The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom has been shown to have lied at the Dispatch Box of the House of Commons.
And it has been proven by an inquiry he set up and decided the terms of reference for, that he, held at least one party or gathering in his flat at Downing Street that reached the threashold for criminal investigation by the police.
These are the facts relating to Boris Johnson.
The Conservative and Union Party, for the most part, are OK with that.
Some broke ranks and called Johnson to resign, but many did not.
Even more did not make public their support or critism of him.
THe Ministerial Code says that any Minister that lies at the Dispatch Box should tender their resignation. However, the Prime Minister decides what the Ministerial Code is and what constitues a break of it, and seems to have decided his lies don't require he resigning.
Today's papers make for grim reading with only the Express coming out clearly in support. The Mail wants the whole report published, though that will be even worse, but that publication could be many months away, maybe even a year away.
Johnson has sworn to change the culture in Downing Street which Gray described as having a "failure of leadership". Such failure only began when Johnson was made PM, and its not going to change now.
Either the Conservatve Party is happy with a lying Prime Mnister and leader, or it isn't. He has no moral authority to lead, and so should not lead any more, he should either resign or be removed.
Meanwhile, the body politic putrifies.
Monday, 31 January 2022
Sunday 30th January 2022
I needed a haircut.
I had put it off from the previous week as our friend, Mary, was out in that London taking pictures, so I said we would wait a week.
Even if it was like it felt I had a woolly had on in the meantime.
But we got up, and outside the sky was clear and already dawn showing in the east. South east.
Shall we go out early for a walk round Folkestone?
We shall.
So, after coffee we were out and on our way, even as the sun rose as we headed down Jubilee Way, turning the white cliffs pink.
No lines of trucks on the A20, heading into port, but we were going in the other direct, so no worries.
Through Capel and down the steep hill into Folkestone, down the Tramway beside the old Harbour Branch, and parking at the bottom rather than going to the top of the Old HIgh Street, as I didn't want to miss a second of the glorious light.
A change of plan, and we go to the fishing quay instead of going down the old railway, as the light would have been perfect on the rows of brick puildings looking towards the rising sun.
I was right, it was glorious, I mean breathtaking. I took lots of shots as we walked to the end of the quay and looked north towards Dover.
Another photographer was there, taking shots in the fabulous light, though we don't speak as we were both busy, so I didn't find out it was a long time Flickr contact, Only Lines.
We turn round and walk to the old railway, climb the steps onto the trackbed, now a long seaside garden, full of native plants. Along with views over the harbour on both sides.
We go trough the old station, now looking fine following its rennovation, though no market being set up, so we have the place pretty much to ourselves. We go up on the upper level of the harbour arm, past a couple of fishermen dangling worms into the chilly Channel.
We walk round the lighthouse, down onto the lower level and back to the station and round the harbour, past the hotel and to the foot of the Old High Street. I had an hour before my haircut, shall we go for a coffee?
We shall.
Near the top we go in and both order a toasted bagel, and a huge gingerbread latte for me, with an extra shot. And it was excellent.
I then go to the church to look for a rare plant that had been found, but I fail to find it, but will try again in a few weeks.
Then to the barbers where I have to wait 15 minutes for a free chair, then I am shorn, and feel cooler and lighter.
Perfect.
From there I cruise down to the place where Jools and Mary were waiting, we chat about travel and photography and things we will do when travel is allowed. Its good to dream.
At eleven, we are done, so Jools and I walk back down the Old High Street, now packed with people and shops open, to the car park where every space is taken. We load the car and are off, back up to Capel and onto the A20 back into Dover where there are no trucks waiting still, so it was easy to get to the foot of Jubiilee Way and then up the cliffs to home.
We have another coffee before I go for a shower, shave and a fresh change of clothes. Feeling human again.
We have lunch, then I settle down for an afternoon of Football League, Derby come from behind to draw 2-2 with the last kick of the game to huge cheers from the capacity crowd.
We have taco for dinner to use the last of the salsa and sour cream up.
Outside, it is dark again, and the weekend has also slipped by once more.
I had put it off from the previous week as our friend, Mary, was out in that London taking pictures, so I said we would wait a week.
Even if it was like it felt I had a woolly had on in the meantime.But we got up, and outside the sky was clear and already dawn showing in the east. South east.
Shall we go out early for a walk round Folkestone?We shall.
So, after coffee we were out and on our way, even as the sun rose as we headed down Jubilee Way, turning the white cliffs pink.
No lines of trucks on the A20, heading into port, but we were going in the other direct, so no worries.
Through Capel and down the steep hill into Folkestone, down the Tramway beside the old Harbour Branch, and parking at the bottom rather than going to the top of the Old HIgh Street, as I didn't want to miss a second of the glorious light.
A change of plan, and we go to the fishing quay instead of going down the old railway, as the light would have been perfect on the rows of brick puildings looking towards the rising sun.
I was right, it was glorious, I mean breathtaking. I took lots of shots as we walked to the end of the quay and looked north towards Dover.
Another photographer was there, taking shots in the fabulous light, though we don't speak as we were both busy, so I didn't find out it was a long time Flickr contact, Only Lines.
We turn round and walk to the old railway, climb the steps onto the trackbed, now a long seaside garden, full of native plants. Along with views over the harbour on both sides.
We go trough the old station, now looking fine following its rennovation, though no market being set up, so we have the place pretty much to ourselves. We go up on the upper level of the harbour arm, past a couple of fishermen dangling worms into the chilly Channel.
We walk round the lighthouse, down onto the lower level and back to the station and round the harbour, past the hotel and to the foot of the Old High Street. I had an hour before my haircut, shall we go for a coffee?
We shall.Near the top we go in and both order a toasted bagel, and a huge gingerbread latte for me, with an extra shot. And it was excellent.
I then go to the church to look for a rare plant that had been found, but I fail to find it, but will try again in a few weeks.
Then to the barbers where I have to wait 15 minutes for a free chair, then I am shorn, and feel cooler and lighter.
Perfect.From there I cruise down to the place where Jools and Mary were waiting, we chat about travel and photography and things we will do when travel is allowed. Its good to dream.
At eleven, we are done, so Jools and I walk back down the Old High Street, now packed with people and shops open, to the car park where every space is taken. We load the car and are off, back up to Capel and onto the A20 back into Dover where there are no trucks waiting still, so it was easy to get to the foot of Jubiilee Way and then up the cliffs to home.
We have another coffee before I go for a shower, shave and a fresh change of clothes. Feeling human again.We have lunch, then I settle down for an afternoon of Football League, Derby come from behind to draw 2-2 with the last kick of the game to huge cheers from the capacity crowd.
We have taco for dinner to use the last of the salsa and sour cream up.Outside, it is dark again, and the weekend has also slipped by once more.
No clever title
On the second anniversary of political Brexit, Sue Gray's sanitised report was published, and had enough details to condemn Johnson to having lied to Parliament at the dispatch box.
Any other Prime Minister of this once great country would have resigned. Would have resigned months ago.
But Johnson refuses to resign.
12 of 16 "gatherings" pass the Metropolitan Police's high bar to conclude that criminal activity took place, including at least one that took place in Johnson's own Downing Street flat.
An event, even now, refuses to admit he attended.
In a quirk, it is no against the rules of the House of Commons to lie at the dispatch box, but it is against the rules to point out that the liar lied.
Work that one out!
Johnson ran out of backbenchers willing to speak in his defence long before the debate ended, resignations have now started with at least one low level Minister handing in his notice.
I suspect he won't be the last.
But this is on the COnservative Party that elected a known liar as Leader and so to become PM. They elected him after knowing what a workshy fop he was, unsuited to high office, and yet they did anyway. Just their and our bard luck that two crisis combined to show in under two years how shit he is.
And still they won't move.
They might tonight, even after the last bluff was called, and confirming that, after all, the full report will be published once the police investigation is over.
The Police confirmed 500 docuents and 300 photographs have been submitted.
In response to all this, Jonson accused Starmer of failing to jail Jimmy Saville when he was the head of the CPS. This was, of course, another lie.
Go.
Go now.
Any other Prime Minister of this once great country would have resigned. Would have resigned months ago.
But Johnson refuses to resign.
12 of 16 "gatherings" pass the Metropolitan Police's high bar to conclude that criminal activity took place, including at least one that took place in Johnson's own Downing Street flat.
An event, even now, refuses to admit he attended.
In a quirk, it is no against the rules of the House of Commons to lie at the dispatch box, but it is against the rules to point out that the liar lied.
Work that one out!
Johnson ran out of backbenchers willing to speak in his defence long before the debate ended, resignations have now started with at least one low level Minister handing in his notice.
I suspect he won't be the last.
But this is on the COnservative Party that elected a known liar as Leader and so to become PM. They elected him after knowing what a workshy fop he was, unsuited to high office, and yet they did anyway. Just their and our bard luck that two crisis combined to show in under two years how shit he is.
And still they won't move.
They might tonight, even after the last bluff was called, and confirming that, after all, the full report will be published once the police investigation is over.
The Police confirmed 500 docuents and 300 photographs have been submitted.
In response to all this, Jonson accused Starmer of failing to jail Jimmy Saville when he was the head of the CPS. This was, of course, another lie.
Go.
Go now.
Sunday, 30 January 2022
Brexit "freedoms"
This morning, both the Express and Mail report thatJOhnson and his Government are going to accelerate the positives of Brexit by slashing more EU red tape, and that "The EU can't hold us back".
Thing is, we can indeed slash EU red tape, but there will be duble the regulatory costs from those UK businesses that trade at home and with the EU, as any good shipped to the EU must be compliant, and as divergance accelerates, unless this is only more red meat for the ERG and Blue Rinse Brigade, this will cause even long queues at ports for goods as the EU checks and checks again for compliance.
This is madness, and the opposite what business and industry wants. They want allignment so they can trade freely and without added costs. This will increase delays, increase costs, reduce UK competitiveness, reduce employment, increse prices and generally make the country poorer.
II suspect what the Government really will do is reduce more persnala and working rights for UK workers here, making us work longer hours for less money and not be able to do anything about it.
Sounds very much like the 1970s to me, when prior to 1973, the UK was known as the "sick man of Europe".
Hmmmm
Meanwhile, last night, delays at the Inland Border Facility in Ashford now reached more than 24 hours, meaning, one suspects they are running out of room for lorries and drivers waiting for clearance, which is why the M20 is being prepped for Operation Brock.
Update:
It seems the Brexit freedoms much trumpeted is the Primary legislation which keeps retained EU law (REUL) on the UK statute, and which should require Parliamentary approval to remove them, the Governent is proposing to allow Ministers to sidestep Parliament and remove these at will.
So much for restoring sovereignty to Parliament.
Update 2:As of 12:00 today, average time spent in the Inland Border Facility is now 42 hours.
Thing is, we can indeed slash EU red tape, but there will be duble the regulatory costs from those UK businesses that trade at home and with the EU, as any good shipped to the EU must be compliant, and as divergance accelerates, unless this is only more red meat for the ERG and Blue Rinse Brigade, this will cause even long queues at ports for goods as the EU checks and checks again for compliance.
This is madness, and the opposite what business and industry wants. They want allignment so they can trade freely and without added costs. This will increase delays, increase costs, reduce UK competitiveness, reduce employment, increse prices and generally make the country poorer.
II suspect what the Government really will do is reduce more persnala and working rights for UK workers here, making us work longer hours for less money and not be able to do anything about it.
Sounds very much like the 1970s to me, when prior to 1973, the UK was known as the "sick man of Europe".
Hmmmm
Meanwhile, last night, delays at the Inland Border Facility in Ashford now reached more than 24 hours, meaning, one suspects they are running out of room for lorries and drivers waiting for clearance, which is why the M20 is being prepped for Operation Brock.
Update:
It seems the Brexit freedoms much trumpeted is the Primary legislation which keeps retained EU law (REUL) on the UK statute, and which should require Parliamentary approval to remove them, the Governent is proposing to allow Ministers to sidestep Parliament and remove these at will.
So much for restoring sovereignty to Parliament.
Update 2:As of 12:00 today, average time spent in the Inland Border Facility is now 42 hours.
Police and liars
On the streets.
Oh yeah.
I have been putting off this post regarding "partygate" and the Sue Gray report becuae, I have been busy, and rather than write a minute by minute, wait to see what the endgame was.
And for a time, I thought I was right, that the Police had asked the report to be part redacted because there was some possibility of more serious crimes.
And then it turned out all the crimes were going to be was fixed penalty noticed, nothing to prejudice a trial (by jury), so was about limiting damage to policitians.
Common or garden police corruption, then.
With the invasion of Ukraine in the offing, and Johnson acting the elder statesman and I have better things to be dealing with, and the Mail on Sunday suggesting that there were serious issues than a lying Prime Minister, the hope is that the news cycle will move on.
I suspect the new week it either will, or there will be new leaks.
As Cummings has likened the task of brining down Johnson to "cleaning the drains", one suspects he is behind the leaks, and there is probably more. Next up is dozens of pages of notes on Johnson's affair with Jennifer Arcuri and misappropriation of London Mayoral funds. Which has only taken nearly a decade to come out.
The simple facts are:
- we know there were parties.
- These parties were against the law and guidance
- Johnson attended several
- Including one which was his actual birthday.
We know the PM knew about the parties, attended them and then lied at the dispatch box.
He should resign.
We don't need Gray's report or something from the Met.
We know.
Johnson infects everyone he comes into contact with, they end up stinking of corruption, and yet most will throw themselves under the bus for him, that say it was all JOhnson's fault. He knew. He was responsible.
Oh yeah.
I have been putting off this post regarding "partygate" and the Sue Gray report becuae, I have been busy, and rather than write a minute by minute, wait to see what the endgame was.
And for a time, I thought I was right, that the Police had asked the report to be part redacted because there was some possibility of more serious crimes.
And then it turned out all the crimes were going to be was fixed penalty noticed, nothing to prejudice a trial (by jury), so was about limiting damage to policitians.
Common or garden police corruption, then.
With the invasion of Ukraine in the offing, and Johnson acting the elder statesman and I have better things to be dealing with, and the Mail on Sunday suggesting that there were serious issues than a lying Prime Minister, the hope is that the news cycle will move on.
I suspect the new week it either will, or there will be new leaks.
As Cummings has likened the task of brining down Johnson to "cleaning the drains", one suspects he is behind the leaks, and there is probably more. Next up is dozens of pages of notes on Johnson's affair with Jennifer Arcuri and misappropriation of London Mayoral funds. Which has only taken nearly a decade to come out.
The simple facts are:
- we know there were parties.
- These parties were against the law and guidance
- Johnson attended several
- Including one which was his actual birthday.
We know the PM knew about the parties, attended them and then lied at the dispatch box.
He should resign.
We don't need Gray's report or something from the Met.
We know.
Johnson infects everyone he comes into contact with, they end up stinking of corruption, and yet most will throw themselves under the bus for him, that say it was all JOhnson's fault. He knew. He was responsible.
Saturday 29th January 2022
Some three months ago, Jools and I went up to London to visit Westminster Abbey, where I took a lots of shots, but got "curched out". Two weeks ago we were to meet a friend, Graham when we went to the Tate, then he tested positive for COVID the morning of the trip, so couldn't go.
I promsed him we would return soon, to London.
Sooner than I thought, as it turned out. As Jools had a class in Deal on Saturday afternoon, so I could go up to London on the train, go tot he Abbey, take another load of shots, meet Graham and then we could go to the pub.
Brilliant.
Even better when Graham said he could make it, so the plan was made; meet outside the Abbey at ten. Take shots. Walk to pub. Drink beer. Come home.
Simple plan with clear goals.
Jools did shopping on Friday afternoon so all we had to do was get up and be at the station for ten to eight.
We got up, had a coffee, fed the cats and so on. I dodged breakfast planning on getting something out.
Jools dropped me off at half seven, just before sunrise. Frosty but clear, so I went onto the platform to take some shots before mine was due at ten to.
Not many people about, most waiting to go to Ramsgate, or stations between there and Dover, I snapped their train come in, pause to pick them up, then wait for the road to be clear.
The train doesn't really fill up that much, I guess about 50%, for a train getting into London at about nine on a Saturday, should be packed. Still early days, I guess.
Anyway, it was light so I could look out of the large windows, andmark our progress through Folkestone, Ashford to Ebbsfleet then under the river into Essex. Away on the left, Canary Wharf stand bathed in warm sunlight, still 15 miles away, like some 21st century version of Mordor.
I leave the train at Stratford, and instead of walking through Westfield, I take the DLR to Stratford. Or would have done only to see on pull out of the station as I come down the escalator, leaving me with ten minutes to wait. No matter, I have time.
I get out at Stratford and cross to the Jubilee Line, where in the train, most are wearing masks, and people keeping their distances.
A half hour run across the East End to London Bridge, Waterloo and into Westminster, where I get out and go to street level, taking off my mask once safely outside and breath in the fresh air.
I walk round Parliament Square, past the Houses of Parliament with Big Ben (I know not its real name) now partially revealed having had its scaffolding removed, the repainted face and new guilding glistened in the sunlight, though the west face was ten minutes behind the north one.
As I walked towards the entrance to the Abbey, I saw my friend, Graham on the other side fo the road waiting to cross, I hail him and once he's safely over we shake hands.
After taking some exterior shots, we go in and spit up, as its his first time and my second.
I have a list of targets, mainly redoing Henry VII's Lady Chapel as I only did that with the wide angle last time, then going around with the big lens for details of the windows and tombs.
After an hours and a half, we were both done. On the way out I point out some other details, including the Chapter House and pass what we see i s labelled "the oldest door in Brit dating to AD1060!
What shall we do?
Walk along the river to the Black Friar.
Good idea.
Though we stop for a coffee at the van outside, and was really good coffee indeed.
We walk to the river, cross road to reach the path beside the river and start the half hour walk along the fiver, under Charing Cross to Blackfriars. Dodging runners and walkers on a sponsored able beside the river until we saw the pub beside the station.
We cross over and find a small table inside, free for two hours, which is more than enough time for a pie and a few pints.
Steak and ale pie, served with creamy mash and fresh vegetables and gravy. And three pints of dark ale.
With my stiff legs and woolly head I could just find my way to Blackfriars station next door, saying goodbye to Graham as he went down to catch a Circle Line train, and I went up to the main line station for a Thameslink train to St Pancras, which rattled along for ten minutes, giving me twenty minutes to get up to the platforms, where I find the Dover train had just arrived.
I pour myself into a seat, text Jools that I would be back in Dover at quarter to four. She calls back to confirm she would be waiting for me when I arrived.
Perfect.
And she was, she drove us home, where she had made salsa for nachos, I just had to grate some cheese and sprinkle that on the tortilla chips before baking for eight minutes.
Phew.
We eat at half six, by which time it was dark of course, and with no Prewier League games, I was "entertained" by some Football League.
And so that was a very fine day indeed. Head still spinning.
I promsed him we would return soon, to London.Sooner than I thought, as it turned out. As Jools had a class in Deal on Saturday afternoon, so I could go up to London on the train, go tot he Abbey, take another load of shots, meet Graham and then we could go to the pub.
Brilliant.Even better when Graham said he could make it, so the plan was made; meet outside the Abbey at ten. Take shots. Walk to pub. Drink beer. Come home.
Simple plan with clear goals.Jools did shopping on Friday afternoon so all we had to do was get up and be at the station for ten to eight.
We got up, had a coffee, fed the cats and so on. I dodged breakfast planning on getting something out.
Jools dropped me off at half seven, just before sunrise. Frosty but clear, so I went onto the platform to take some shots before mine was due at ten to.Not many people about, most waiting to go to Ramsgate, or stations between there and Dover, I snapped their train come in, pause to pick them up, then wait for the road to be clear.
The train doesn't really fill up that much, I guess about 50%, for a train getting into London at about nine on a Saturday, should be packed. Still early days, I guess.
Anyway, it was light so I could look out of the large windows, andmark our progress through Folkestone, Ashford to Ebbsfleet then under the river into Essex. Away on the left, Canary Wharf stand bathed in warm sunlight, still 15 miles away, like some 21st century version of Mordor.
I leave the train at Stratford, and instead of walking through Westfield, I take the DLR to Stratford. Or would have done only to see on pull out of the station as I come down the escalator, leaving me with ten minutes to wait. No matter, I have time.I get out at Stratford and cross to the Jubilee Line, where in the train, most are wearing masks, and people keeping their distances.
A half hour run across the East End to London Bridge, Waterloo and into Westminster, where I get out and go to street level, taking off my mask once safely outside and breath in the fresh air.
I walk round Parliament Square, past the Houses of Parliament with Big Ben (I know not its real name) now partially revealed having had its scaffolding removed, the repainted face and new guilding glistened in the sunlight, though the west face was ten minutes behind the north one.
As I walked towards the entrance to the Abbey, I saw my friend, Graham on the other side fo the road waiting to cross, I hail him and once he's safely over we shake hands.After taking some exterior shots, we go in and spit up, as its his first time and my second.
I have a list of targets, mainly redoing Henry VII's Lady Chapel as I only did that with the wide angle last time, then going around with the big lens for details of the windows and tombs.
After an hours and a half, we were both done. On the way out I point out some other details, including the Chapter House and pass what we see i s labelled "the oldest door in Brit dating to AD1060!
What shall we do? Walk along the river to the Black Friar.
Good idea.
Though we stop for a coffee at the van outside, and was really good coffee indeed.
We walk to the river, cross road to reach the path beside the river and start the half hour walk along the fiver, under Charing Cross to Blackfriars. Dodging runners and walkers on a sponsored able beside the river until we saw the pub beside the station.
We cross over and find a small table inside, free for two hours, which is more than enough time for a pie and a few pints.Steak and ale pie, served with creamy mash and fresh vegetables and gravy. And three pints of dark ale.
With my stiff legs and woolly head I could just find my way to Blackfriars station next door, saying goodbye to Graham as he went down to catch a Circle Line train, and I went up to the main line station for a Thameslink train to St Pancras, which rattled along for ten minutes, giving me twenty minutes to get up to the platforms, where I find the Dover train had just arrived.I pour myself into a seat, text Jools that I would be back in Dover at quarter to four. She calls back to confirm she would be waiting for me when I arrived.
Perfect.
And she was, she drove us home, where she had made salsa for nachos, I just had to grate some cheese and sprinkle that on the tortilla chips before baking for eight minutes.
Phew.
We eat at half six, by which time it was dark of course, and with no Prewier League games, I was "entertained" by some Football League.
And so that was a very fine day indeed. Head still spinning.
Brexit update
Last week the FCO put out a video lambasting the NIP saying how unfair it was and that the UK single market needs to be restored.
I'm not going to repeat myself: OK, I am, but this is the treaty that the UK negotiated, agreed and confirmed in Parliament, passing it into UK law. We said at the time it broke the UK single market, but did they listen? Yes they did, but pretended they did so they could go back on what was agreed.
It shows how things have deteriated so much that a UK Government department, has now sunk to putting out party political bullshit.
The international community nows the reality, so this is for domestic consumption, but what it does to our international reputation is secondary.
Meanwhile, things look like they're gong to get worse soon, or expected to, as Operation Brock is now being prepared, with at least 5 miles of the coastbond M20 now covered in cones. This might be a "just in case" but not looking good.
The Government has confirmed the national insurance rise, and that it is not going to reclaim the £4.5 billion bad loans made to fake businesses at the start of the pandemic, so the poor, disabled, sick and elderly will be made to pay for Tory corruption.
I just what this and the pandemic over, I can but dream.
More tea, Vicar?
I'm not going to repeat myself: OK, I am, but this is the treaty that the UK negotiated, agreed and confirmed in Parliament, passing it into UK law. We said at the time it broke the UK single market, but did they listen? Yes they did, but pretended they did so they could go back on what was agreed.
It shows how things have deteriated so much that a UK Government department, has now sunk to putting out party political bullshit.
The international community nows the reality, so this is for domestic consumption, but what it does to our international reputation is secondary.
Meanwhile, things look like they're gong to get worse soon, or expected to, as Operation Brock is now being prepared, with at least 5 miles of the coastbond M20 now covered in cones. This might be a "just in case" but not looking good.
The Government has confirmed the national insurance rise, and that it is not going to reclaim the £4.5 billion bad loans made to fake businesses at the start of the pandemic, so the poor, disabled, sick and elderly will be made to pay for Tory corruption.
I just what this and the pandemic over, I can but dream.
More tea, Vicar?
Saturday, 29 January 2022
Friday 28th January 2022
In another life, we would have been flying from from New Zealand, via Australia, on Friday.
I realised this, as when I logged onto Outlook, a reminder to catch the flight popped up.
We are planning on going this year, and have accommodation booked, but there's not point in booking flights yet.
We have all got used to the new normal, where our lives are on hold, we tread water, just survive from one day to the next. Although, we had it better than most of course. It will get better.
At some point, maybe just not this point.
We shall see.
So, to this Friday in this timeline, and that brings work, and I actually achieve stuff and that.
Which is nice.
Jools had yoga, so was rushing around getting ready to be out of the house by ten past six and driving to the studio down by the beach in Dover. We had our weekly social meeting at 07:00, its five and a half hours later in Chenai, and so their weekend was about to begin.
There have been two public holidays recently, and many of my colleagues went back home to visit their familes, and then had to travel back, some via overnnght sleeper train.
At least COVID is reaching its peak now, and people are relaxing, but there is a shortage of the booster vaccination, with many of them having to wait nine months after their second jab to get it.
Once that was finished, I get down to write two reports, one on audits carried out and conclusions, the second yet more document reviews and how I see the next steps. Its not going to win many friends.
And somehow that took me to one in the afternoon, and just an hour to kill before I could finish for the day.
It is greatpacking away for the weekend at two in the afternoon, then have a coffee and wait for Jools to come home from work, via Tesco as we both had stuff planned for Saturday, so there would be no time to do it the next morning.
She came home at just gone three, so we put the shopping away and have a coffee and some posh chocolate.
Jen came home on Thursday, and made no detours on the way back from Manchester, so that meant our cards evenings are back, and for this first one, we left early to spend time with her and Sylv who had also come down, for a month.
Sylv is great, but is pure chaos. But that is how she got through life, and it seems to have worked. She's happy.
Can we fix her Kindle?
Can we fix her new i pad?
She had screwed the Kindle up good and proper, and that took two hours on Saturday to fix, we left the i pod for another day.
Jen has a new TV, and is frustrated that her Sky remote doesn't work it like the old one. I said you just have to set it up, there's a button in the remote, or used to be, I said.
My mate's been a TV engineer 40 years, and he says it can't be done, says John.
Of course it can, says I. And walk to the living room to proove it. I hear John telling Jen to come along to watch as it would be fun.
John was right, there was no slider or button in the remote, but I thought it was all done in a sub-menu of the Sky box.
John was having a high old time lauging at my expense, until I found what I was looking for.
A list of TV manufacturers: which make is your TV, Jen?
Samsng, says Jen.
I scroll down and select that.
Use the volume on your remote.
I did and the box detected that, and all done.
To prove it, I turned off the TV with the Sky remote.
But the box won't come on now, will it?
Jen switched the telly back on, and the box came on too,
I'll accept the appology in writing, I tell John.
We order a Chinese takeaway, and that is delivered at half five. We eat and drink well.
Then play cards.
Sylv wins one jackpot.
Bah!
John wins the second.
Double bah!
We give up and come home, Jools driving as I had drunk a large bottle of tripel.
Goodnight all.
I slept well.
I realised this, as when I logged onto Outlook, a reminder to catch the flight popped up.
We are planning on going this year, and have accommodation booked, but there's not point in booking flights yet.
We have all got used to the new normal, where our lives are on hold, we tread water, just survive from one day to the next. Although, we had it better than most of course. It will get better.
At some point, maybe just not this point.We shall see.
So, to this Friday in this timeline, and that brings work, and I actually achieve stuff and that.
Which is nice.
Jools had yoga, so was rushing around getting ready to be out of the house by ten past six and driving to the studio down by the beach in Dover. We had our weekly social meeting at 07:00, its five and a half hours later in Chenai, and so their weekend was about to begin.
There have been two public holidays recently, and many of my colleagues went back home to visit their familes, and then had to travel back, some via overnnght sleeper train. At least COVID is reaching its peak now, and people are relaxing, but there is a shortage of the booster vaccination, with many of them having to wait nine months after their second jab to get it.
Once that was finished, I get down to write two reports, one on audits carried out and conclusions, the second yet more document reviews and how I see the next steps. Its not going to win many friends.And somehow that took me to one in the afternoon, and just an hour to kill before I could finish for the day.
It is greatpacking away for the weekend at two in the afternoon, then have a coffee and wait for Jools to come home from work, via Tesco as we both had stuff planned for Saturday, so there would be no time to do it the next morning.
She came home at just gone three, so we put the shopping away and have a coffee and some posh chocolate.Jen came home on Thursday, and made no detours on the way back from Manchester, so that meant our cards evenings are back, and for this first one, we left early to spend time with her and Sylv who had also come down, for a month.
Sylv is great, but is pure chaos. But that is how she got through life, and it seems to have worked. She's happy.
Can we fix her Kindle?
Can we fix her new i pad?
She had screwed the Kindle up good and proper, and that took two hours on Saturday to fix, we left the i pod for another day.
Jen has a new TV, and is frustrated that her Sky remote doesn't work it like the old one. I said you just have to set it up, there's a button in the remote, or used to be, I said.
My mate's been a TV engineer 40 years, and he says it can't be done, says John.
Of course it can, says I. And walk to the living room to proove it. I hear John telling Jen to come along to watch as it would be fun.
John was right, there was no slider or button in the remote, but I thought it was all done in a sub-menu of the Sky box.
John was having a high old time lauging at my expense, until I found what I was looking for.
A list of TV manufacturers: which make is your TV, Jen?
Samsng, says Jen.
I scroll down and select that.
Use the volume on your remote.
I did and the box detected that, and all done.
To prove it, I turned off the TV with the Sky remote.
But the box won't come on now, will it?
Jen switched the telly back on, and the box came on too,
I'll accept the appology in writing, I tell John.
We order a Chinese takeaway, and that is delivered at half five. We eat and drink well.
Then play cards.Sylv wins one jackpot.
Bah!
John wins the second.
Double bah!
We give up and come home, Jools driving as I had drunk a large bottle of tripel.
Goodnight all.
I slept well.
Friday, 28 January 2022
Thursday 27th January 2022
Pay Day.
And something like day 8 of the great document review, something which I hope I will have done by the end of Friday.
I hope.
And my eyes hope, as staring at the screen for days on end has begun to play havoc with my migraine, with several attacks only stopped by either closing my eyes for ten minutes or so, or staring out the windows of the utility room at the birds.
So, anyway.
Thursday dawned with a bright crecsent moon and bright Venus to the south. I could have looked at them until sunrise, but as ever there is the working day to prepare for.
Jools is up and about, a blur of energy, while I groan when I lift my coffee cup to my mouth. Or nearly. I did say I was cutting down on coffee, Thursday was a three cup morning just to get the ideas pumping, and just as well as I had four hours of meetings to start the day.
Oh happy day.
And on with the show.
Our monthly department meeting which seemed to offer "more of the same". Again. I had been hoping for clarity, that that's my inner optimist.
And once the third meeting ended, I have lunch of cream crackers with just butter, finish the rest of the packet, so don't have the leftover cauliflower cheese.
I go back to the reviewing, and am having the occasional moments of clarity, but I see a pattern of chaos emerging. I wll write the report on Friday.
That's the plan.
It was half two, yet another migraine was building, so I put an out of office message on and take myself off for a walk.
Because it has been so dry, I thought I would try the top lane to Windy Ridge, that despite being on top of the down, is always so muddy.
Decided to walk along the top track to Windy Ridge yesterday.
This is usually very muddy, but with the lack of rain I hoped it wouldn't be too muddy.
Depending on your definition of muddy, it either was or wasn't.
Not too bad mostly, but muddy or partially dried mud in some areas.
A good stomp, nothing much of interest seen, so have this reflecting pool as shot of the day. Once I reached the wood, I headed back down the hill towards Collingwood, and then back home for a deserved brew before preparing dinner.
I quickly made a sourdough loaf, put it in the oven to rise. With the leftover bacon and freerange egss from the house down the street, I was going to make carbonara.
Much to my surprise, as the bread was still baking, Jools returned from work at twenty past five, half an hour earlier than expected as she left early to walk to the car, as that couldn't be done over lunch as she worked through.
So, I put the pasta on to boil, crack the eggs and separate the yolks, all ready to bring it together.
