded protectors of standards in here spontaneously combusting when they read this.

Or...maybe not.

[big fat yorkshire pudding]

No doubt him and Johnson have a good relationship.  But I'm not for world leaders visiting party political events at all.

[BillyStubbsTears]

The point being of course that in supporting Ukraine, Johnson is representing the will of the majority of the country as a whole. What he should never, ever do is to play this as a party political issue. There is support for our national stance across all main parties.

But of course he will play it for personal and party advantage. Because that's who he is.

[SydneyRover]

I would be surprised if Zelensky would do such a thing and would understand only too well what is happening, I also suggest he's a bit busy and most likely has not been seriously asked, It's yet another look over there thingy.

[phil old leake]

I agree with you Syd he’s probably a little bit busy at the moment

It does say invite to the conference

In this day of technical meetings he might be invited via Teams or other video platform

[BobG]

If I was Zelensky I'd think hard about taking up an offer like that.

Zelensky will know pretty well the square root of eff all about British politics and its systems. But he will see, very clearly, an opportunity to press the case of Ukraine to a large audience, to a potentially large television audience, and, to be seen in person at the heart of a western nation - a place where Putin will never be seen. Why would he say no to that? It costs him nothing. He has time to plan how to maximise his impact, his worldwide audience and his management of events back home. And it is a propaganda opportunity way beyond anything Putin can deliver.

BobG

[Nudga]

Can't wait