Here's the problem.

[Workingman]

Stories abound about Christmas parties in government, which were against the laws of the day. The media is incensed and goes all out on attack, something has to be done.....

"Simon, as Cabinet Secretary I would like you to hold a (wink, wink) independent inquiry into these allegations."
"Certainly, I'll get on to it straight away and report back in....?"
"A few weeks, maybe months."
"Of course Mr Johnson, Boris."

So says one of the people breaking the law, who is now relieved of duties - shock, horror.

Now I might be a bit thick, but if I was asked to investigate breaches of protocol / law that I had also knowingly broken then I might have declined the investigation offer. Not these people, not the in crowd. They think that they are so far above us that they are immune from normal laws, so off they go on a pretend investigation. Thankfully we still have a few investigative journalists, and they tell us the truth.

It is long past the time for the police to investigate these allegations. There is plenty of evidence that the laws of the day were broken, and by whom. The trouble is that the useless Cressida owes them all a few favours. Rub my back, I'll emolliate yours.

[cromwell]

Quite agree about Dipstick of the Yard. How she's still in a job beats me.

I also agree about the arrogance. How you can do this at a time when ordinary people were forbidden to kiss or embrace a dying loved one is just appalling. And I think it cost them in North Staffordshire. Not only the arrogance to hold the party but to shamelessly lie about it afterwards.

One thing though. These parties were allegedly attended by lobby journalists. So if the police start investigating it will be very interesting to see which journos were at these parties, and why they kept quiet about them.

[Suff]

And just as importantly, why it only came up just before an election.

When Russia does stuff like that it is interfering in an election. But if it is "leaked" in the UK that's all right then.

The whole thing stinks of arrogance and opportunity.

[Kaz]

Oh come on Suff, defending the indefensible? Shooting the messenger!

[Suff]

If it had come out at the time, no issue and no shooting the messenger.

Sitting on it for a year and pulling it out for an election?

That's not defending anything. That is asking a valid question.

[Workingman]

It is quite legitimate to keep one's powder dry waiting for the right moment.... All sides do it.

The Mirror broke the news about the Christmas parties at the back end of November probably because it tied in well with 'sleaze' Owen Paterson, and the general feeling of entitlement of the Cons. The Mirror is not a Tory boy paper so no surprises there. Other news outlets, some of them Tory boy, then took on and ran with the story. It was out in the open.

Now, with all that going on, you would think that those likely to be involved, to be questioned, to be examined, would keep their heads down and be quiet as church mice till it all blew over, as it would have.

Not Tory boy and girl, oh no. They filmed themselves in a spoof news conference in the No 10 briefing room laughing and joking and mocking the claims. They got their fifteen minutes of fame, not just in the UK, but worldwide. They celebrated the "one rule for us and another for you plebs" position of the Tories in government in front of the electorate.

They fully own making the Christmas party thing a central issue in the election where the Tories lost a seat they had held for 200 years. I applaud them for their good work.

[Suff]

It is quite legitimate to keep one's powder dry waiting for the right moment.... All sides do it.

I see.

So influencing the public in an election with old news kept hidden is OK if you like the result or the person doing it, but not OK if you don't.

Right. Got it.

I never said that some in government were not idiots, the political class breeds them and they breed true.

As an observer of this I see people deriding Boris for being different. Yep, he is not of the political classes so doesn't act or sound like them

Then they deride the political classes for doing what they do.

If a dog cocks its leg on a fire hydrant, it is not vandalism, it is what they do. If you don't like the political classes then vote for someone else. But hang on, that's already been done. But it was a bad idea because.... He's not of the political classes.

Get out of that circle.

[Workingman]

Finally it sinks in.

Powder dry, used whenever, Boom! Politicians, journos, business people and the elite keep diaries for a purpose; to be used later. T' was always so, even the Cons do it, hard lines.

You are not an observer. Suff, you have skin in the game. You are one of the members, fewer than 100,000 people, who foisted the scruffy Mop-head on us as PM, you and the blue-rinse brigade. He was your chosen one, your messiah. Now he's failing and a liability and you don't like what's going on. Tough.

Your boy cocked his leg, but it was not at a fire hydrant, it was at the people and a poorly insulated junction box. His choice, his singed ball cocks, and they are hurting both him and you. Karma. I am one of many millions who will not be losing any sleep over his, or your, plight. Au contraire, we will be having sweet dreams.

[Suff]

Actually concealing knowledge of a crime is a crime itself....

[Workingman]

So you agree that a crime was committed and that making it known, even at a later date, was the correct thing to do in order to not break further laws.... Bada-BOOM!