I even had some red wine to go with it, on a school night.
It went down well, proper lush. Washed down with a glass and a half of red.
No football to watch, so we listen to the radio until nine and head to bed.
Pooped once again.
And something like day 8 of the great document review, something which I hope I will have done by the end of Friday.
I hope.
And my eyes hope, as staring at the screen for days on end has begun to play havoc with my migraine, with several attacks only stopped by either closing my eyes for ten minutes or so, or staring out the windows of the utility room at the birds.
So, anyway.Thursday dawned with a bright crecsent moon and bright Venus to the south. I could have looked at them until sunrise, but as ever there is the working day to prepare for.
Jools is up and about, a blur of energy, while I groan when I lift my coffee cup to my mouth. Or nearly. I did say I was cutting down on coffee, Thursday was a three cup morning just to get the ideas pumping, and just as well as I had four hours of meetings to start the day.
Oh happy day.And on with the show.
Our monthly department meeting which seemed to offer "more of the same". Again. I had been hoping for clarity, that that's my inner optimist.
And once the third meeting ended, I have lunch of cream crackers with just butter, finish the rest of the packet, so don't have the leftover cauliflower cheese.I go back to the reviewing, and am having the occasional moments of clarity, but I see a pattern of chaos emerging. I wll write the report on Friday.
That's the plan.It was half two, yet another migraine was building, so I put an out of office message on and take myself off for a walk.
Because it has been so dry, I thought I would try the top lane to Windy Ridge, that despite being on top of the down, is always so muddy.
Decided to walk along the top track to Windy Ridge yesterday. This is usually very muddy, but with the lack of rain I hoped it wouldn't be too muddy.
Depending on your definition of muddy, it either was or wasn't.Not too bad mostly, but muddy or partially dried mud in some areas.
A good stomp, nothing much of interest seen, so have this reflecting pool as shot of the day. Once I reached the wood, I headed back down the hill towards Collingwood, and then back home for a deserved brew before preparing dinner.
I quickly made a sourdough loaf, put it in the oven to rise. With the leftover bacon and freerange egss from the house down the street, I was going to make carbonara.
Much to my surprise, as the bread was still baking, Jools returned from work at twenty past five, half an hour earlier than expected as she left early to walk to the car, as that couldn't be done over lunch as she worked through.
So, I put the pasta on to boil, crack the eggs and separate the yolks, all ready to bring it together.
I even had some red wine to go with it, on a school night.
It went down well, proper lush. Washed down with a glass and a half of red.
No football to watch, so we listen to the radio until nine and head to bed.
Pooped once again.
Thursday, 27 January 2022
So much death
For the last three days, each 24 hours have seen more people in the UK die of COVID than have died in nearly two years in New Zealand.
That such amount of death should become normal says much about society and how little the Government cares.
338 died today.
That's a jetline full of people dead.
338 families mourning a loved one lost before their time.
And the Prime Minister boasts in the Commons how he made all the correct big decisions.
I have never despised a Government as much as I do the current one, not even Thatcher.
And today, all mask madates were dropped.
Sick.
That such amount of death should become normal says much about society and how little the Government cares.
338 died today.
That's a jetline full of people dead.
338 families mourning a loved one lost before their time.
And the Prime Minister boasts in the Commons how he made all the correct big decisions.
I have never despised a Government as much as I do the current one, not even Thatcher.
And today, all mask madates were dropped.
Sick.
Wednesday 26th January 2022
Here we are again.
Same as Tuesday. And Monday.
Another day of meetings and process reviews. Hours and hours of taking notes, trying to understand the words salads created just to confuse.
We had a late start due to the show on Tuesday. No alarm set and so us getting up at quarter past six, and then trying to get ready for seven to start work.
I come down to feed the cats and make drinks.
Jools comes down all ready for work, drinks her tea and is gone.
Apart from work, the aim today was to make cauliflower cheese for the first time. In fact, I have never actually eaten if before either. Owing to the fact that as a child I ate neither cauliflower or cheese. I browse recipes, the plump one from the cookbook I got before Christmas. Seemed easy enough.
But that was for later.
Outside another dull, cool and overcast day dawned, making it unlikely I would be going for a walk. Again.
So, I stop work for breakfast, and then lunch at half nine meaning I had the three leftover fritters for lunch, Jools had taken three for her lunch too.
All exciting stuff.
Once work was done, instead of going for a walk, I cut the buddlia back to the stump, pack away the cuttings and clear the dead vegetation from around the larger pond. I check every day for spawn: none seen so far.
Anyway, that was the day done. So it was time to get cooking.
I make the sauce, using wholegrain mustard instead of powder, then boiling the florets for three minutes, put blanched florets in new ceramic baking tray, pour over sauce and sprinkle top with mixture of more cheese and breadcrumbs. Pop in over for 30 minutes.
I make some fried potatoes to go with the crispbakes, and it was rather wonderful when brought together and dished up.
And there we are. Another day done, third identical day this week, two more to go.
So it goes, so it goes.
Same as Tuesday. And Monday.
Another day of meetings and process reviews. Hours and hours of taking notes, trying to understand the words salads created just to confuse.
We had a late start due to the show on Tuesday. No alarm set and so us getting up at quarter past six, and then trying to get ready for seven to start work.
I come down to feed the cats and make drinks.
Jools comes down all ready for work, drinks her tea and is gone.
Apart from work, the aim today was to make cauliflower cheese for the first time. In fact, I have never actually eaten if before either. Owing to the fact that as a child I ate neither cauliflower or cheese. I browse recipes, the plump one from the cookbook I got before Christmas. Seemed easy enough.
But that was for later.
Outside another dull, cool and overcast day dawned, making it unlikely I would be going for a walk. Again.
So, I stop work for breakfast, and then lunch at half nine meaning I had the three leftover fritters for lunch, Jools had taken three for her lunch too.
All exciting stuff.
Once work was done, instead of going for a walk, I cut the buddlia back to the stump, pack away the cuttings and clear the dead vegetation from around the larger pond. I check every day for spawn: none seen so far.
Anyway, that was the day done. So it was time to get cooking.
I make the sauce, using wholegrain mustard instead of powder, then boiling the florets for three minutes, put blanched florets in new ceramic baking tray, pour over sauce and sprinkle top with mixture of more cheese and breadcrumbs. Pop in over for 30 minutes.
I make some fried potatoes to go with the crispbakes, and it was rather wonderful when brought together and dished up.And there we are. Another day done, third identical day this week, two more to go.
So it goes, so it goes.
Wednesday, 26 January 2022
Judgement delayed
Yesterday was Wednesday, so PMQs. And it had been expected that Sue Gray's report would have been published by then.
But it seems despite being finished, some last minute editing/review was being carried out, which gave Johnson the chance to be bullish, which is his default setting.
Other than lying.
He did seem to agree to release the report in full when received, though there was enough wiggle room in what he said to not do that, we shall see.
So, we enter another day of partygate with many speculating what it might or not contain and whether anything will be redacted.
And whether Johnson will brave it out.
The Mail has been wholehearted in its support, and that spread to other right wing titles today. But again it was the Star pointing out on its front page the four lies told at the Disptach Box yesterday.
Johnson has nothing to claim responsability for others work, or for stuff that isn't actually true, and blame someone, anyone else, for any failures.
He ended by claiming to be surprised to find the very thing he negotiated in the NIP is what the EU is holding them to, and has split the UK single market.
He was either stupid or lying. Or both.
But it seems despite being finished, some last minute editing/review was being carried out, which gave Johnson the chance to be bullish, which is his default setting.
Other than lying.
He did seem to agree to release the report in full when received, though there was enough wiggle room in what he said to not do that, we shall see.
So, we enter another day of partygate with many speculating what it might or not contain and whether anything will be redacted.
And whether Johnson will brave it out.
The Mail has been wholehearted in its support, and that spread to other right wing titles today. But again it was the Star pointing out on its front page the four lies told at the Disptach Box yesterday.
Johnson has nothing to claim responsability for others work, or for stuff that isn't actually true, and blame someone, anyone else, for any failures.
He ended by claiming to be surprised to find the very thing he negotiated in the NIP is what the EU is holding them to, and has split the UK single market.
He was either stupid or lying. Or both.
