Mailwatch(ed) Forum

This should give the Sunday shows something to go on:

Boris Johnson pictured hosting Number 10 Christmas quiz ‘in breach of Covid laws’

Boris Johnson was tonight accused of personally breaking Covid laws by hosting a Christmas quiz in No10 last year.

The Prime Minister was pictured on screen, sitting underneath a portrait of Margaret Thatcher as he read out questions.

A source said many staff huddled by computers, conferring on questions and knocking back fizz, wine and beer from a local Tesco Metro.

In one office, the insider said, there were four teams, each made up of six people.

It was December 15 – three days before a gathering now being probed – and the PM was flanked by two members of his top team, although they were not drinking.

One was wearing a Santa hat and the other draped in tinsel.

Our source claimed dozens signed up to take part online but that at 6.30pm on the day many staff decided to take part from No10 instead.

Teams from the PM’s private office, the policy unit and press office were among those taking part.

Halfway through the quiz, the PM surprised staff by turning up on screen as quizmaster for one round lasting between 10 and 15 minutes.

He asked questions including: “At her press conference, how many Covid tests did Priti Patel say had been conducted?”

The PM announced he was giving staff a small gift of a bronze lapel pin of the No10 door – and they were handed out that night.

Sources said the quiz finished at around 9pm, but staff stayed on for two hours or so drinking and chatting. Most stayed in their offices, but a few alledgedly moved around the building to mingle with colleagues in a further apparent breach of the rules.

I would be willing to bet there’s more to come, too. Someone, somewhere will have a pic of Johnson, at a party, drinking.

Didn't they get people to turn phones off? Genius.

Johnson boozing with his arm round people would put the tin hat on it nicely.

But he only broke the rules in a specific and limited way.


Anybody who believes he only dropped in at a quiz is most welcome to bid for the diverse collection of "Pre loved" items that clutter my garage.

What troubles me is that this was all taking place in the workplace, where AFAICR we were never limited to only three people in an area - or am I missing something here?

Bones McCoy wrote: ↑Sun Dec 12, 2021 1:00 pm But he only broke the rules in a specific and limited way.


Anybody who believes he only dropped in at a quiz is most welcome to bid for the diverse collection of "Pre loved" items that clutter my garage.

There were at least three people in that room at time when, under Tier 2, only two were allowed for non work meetings. Plus, it is reported, that groups of up to 24 per room were taking part elsewhere in Downing Street, via Zoom, Johnson would have been able to see them.
But of course, reporting that is just Commie BBC bias, so nothing to see here.

Zahawi told Trevor Phillips on Sunday on Sky News that the picture shows a “prime minister on a virtual quiz night for 10-15 minutes to thank his staff” who he said had no choice but to come into work.

I've a funny feeling this might not age well.

Last week has been a pleasure to turn the news on in the morning. Not saying Bozo won’t wriggle out of his shit storms but it looks less likely every week. Oh what joy.

I can imagine a demographic she'd appeal to.

Boiler wrote: ↑Sun Dec 12, 2021 4:47 pm I can imagine a demographic she'd appeal to.

Paid up members of the Tory Party that’s who. The membership who made Duncan-Smith leader is relatively sane compared to this lot. Be afraid.

Youngian wrote: ↑Sun Dec 12, 2021 5:03 pm Be afraid.

I'm not afraid.

I'm fucking terrified.

Tubby Isaacs wrote: ↑Sun Dec 12, 2021 4:44 pm

Are the Tories really ready to elect an Asian leader?
Are the Tories really convinced that the electorate are ready to elect an Asian Prime Minister?

Patel is hugely ambitious. But also astonishingly stupid. Really, really stupid. If it’s her vs anyone else, I think she’ll rightly struggle. Her rise so far has been because she’s willing to sell out for a ministerial car and a promotion. But if she’s going for the top job, she’s not a useful idiot any more. She’s just an idiot getting in someone else’s way.

And a proven national security risk. No wonder the bookies have her at eleventy-twelve to one.

I think Patel used to be popular with the right of the party because of her role with the Vote Leave and her rhetoric on Law and Order and immigration but her popularity has been hit by her failure to tackle immigrants crossing the channel.

Sunak did well at the start of the pandemic because he was writing all the cheques and he looked impressive when compared to Johnson. His popularity is likely to start to drop with every tax rise that he introduces so if he wants the top job he needs to make a move fairly quickly.

Truss may prove to be the dark horse simply because she has gone from being an arch remainer to being about the only cabinet minister who thinks that Brexit is working out just fine.

Boiler wrote: ↑Sun Dec 12, 2021 4:47 pm I can imagine a demographic she'd appeal to.

Schroedinger's Patel: Appeals to a demographic who don't want any of "her sort" getting any more power.

He's lost the Telegraph now: