Boris Johnson- Prime Minister (Vol. 3)

[Wills2]

Breadvan72 said:

Murph7355 said:

Breadvan72 said:

No mainstream party leader in a GE for decades has refused an interview. The comments on Johnson's cowardice have nothing to do with the appalling anti-semitic tosspot Corbyn.

Genuine question - have these sort of interviews been a key thing for more than the last two elections?

I recall the absolute car crash that May did last time out...but don't really recall much even in the 2015 election. Was that the first year the stand up "debates" happened/were televised?

We are talking about the flagship BBC interview - this has been a thing for decades and no mainstream party leader has ever refused one. The attempts by some above to excuse Johnson are as unconvincing as any defence of Johnson ever is. To a Johnson loyalist, there is nothing that he does that cannot be denied or just shrugged off. Johnson loyalists are in this respect much like Trump supporters.

Agreed it's simply not on and he's taking the mickey with this stance, I was going to hold my nose and vote for him but now I'm not so sure I can, trouble is he's been caught out lying so many times Andrew Neil must have had to whittle the list down for the interview.

[Uncle John]

It’s not compulsory to do interviews, particularly when you do not need to.

[Dr Murdoch]

You should do though.

BJ should be a leader and show the nation that he's the man to take this nation forwards....

Ducking out is cowardice and transparent.

So much so, that BJ is close to losing my vote. I can't be on my own.

I can't recall an election where there were two such cretinous characters fronting the two main respective parties.

Dammed if you do, dammed if you dont....

Edited by Dr Murdoch on Thursday 5th December 22:29

[Down and out]

Uncle John said:

It’s not compulsory to do interviews, particularly when you do not need to.

A lot of people are sick of them, hardly high class entertainment. Wonder what the viewing figures were for the Climate one.
I'm sure I saw an advert for a Everything but Brexit debate this weekend. I'm still waiting for the debate about debates.

[Crafty_]

So is hiding the way Boris is going to cope with anything when it gets a bit tricky ? How very statesman like.

Its a bit like Trump running away from the NATO meting because others were having a bit of a laugh at his expense.

I am still not seeing a reason to vote tory and put him in No 10 other than "he isn't Corbyn". At that rate, I might as well vote for my neighbours cat...

[anonymous-user]

Neil would destroy Johnson.

Tactically it's less damaging for him to dodge the interview rather than do it, so it makes sense in that context.

Still lame of him, though.

[valiant]

Down and out said:

Uncle John said:

It’s not compulsory to do interviews, particularly when you do not need to.

A lot of people are sick of them, hardly high class entertainment. Wonder what the viewing figures were for the Climate one.
I'm sure I saw an advert for a Everything but Brexit debate this weekend. I'm still waiting for the debate about debates.

Debates are indeed of questionable value but a one on one interview with a tough interviewer and one that all other leadership contenders have subjected themselves to is important. You can’t hide behind slogans and platitudes and your past performances and comments are examined and explanations and answers are required and we hopefully get an insight into his character.

If he can’t handle AN, how is he going to handle one on one meetings with Putin, Trump, etc.

[Uncle John]

valiant said:

Down and out said:

Uncle John said:

It’s not compulsory to do interviews, particularly when you do not need to.

A lot of people are sick of them, hardly high class entertainment. Wonder what the viewing figures were for the Climate one.
I'm sure I saw an advert for a Everything but Brexit debate this weekend. I'm still waiting for the debate about debates.

Debates are indeed of questionable value but a one on one interview with a tough interviewer and one that all other leadership contenders have subjected themselves to is important. You can’t hide behind slogans and platitudes and your past performances and comments are examined and explanations and answers are required and we hopefully get an insight into his character.

If he can’t handle AN, how is he going to handle one on one meetings with Putin, Trump, etc.

Putin & Trump will not be asking him about his private life or his description of religious dress.

[Brave Fart]

La Liga said:

Neil would destroy Johnson.
Tactically it's less damaging for him to dodge the interview rather than do it, so it makes sense in that context.
Still lame of him, though.

Spot on. It isn't some sort of moral outrage, it's a calculated, hard-nosed political move, nothing more.
Granted, if I was a Labour supporter I'd want Boris to be shredded by Andrew Neil just like Corbyn was shredded.
It is a bit of an indictment of the poor standard of our party leaders though, isn't it?

[JagLover]

La Liga said:

Neil would destroy Johnson.

Tactically it's less damaging for him to dodge the interview rather than do it, so it makes sense in that context.

Still lame of him, though.

He should have done the interview, but as you say it may be a calculation of cost benefit.

[Stay in Bed Instead]

He has nothing new to say so why bother, it would be just more "get brexit done" "no more tampon tax" "Corbyn is an ahole".

Okay, maybe he didn't say the last one.

[bobbo89]

Put yourself in BJ's and his teams shoes. You've seen Corbyn and Swinson' car crashes and now it's your turn to sit down and have your non-compulsory grilling. You're hardly going to turn around and leap at the opportunity are you? Situations like that are what the term 'fk that' were made for!

I do believe that had it been the other way around and Corbyn knew what he was walking into he might also have pulled a Boris and dodged it.

[tangerine_sedge]

bobbo89 said:

Put yourself in BJ's and his teams shoes. You've seen Corbyn and Swinson' car crashes and now it's your turn to sit down and have your non-compulsory grilling. You're hardly going to turn around and leap at the opportunity are you? Situations like that are what the term 'fk that' were made for!