Tuesday 25th January 2022
As I have said many time before, days spent working from home merge into one. Doubly so when the weather is cold and grey, and so I cannot be encouraged to go out for a walk, not even to get to the end of the street.
I tell myself I'll go on Wednesday as its supposed to be brghter.
We shall see.
For Jools, things have quietened down at work now she has Donna, which means not rushing out in the morning an hour before dawn in order to try to catch up. Though I can confirm I did not hear the alarm go off, hear Jools get up, feed the cats, Poppy jump off the bed, Poppy jump back on the bed and go back to sleep on my legs. I wake again with Jools having turned the heating on and going for a shower.
It was six already.
I get up and go down to make coffee, the cats are already making their days beds up and having a wash.
So, time for work. And another day of document reviewing ahead.
I am not really achieving anything, other than confirming how out of control things are. As I get to the end of what I think is the last document there is a reference for another one. Is there no end to this madness, I screamed into the darkness.
I drink coffee, though less now. Just two in the morning before switching to tea. Reduces sugar intake I suppose.
The highlight of the day is the delivery of two ceramic backing trays, as I am to cook cauliflower cheese this week, and our metal pan got ruined in an oven related incident. Don't ask.
That's another excuse not to go out for a walk, waiting in for a delivery.
Next week we're going out to the dining club with Bev and Steve next door, so I go round to confirm their menu choices, and Bev and i chat about music and football. She's the Liverpool fan and so I hear her shout when they score, three seconds ahead of the feed I watch.
Talking of exciting, we had plans for the evening, so I had to have dinner done on time. At one point she called and I checked the traffic radar to guide her via the less jammed way back.
Traffic was dreadful for Jools, it took her until six to get home, by which time I had made the batter for fritters and just about finished cooking.
After eating, Jools got changed and we were out, off to Deal for a gig.
Paul Jones has been a figure on the UK music scene since 1962. He sang with Manfred Mann before going solo and then forming the Blues Band at the end of the 70s. He also hosted a blues show on Radio 2 for decades. He was on tour with the guitarist from the Blue Band, Dave Kelly, for a night of blues and chat about blues.
Dave has a long histroy with the blues, going back to Ken Colyer's Jazz club, where he played. He has also seen most of the blues greats and played with many too.
The Astor is a small theatre, we were in the VIP setas n the balcony, sharing the small table with an older couple, one of whom has a bad BO problem.
So it goes.
The show began at eight, and each song was introduced with stories about the writer or how they came to play it or both. It was all rather lovely, and it struck me this is a last chance to peer back to the birth of what was called beat music, but begat The Beatles and of course, the Rolling Stones. The link with Ken Colyer takes that back to the 1950s and the battle between trad and Dixie jazz, and it was Ken who went to New Orleans, played with the real greats there, and brought back the idea of the breakdown session, that he called "skiffle".
The rest is history and rock and roll.
We left at ten, they'd not quite finished, but Jools was pooped, and we had work in the morning.
We drove home through deserted Deal and Walmer and back to St Maggies, then to bed.
I tell myself I'll go on Wednesday as its supposed to be brghter.
We shall see.
For Jools, things have quietened down at work now she has Donna, which means not rushing out in the morning an hour before dawn in order to try to catch up. Though I can confirm I did not hear the alarm go off, hear Jools get up, feed the cats, Poppy jump off the bed, Poppy jump back on the bed and go back to sleep on my legs. I wake again with Jools having turned the heating on and going for a shower.
It was six already.
I get up and go down to make coffee, the cats are already making their days beds up and having a wash.
So, time for work. And another day of document reviewing ahead.
I am not really achieving anything, other than confirming how out of control things are. As I get to the end of what I think is the last document there is a reference for another one. Is there no end to this madness, I screamed into the darkness.
I drink coffee, though less now. Just two in the morning before switching to tea. Reduces sugar intake I suppose.
The highlight of the day is the delivery of two ceramic backing trays, as I am to cook cauliflower cheese this week, and our metal pan got ruined in an oven related incident. Don't ask.
Next week we're going out to the dining club with Bev and Steve next door, so I go round to confirm their menu choices, and Bev and i chat about music and football. She's the Liverpool fan and so I hear her shout when they score, three seconds ahead of the feed I watch.
Talking of exciting, we had plans for the evening, so I had to have dinner done on time. At one point she called and I checked the traffic radar to guide her via the less jammed way back.
Traffic was dreadful for Jools, it took her until six to get home, by which time I had made the batter for fritters and just about finished cooking.
After eating, Jools got changed and we were out, off to Deal for a gig.
Paul Jones has been a figure on the UK music scene since 1962. He sang with Manfred Mann before going solo and then forming the Blues Band at the end of the 70s. He also hosted a blues show on Radio 2 for decades. He was on tour with the guitarist from the Blue Band, Dave Kelly, for a night of blues and chat about blues.
Dave has a long histroy with the blues, going back to Ken Colyer's Jazz club, where he played. He has also seen most of the blues greats and played with many too.The Astor is a small theatre, we were in the VIP setas n the balcony, sharing the small table with an older couple, one of whom has a bad BO problem.
So it goes.
The show began at eight, and each song was introduced with stories about the writer or how they came to play it or both. It was all rather lovely, and it struck me this is a last chance to peer back to the birth of what was called beat music, but begat The Beatles and of course, the Rolling Stones. The link with Ken Colyer takes that back to the 1950s and the battle between trad and Dixie jazz, and it was Ken who went to New Orleans, played with the real greats there, and brought back the idea of the breakdown session, that he called "skiffle".
The rest is history and rock and roll.
We left at ten, they'd not quite finished, but Jools was pooped, and we had work in the morning.
We drove home through deserted Deal and Walmer and back to St Maggies, then to bed.
COVID
Here we are, the last day of the mask mandate in England and the rest of Britain, and infections topped 102,000 in the last 24 hours, and there were 346 deaths.
These are huge numbers, and six months ago would have warranted a tightening of restrictions, not the opposite. And yet here we are.
The Government has long since give up the pretence of following any real science, and is now gambling with the nation's health.
And it is in schools where the biggest gamble is taken.
Between 20 and 25% of children are off at any one time, either with infections or isolating. Some children have been infected twice in the last four weeks, and this will only get worse, as the mask madate was removed last Thursday in schools.
We are going out more. We went to a gig last night, going out for two meals next week, but will continue to wear masks and be careful.
Let's hope other will be as careful too.
And one final word on those deaths: some will say they had underlying issues, but that was the whole point of masks and social distancing, to protect those who had low immune systems. Every one of those deaths is someone's personal greed in demanding to be unmasked against someone else's right to life.
he former should not trump the latter, but under this Government, it has.
These are huge numbers, and six months ago would have warranted a tightening of restrictions, not the opposite. And yet here we are.
The Government has long since give up the pretence of following any real science, and is now gambling with the nation's health.
And it is in schools where the biggest gamble is taken.
Between 20 and 25% of children are off at any one time, either with infections or isolating. Some children have been infected twice in the last four weeks, and this will only get worse, as the mask madate was removed last Thursday in schools.
We are going out more. We went to a gig last night, going out for two meals next week, but will continue to wear masks and be careful.
Let's hope other will be as careful too.
And one final word on those deaths: some will say they had underlying issues, but that was the whole point of masks and social distancing, to protect those who had low immune systems. Every one of those deaths is someone's personal greed in demanding to be unmasked against someone else's right to life.
he former should not trump the latter, but under this Government, it has.
Tuesday, 25 January 2022
End of the road?
Quite a day yesterday (Tuesday) with the Government position on the impending Sue Gray report changed on almost hourly basis.
In short, it was reported that the threashhold had been met to report findings to the Police, and at the same time, head of the Met, Cressida Dick, announced to the LOndon Assembly that the Met would, now, be investigating the series of parties in Downing Street.
Government line changed to that as it was now a Police matter, no further comments would be made and the report would not be published.
Both the Met and Sue Gray announced there was no reason the report could not be released.
So the Government line changed agan to say that a redacted version might be released.
Again the Met and Gray announced that there was no reason why the full report should not be released.
Speculation rose that the report might be released that evening, or on Wednesday monring before PMQs.
It is important at this point to point out that the issues outlined here regarding the report are of Johnson's own making. Because if you read Gray's terms of reference, always a good idea, you will see the report was purely for fact finding. If the terms had included making reccommendations, then there would have been a case for delaying publication. But without that, she was asked to find facts. She found facts. And now will report the facts.
