British Banter

Following yesterday's revelations about Boris' ethics Director, I wrote to my MP about the issue:

Dr Caroline Lucas MP
House of Commons
Palace of Westminster
London
SW1A. 1AA


Dear Caroline,

Re; Cabinet Office fines.


With the Police now confirming that Hellen McNamara, Boris' ethics director (a Misnamed position if ever there was one !!!) at the time receiving a fine from the Metropolitan Police (they're keeping quiet just how big a fine !!!) it proves beyond doubt that Boris has lied to his party, lied to Parliament, and lied to the public. You will no doubt recall that initially Boris said no such parties took place in Downing Street (Lie #1), when this could no longer be maintained, he said that alll restrictions were observed and maintained (lie #2), Finally when this too could not be maintained, he turns round and says HE WAS INFORMED that a number of parties took place (lie #3). When photographic evidence is published in which Boris and his wife are clearly seen attending a party in the garden of Downing Street, he has the gall to say he thought it was a working drinks party (lie #4).

As has been repeatedly pointed out, the Ministerial code clearly says that a Minister, if he knowingly lies to Parliament, he should resign his position.

Boris has lied, and lied and lied !!! Now not only Keir Starmer, but I want to know when Boris is going to have the cojones to admit his errors and resign as Prime Minister !!! and the excuse that he can't do so, due to the international situation in Ukraine, cuts no ice with me.


Geoff Chaplin



Ex-government ethics chief reportedly fined over ‘partygate’ scandal

Amy Gibbons
4 April 2022, 0:33 am
The former ethics chief for the Government has reportedly been fined over the “partygate” scandal.
Helen MacNamara, who used to be the deputy cabinet secretary, is said to be among the first group of people to receive a fixed-penalty notice (FPN) from Scotland Yard as part of its investigation into alleged lockdown-breaching parties in Downing Street and Whitehall.
The Daily Telegraph reported that Ms MacNamara received a £50 fine on Friday in connection with a leaving do held in the Cabinet Office on June 18 2020 to mark the departure of a private secretary.
Meanwhile, several reports suggest people have also received fines linked with a gathering that took place on the eve of the Duke of Edinburgh’s funeral last year. These FPNs were among the initial round of 20 issued by the Metropolitan Police.
Ms MacNamara was the director general of propriety and ethics in the Cabinet Office from 2018 to 2020.
The purpose of the role was to ensure the highest standards of propriety, integrity and governance within Government.
She was promoted to the post of deputy cabinet secretary in March 2020 and later left Government to work for the Premier League.
The leaving do in 70 Whitehall on June 18 2020 was reportedly held for Hannah Young, a former home affairs policy adviser who was taking up the post of deputy consul general in New York.
There were said to be about 20 people present, with alcohol consumed.
It was reported that advisers and civil servants gathered after work for two separate events on April 16 2021, as the country was in mourning after the death of the Duke of Edinburgh.
One was for former Downing Street director of communications James Slack and the second for a photographer, and they were later reported to have merged.
No 10 staff were said to have partied until the early hours of the morning in a seven-hour drinking session.
Takeaway pizzas were reported to have been ordered in and some of the revellers were said to have used a slide belonging to Mr and Mrs Johnson’s son, Wilfred.
The following day, the Queen sat alone – socially distanced from her family – as she said goodbye to her husband.
No 10 previously said an apology had been extended to Buckingham Palace.
It has also been suggested by ITV News that Mr Johnson will not be interviewed by the Metropolitan Police as part of their “partygate” investigation.
This is because the force is not interviewing those who have received questionnaires as part of the inquiries, and could potentially be fined, the broadcaster said.
Conservative MP Steve Brine on Sunday night called for transparency about who has been issued with fines.
Speaking to BBC Radio 4’s Westminster Hour, the MP for Winchester said: “They should just be honest about who’s been tipped off with what and put it all out there and say, you know what, we got this wrong, or this person’s got this fine, because these guys in the press, they won’t focus on the issues of the local election, they’ll scratch around and try and dig all this stuff up again.”
The Met is investigating 12 events, including as many as six that Mr Johnson is said to have attended, and has sent out more than 100 questionnaires.
The PM received his in February.
ITV said the only officials being interviewed are “witnesses”, whose role is to help the police interpret questionnaires submitted by other people.
“The Met are not interviewing those who received questionnaires and are in the frame to be fined,” it said.
No 10 has so far only promised to confirm if Mr Johnson or Cabinet Secretary Simon Case are given an FPN.
The PM is not said to have attended either the June 18 2020 gathering or the events on April 16 2021.
The Met declined to comment. The Cabinet Office also said it had nothing to add, beyond pointing to a statement from Scotland Yard issued earlier this week.


Earlier today I received Caroline Lucas' reply to my email:

Re: CL.GC.S0001.CM.5.4.22



Dear Geoff,



Thanks for your message and I agree entirely – and have also called for the PM to resign over his lying and law breaking on numerous occasions, most recently here on my social media .

Please be assured that I will continue to campaign to hold the Prime Minister’s - as well as his staff - to account for their actions.

This is something I have done repeatedly on your behalf, in relation to the rules around social gatherings and more broadly.

For example:

• I met with the Speaker and other cross-party MPs and am working to identify ways in which the parliamentary rules need to be changed to better hold the Prime Minister to account.
• I have taken the Government to court over procurement standards during the pandemic and challenged the Prime Minister directly over transparency in relation to the publication of contracts for PPE and other equipment.
• I have written to the current PM on 3 occasions now about his breaching the Ministerial Code, in relation to Brexit, his handling of the Dominic Cummings affair and the PPE matters mentioned above.
• I have called on the Christmas Party investigation to be expanded to cover other alleged gatherings at the PM’s flat and CCHQ across November and December last year.

Trust, honesty and accountability all matter enormously and their erosion has a serious impact on our democracy. I am grateful to get your message as it adds power to my elbow in raising my very serious concerns about the PM’s lies and trustworthiness.

Best wishes, Caroline

 

Very Nice letter and Reply ...many cheers to you

 

I am not political and do not know enough about politics to give an opinion of merit ..I am very thankful and grateful for those that do

 

I'm willing to be your tutor if you want to learn more darlin'.

 

Yes your letter is very noble And I would love to learn more

 

Ok, where would you like to start ???

 

Maren Morris I saw at the Del Mar KAABOO festival before the festival was moved to petco park ..first time I heard of her and song the bones is the song i like I heard at festival ...which is also a art festival.

 

Hmm politics let’s start at 1776 or possibly so who will be replace Boris ..who is the candidate that takes his place

 

There are several possible candidates - Rishi Sunak - the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Liz Truss the Foreign Secretary and there may be some from the back benches, one name that has been mention is Jeremy Hunt, the former Health Secretary.

 

Okay so when this happens let me know who the best qualified person is so I can root for them

 

Photo of my poinsettia this is as the red leaves start appearing ..stays green mostly this is at the start of the bloom of the red ...usually around October November December the plant is in full bloom

 

Wrong party darlin' - they're the enemy - all scumbag 'nasty sleaze party' members !!!

 

I don't like Beetroot.

 

So the “nasty sleaze party” is actually “party gate” and none of the candidates are qualified basically

 

Beet root is my favorite I love making beets and juicing them and even the beet tops I use

 

No I just don't like them.

 

Yes not everyone’s taste buds are the same ..My daughter did not like them now they are her favorite

 

normally I don't like salad food (Rabbit food !!!), but I have been known to eat pickled beetroot straight out of the jar !!!

 

I love every fruit and vegetable there is