Point of order - many people thought that Jo Swinson had a decent performance with Andrew Neil :

https://blogs.spectator.co.uk/2019/12/andrew-neil-...

It's evident that Boris' handlers are running scared of exposing him to serious questioning - I don't blame them, Andrew Neil would tear him apart.

On the other hand, running scared is not a good look either - if the PM is scared of scrutiny, why should people believe his bullst and vote for him?

[chemistry]

Crafty_ said:

I am still not seeing a reason to vote tory and put him in No 10 other than "he isn't Corbyn". At that rate, I might as well vote for my neighbours cat...

The fact he isn’t Corbyn is all the reason you need. A Corbyn pm would do so much harm to this country, the negative effects would be felt for generations.

I’m not impressed by Boris, but I too would rather vote for him or your neighbour’s cat than let Corbyn into number 10.

[bobbo89]

tangerine_sedge said:

Point of order - many people thought that Jo Swinson had a decent performance with Andrew Neil :

https://blogs.spectator.co.uk/2019/12/andrew-neil-...

It's evident that Boris' handlers are running scared of exposing him to serious questioning - I don't blame them, Andrew Neil would tear him apart.

On the other hand, running scared is not a good look either - if the PM is scared of scrutiny, why should people believe his bullst and vote for him?

Might have got that wrong then, was it wee crankie who had the stinker?

On your last point as to why anyone would believe his bullst and that he's scared of scrutiny, that's exactly it. Whoever is going to vote for him has already decided they're going to vote for him, his aim isn't to gain votes but not to lose those the ones he's already got.

[anonymous-user]

abzmike said:

Zirconia said:

Andrew Neil asking why he is not on his show, after giving Nige a grilling. Quite a eloquently. All is set ready to go if he will step up.

Yes Brillo really called him out there... after the list of issues as you say he eloquently identified, I’d think there is less than zero chance of it happening.

https://metro.co.uk/2019/12/05/boris-johnson-savagely-called-andrew-neil-avoiding-bbc-one-interview-11279328/

Nice summary in the metro.

[Zirconia]

chemistry said:

Crafty_ said:

I am still not seeing a reason to vote tory and put him in No 10 other than "he isn't Corbyn". At that rate, I might as well vote for my neighbours cat...

The fact he isn’t Corbyn is all the reason you need. A Corbyn pm would do so much harm to this country, the negative effects would be felt for generations.

I’m not impressed by Boris, but I too would rather vote for him or your neighbour’s cat than let Corbyn into number 10.

Depends on your point of view. I also see Brexit as a bad deal for the UK with the leaders we have in power (not convinced anymore anyway). And for my money, how they got there is really an issue now (one I can do nothing about, I am just holding on for the ride now). At the moment I see it as damned if you do and damned if you don't. One side are lost to sense, and the other bought and paid for. Either way there is a big FO ice berg we cannot avoid.

[Nexus Icon]

chemistry said:

Crafty_ said:

I am still not seeing a reason to vote tory and put him in No 10 other than "he isn't Corbyn". At that rate, I might as well vote for my neighbours cat...

The fact he isn’t Corbyn is all the reason you need. A Corbyn pm would do so much harm to this country, the negative effects would be felt for generations.

I’m not impressed by Boris, but I too would rather vote for him or your neighbour’s cat than let Corbyn into number 10.

Depressing, isn't it? On one hand, a racist, cheating, lying, coward, presiding over a bunch of MPs clearly in it for their own personal financial gain, and on the other a man who refuses to deal with the obvious anti-Semitism within his own party, is an apologist to various terror groups and who seems to think money grows on trees. The best we can hope for is probably a hung parliament with no-one having real power until new leaders are chosen and the parties are reformed.

It says a lot about Johnson that I can call him a racist, cheating liar with legal impunity though, and I don't think I can vote for his party this time. Lib Dems it probably is - just so I can say I've done my bit and I can justifiably complain about whomever gets in.

[anonymous-user]

Nexus Icon said:

chemistry said:

Crafty_ said:

I am still not seeing a reason to vote tory and put him in No 10 other than "he isn't Corbyn". At that rate, I might as well vote for my neighbours cat...

The fact he isn’t Corbyn is all the reason you need. A Corbyn pm would do so much harm to this country, the negative effects would be felt for generations.

I’m not impressed by Boris, but I too would rather vote for him or your neighbour’s cat than let Corbyn into number 10.

Depressing, isn't it? On one hand, a racist, cheating, lying, coward, presiding over a bunch of MPs clearly in it for their own personal financial gain, and on the other a man who refuses to deal with the obvious anti-Semitism within his own party, is an apologist to various terror groups and who seems to think money grows on trees. The best we can hope for is probably a hung parliament with no-one having real power until new leaders are chosen and the parties are reformed.

It says a lot about Johnson that I can call him a racist, cheating liar with legal impunity though, and I don't think I can vote for his party this time. Lib Dems it probably is - just so I can say I've done my bit and I can justifiably complain about whomever gets in.

Same here. Libdem policies don’t look too bad to me, sure Swinson isn’t that impressive but she’s better than Boris and corbyn. Obviously their brexit policy is divisive but it obviously depends on how important people think brexit is and whether or not it’s still a good idea. To me they seem the least bad option,

[768]

Nexus Icon said:

It says a lot about Johnson that I can call him a racist, cheating liar with legal impunity though, and I don't think I can vote for his party this time. Lib Dems it probably is - just so I can say I've done my bit and I can justifiably complain about whomever gets in.

You can't complain with much justification if Corbyn gets in and you voted for a party other then the one with a chance of keeping him out.