As yet, it seems not to have been sent to Johnson.
In the meantime, various Ministers and loyal MPs have been downplaying any offences saying every household in the UK broke rules, or that any offence was going to be like getting points on your licence from speeding.
But there are many offences that are more serious: perverting the course of justice and misconduct in public office for two, which could be applied to the (alleged) cover up rather than the offence itself.
And although the BBC are reporting that there is support from Johnson in Government, other sources are talking of pacts being done in relation to who comes after Johnson to avoid a leadership contest.
Today will be interesting. Might end by being a damp squib, or it could signal the end of Johnson's career. Or something inbetween.
In short, it was reported that the threashhold had been met to report findings to the Police, and at the same time, head of the Met, Cressida Dick, announced to the LOndon Assembly that the Met would, now, be investigating the series of parties in Downing Street.
Government line changed to that as it was now a Police matter, no further comments would be made and the report would not be published.
Both the Met and Sue Gray announced there was no reason the report could not be released.
So the Government line changed agan to say that a redacted version might be released.
Again the Met and Gray announced that there was no reason why the full report should not be released.
Speculation rose that the report might be released that evening, or on Wednesday monring before PMQs.
It is important at this point to point out that the issues outlined here regarding the report are of Johnson's own making. Because if you read Gray's terms of reference, always a good idea, you will see the report was purely for fact finding. If the terms had included making reccommendations, then there would have been a case for delaying publication. But without that, she was asked to find facts. She found facts. And now will report the facts.
As yet, it seems not to have been sent to Johnson.
In the meantime, various Ministers and loyal MPs have been downplaying any offences saying every household in the UK broke rules, or that any offence was going to be like getting points on your licence from speeding.
But there are many offences that are more serious: perverting the course of justice and misconduct in public office for two, which could be applied to the (alleged) cover up rather than the offence itself.
And although the BBC are reporting that there is support from Johnson in Government, other sources are talking of pacts being done in relation to who comes after Johnson to avoid a leadership contest.
Today will be interesting. Might end by being a damp squib, or it could signal the end of Johnson's career. Or something inbetween.
Monday 24th January 2022
Monday.
Urggh.
You know I said at weekends we could lay in until lunchtime, and never do? Well, Monday morning I sleep through the alarm, Jools getting up and going down stairs, feeding the cats, Poppy getting off the bed, Poppy getting back on the bed and she going back to sleep.
I wake up at quarter past six with Jools going for a shower.
There is coffee downstairs, so I go hunting for it.
Jools is busy getting ready for work, though not so urgent as before now there is two in purchasing again, so she goes for a quick walk before leaving for work. Turns out she was even late for work, thus clawing back some of the overtime already owed.
I get the work laptop and screen ready, log in for seven, though being a Monday there are updates to install, and half the apps and programs don't work, so reboot the computer.
It is by then half seven, and I have another day reviewing documents.
In a change from the usual, I have crumpets for lunch instead of having to make bread. I bought a pack of nine crumpets planning on having three each day for the week. That was the plan. So, just fruit for breakfast, crumpets for lunch and then dinner with Jools. No toast to have as an extra course for breakfast.
Sadly.
I get to work reviewing documents, and just as I think I am getting to the end of the last, a new one appears. I have no idea when this is ever going to end. Now on my 6th day and there is only so much document management management one person can put up with. That's all I'm saying.
Turns out three crumpets are not enough, so an hour after scoffing them I hit the crackers and have some smothered in butter, because they're healthy are they not? No, Ian, they are not.
Whatevs.
Outside is is even greyer than ever, gloomier than ever and cold. Buggered if I'm going out for a walk.
There. I said it.
So, I begin to panic about the picture of the day, at one point snapping my changing the kitty litter in the downstairs tray.
It wasn't until I was cooking and looked at the colours of the stir fry that I see that would make a better picture, but not that representative of my day. A more suitable shot would be one of boredom. Maybe a freshly painted wall or something?
Fishcakes, stir fry and rice.
Jools arrives home after getting through the traffic, about twenty minutes late, but did OK.
We eat, talk about our days, and once cleared up eat the last of the chocolate from the pantry with the final coffee of the day.
I watch footbal on the tellybox, Jools does beading. The evening passes.
Urggh.
You know I said at weekends we could lay in until lunchtime, and never do? Well, Monday morning I sleep through the alarm, Jools getting up and going down stairs, feeding the cats, Poppy getting off the bed, Poppy getting back on the bed and she going back to sleep.
I wake up at quarter past six with Jools going for a shower.
There is coffee downstairs, so I go hunting for it.
Jools is busy getting ready for work, though not so urgent as before now there is two in purchasing again, so she goes for a quick walk before leaving for work. Turns out she was even late for work, thus clawing back some of the overtime already owed.
I get the work laptop and screen ready, log in for seven, though being a Monday there are updates to install, and half the apps and programs don't work, so reboot the computer.
It is by then half seven, and I have another day reviewing documents.
In a change from the usual, I have crumpets for lunch instead of having to make bread. I bought a pack of nine crumpets planning on having three each day for the week. That was the plan. So, just fruit for breakfast, crumpets for lunch and then dinner with Jools. No toast to have as an extra course for breakfast.
Sadly.
I get to work reviewing documents, and just as I think I am getting to the end of the last, a new one appears. I have no idea when this is ever going to end. Now on my 6th day and there is only so much document management management one person can put up with. That's all I'm saying.
Turns out three crumpets are not enough, so an hour after scoffing them I hit the crackers and have some smothered in butter, because they're healthy are they not? No, Ian, they are not.
Whatevs.
Outside is is even greyer than ever, gloomier than ever and cold. Buggered if I'm going out for a walk.
There. I said it.
So, I begin to panic about the picture of the day, at one point snapping my changing the kitty litter in the downstairs tray.
It wasn't until I was cooking and looked at the colours of the stir fry that I see that would make a better picture, but not that representative of my day. A more suitable shot would be one of boredom. Maybe a freshly painted wall or something?Fishcakes, stir fry and rice.
Jools arrives home after getting through the traffic, about twenty minutes late, but did OK.
We eat, talk about our days, and once cleared up eat the last of the chocolate from the pantry with the final coffee of the day.
I watch footbal on the tellybox, Jools does beading. The evening passes.
Resignation matter
Yesterday, Lord Agnew (me neither) resigned as Minister for Ant-Fraud stating, it was separate from the wider issues seen in Westminster, neither was it against the Prime Minister.
He called anti fraud measures on pandemic loans “desperately inadequate” - “oversight by both BEIS & British Business Bank ..nothing less than woeful”.. “HMT has no knowledge or little interest in consequences of fraud”
“Schoolboy errors were made, for example allowing over 1000 companies to receive Bounceback loans who were not even trading when Covid struck”
“… simply failed to understand agents hold in stock companies with earlier creation dates…”
“Ive been arguing with Treasury and BEIS officials for two years to get them to lift their game, I have mostly been unsuccessful”
“There’s a penny of income tax waiting to be claimed if we just woke up” but theres a “combination of arrogance, indolence, and ignorance” says minister as he resigns, saying taking fraud seriously would give a sporting chance of some tax cuts… “Thank you & goodbye!”
Further detail in Lord Agnew’s resignation letter…
“Last week a foolish decision was made to kill off the prospect of an economic crime bill…” which would have helped tackle fraud and save taxpayers money, he says…
On top of that, Lord Agnew recommended six companies to use the "VIP lane" for COVID contracts, some of which the Chancellor was very to write off £4.5 billion this week, while the Government you might remember removed the £20 uplift in Universalt Credit last year.
He called anti fraud measures on pandemic loans “desperately inadequate” - “oversight by both BEIS & British Business Bank ..nothing less than woeful”.. “HMT has no knowledge or little interest in consequences of fraud”
“Schoolboy errors were made, for example allowing over 1000 companies to receive Bounceback loans who were not even trading when Covid struck”
“… simply failed to understand agents hold in stock companies with earlier creation dates…”
“Ive been arguing with Treasury and BEIS officials for two years to get them to lift their game, I have mostly been unsuccessful”
“There’s a penny of income tax waiting to be claimed if we just woke up” but theres a “combination of arrogance, indolence, and ignorance” says minister as he resigns, saying taking fraud seriously would give a sporting chance of some tax cuts… “Thank you & goodbye!”
Further detail in Lord Agnew’s resignation letter…
“Last week a foolish decision was made to kill off the prospect of an economic crime bill…” which would have helped tackle fraud and save taxpayers money, he says…
On top of that, Lord Agnew recommended six companies to use the "VIP lane" for COVID contracts, some of which the Chancellor was very to write off £4.5 billion this week, while the Government you might remember removed the £20 uplift in Universalt Credit last year.
Cakeism to cake
It cannot be denied now that there is someone either in Downing Street or once worked there who is leaking new partgate information just as Johnson thinks it is over.
The question now is now, therefore, what else is to come?
Just before six yesterday ITV News published information leaked to it that in June 2020 Johnson attend his own surprise birthday in the Cabinet Office in 10 Downing Street arranged by his fiance/wife, Carrie.
There was nibbles (party food) from M&S and a cake.
Weeks before he had written to a child congratulating her for being sensible in cancelling her own celebration because of lockdown. Meanwhile parties were being broken up all round the country, many for children, and attendees were give fixed penalty notices.
Johnson, it seems, did not arrange the party, and his spokesperson said he only stayed ten minutes. But such gatherings were aganst the law then.
You could go to work in an office, if essential, but all meetings had to be remote.
There was and never was any definition in the law or SIs relating to a work bubble. There were just family or support bubbles.
Lawyer, Adam Wagner, who has kept track of all the law and guidance changes since March 202 did so for his own professional use, but has been the "go to" guy for news organisations to explain the laws and regulations at the time and whther any excse is possible. He stated this morning he is getting fed up with the Government trying to falsly represent the laws at the time, and never thought he would be "keeping the receipts" on Government.
Johnson has to go.
He has no moral authority to lead.
He is fighting to keep a job he is unfit to do and is unwilling to put in the hours required to do it.
The question now is now, therefore, what else is to come?
Just before six yesterday ITV News published information leaked to it that in June 2020 Johnson attend his own surprise birthday in the Cabinet Office in 10 Downing Street arranged by his fiance/wife, Carrie.
There was nibbles (party food) from M&S and a cake.
Weeks before he had written to a child congratulating her for being sensible in cancelling her own celebration because of lockdown. Meanwhile parties were being broken up all round the country, many for children, and attendees were give fixed penalty notices.
Johnson, it seems, did not arrange the party, and his spokesperson said he only stayed ten minutes. But such gatherings were aganst the law then.
You could go to work in an office, if essential, but all meetings had to be remote.
There was and never was any definition in the law or SIs relating to a work bubble. There were just family or support bubbles.
Lawyer, Adam Wagner, who has kept track of all the law and guidance changes since March 202 did so for his own professional use, but has been the "go to" guy for news organisations to explain the laws and regulations at the time and whther any excse is possible. He stated this morning he is getting fed up with the Government trying to falsly represent the laws at the time, and never thought he would be "keeping the receipts" on Government.
Johnson has to go.
He has no moral authority to lead.
He is fighting to keep a job he is unfit to do and is unwilling to put in the hours required to do it.
Monday, 24 January 2022
Sunday 23rd January 2022
Sunday dawned grey and overcast.
No change there, then.
Every weekend we think being the weekend and all we might lay in until it was light or even lunchtime.
We were awake before six, Poppy was asleep on my legs though was very happy when I got up meaning she would be fed.
It would mean we would have a slow start to the day.
We had coffee.
Croissants and coffee.
Fruit and tea.
We really should go out for a walk, didn't really want to, but need to do some phys, really.
We went out.
Before lunch, we went out for a walk, mainly for the phys if nothing else. But was surprised to find the ground really quite firm underfoot, so we went all the way up to Windy Ridge.
By now the tracks and paths should be rivers of mud and really not worth trying to get down, but all bar the usual places have now dried out and are firm ground rather than mud.
The wood itself is usually ankle deep in mud, the wider track was muddy, but passable if you wanted, but the other one was really quite dry.
I got back without getting mud on my trousers, which is quite unusual I believe..
I am armed with just the compact camera, and Jools is armed with a plastic bag and a litter picker tool-thing.
As there is quite a bit of litter, I go ahead, and am soon down the lane at the end of our road, over the fields, past the two Shetland ponies that were clearly hungry. I ask several folks on horses if they knew who owned the ponies, none did.
Then past the former butterfly glade, Fleet House and the pig's copse, down the slope past the farm, where the ground even there was firm underfoot.
Really, for January, this is very unusual. I seem to remember there being a winter drought a few years ago, and that lead to water shortages very quickly in the spring.
Up the long slope towards the wood, stopping at the hidden bench with its views down to Kingsdown. And in ten minutes Jools joins me, so we chat and admire the view.
The wood is passable, just about, so I pick my way through the drying mud, noticing the huge amount of Spurge Laurel growing in one place, and on holly trees I see proof that the plant only produces spiked edged leaves once leaves had been eaten or picked, as one plant had not only spiked and smooth edged leaves, but ones between the two.
Nature is wonderful.
I reach the end of the wood, and head off down towards Collingwood, horses on both side look at us hoping for some food other than the short grass in their fields and endless bales of hay.
We can't help.
We head home, end up talking to a couple walking their young puppy, turns out they're twitches, so we swap news on what's about, not that I twitch, only the really easy stuff.
Back home it's lunchtime, so we have a roll and yet more tea and I find that I am all done in time to watch the afternoon's footy.
Liverpool beat Palace 3-1, though not sure how. And then Cheslea run rings round Spurs to win 2-0. And just like that, there's no Prem for two weeks, three weeks. With a weekend off next weekend and then the Cup.
Dinner is pizza. And beer.
ALl the main food groups there.
Goes down a treat.
And that is the weekend done.
No change there, then.
Every weekend we think being the weekend and all we might lay in until it was light or even lunchtime.
We were awake before six, Poppy was asleep on my legs though was very happy when I got up meaning she would be fed.It would mean we would have a slow start to the day.
We had coffee.
Croissants and coffee.
Fruit and tea.
We really should go out for a walk, didn't really want to, but need to do some phys, really.
We went out.Before lunch, we went out for a walk, mainly for the phys if nothing else. But was surprised to find the ground really quite firm underfoot, so we went all the way up to Windy Ridge.
By now the tracks and paths should be rivers of mud and really not worth trying to get down, but all bar the usual places have now dried out and are firm ground rather than mud.
The wood itself is usually ankle deep in mud, the wider track was muddy, but passable if you wanted, but the other one was really quite dry.
I got back without getting mud on my trousers, which is quite unusual I believe..
I am armed with just the compact camera, and Jools is armed with a plastic bag and a litter picker tool-thing.As there is quite a bit of litter, I go ahead, and am soon down the lane at the end of our road, over the fields, past the two Shetland ponies that were clearly hungry. I ask several folks on horses if they knew who owned the ponies, none did.
Then past the former butterfly glade, Fleet House and the pig's copse, down the slope past the farm, where the ground even there was firm underfoot.Really, for January, this is very unusual. I seem to remember there being a winter drought a few years ago, and that lead to water shortages very quickly in the spring.
Up the long slope towards the wood, stopping at the hidden bench with its views down to Kingsdown. And in ten minutes Jools joins me, so we chat and admire the view.
The wood is passable, just about, so I pick my way through the drying mud, noticing the huge amount of Spurge Laurel growing in one place, and on holly trees I see proof that the plant only produces spiked edged leaves once leaves had been eaten or picked, as one plant had not only spiked and smooth edged leaves, but ones between the two.
Nature is wonderful.I reach the end of the wood, and head off down towards Collingwood, horses on both side look at us hoping for some food other than the short grass in their fields and endless bales of hay.
We can't help.
We head home, end up talking to a couple walking their young puppy, turns out they're twitches, so we swap news on what's about, not that I twitch, only the really easy stuff.
Back home it's lunchtime, so we have a roll and yet more tea and I find that I am all done in time to watch the afternoon's footy.
Liverpool beat Palace 3-1, though not sure how. And then Cheslea run rings round Spurs to win 2-0. And just like that, there's no Prem for two weeks, three weeks. With a weekend off next weekend and then the Cup.
Dinner is pizza. And beer.
ALl the main food groups there.
Goes down a treat.
And that is the weekend done.
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