2022 Conservative Leadership Election - Liz Truss chosen as party leader (and subsequent reshuffle)

[brad465]

Ummmm.... The Mirror's 'Same Old Tories' headline was taken straight from an old Labour election poster. So unless you think that Labour electioneering material somehow counts as unbiased news....View attachment 120369

When I saw that image it took me a while to realise the guy on the left is William Hague

 

[kristiang85]

Why did Johnson and Truss go up to Scotland on separate private planes? It seems a bit of a waste, given the cost of living and climate concerns...

 

[Gloster]

Why did Johnson and Truss go up to Scotland on separate private planes? It seems a bit of a waste, given the cost of living and climate concerns...

I have a vague feeling that there is a convention that the outgoing PM, going to tender his resignation, and the incoming one, going to kiss hands, do so separately. I don’t know why, but perhaps it is a long-standing attempt to make it seem as it isn’t all a stitch-up. Either that or Johnson is going to use the plane to take him on holiday again.

 

[androdas]

Why did Johnson and Truss go up to Scotland on separate private planes? It seems a bit of a waste, given the cost of living and climate concerns...

Most likely 'Security Reasons'. RAF do it as well when transporting the Royals around, often use more than one plane, just in case.

 

[Gloster]

Or perhaps Truss felt it would be safer to travel on a different plane to Johnson.

Plane lands at Balmoral international Airport. Figure with tousled blonde hair emerges and says, “Unfortunately, Liz did find the way out this time. So I’ll just have to say on.” (Rees-Mogg nods approvingly as he can remember the Borgias using such methods.)

 

[Mojo]

Why did Johnson and Truss go up to Scotland on separate private planes? It seems a bit of a waste, given the cost of living and climate concerns...

BBC said it’s standard practice when transporting dignitaries. Presumably incase there’s a plane crash…

 

[DelayRepay]

Why did Johnson and Truss go up to Scotland on separate private planes? It seems a bit of a waste, given the cost of living and climate concerns...

It's not good optics is it, whatever the reason. Should have booked them both on the sleeper. Or just done it via a Zoom call.

I hope Johnson is funding his own flight back to London as he's no longer a member of the Government.

I do wonder if the Queen is really too immobile to leave Balmoral, or whether she has such contempt for Johnson that she thought she'd make him travel as far as possible on his last day.

 

[sor]

the more interesting thing is that neither of the flag-liveried Airbuses were used for this. There was a story about a "jolly" that was later explained to be a "maintenance flight" that had to happen by the 4th of Sept or there would be financial penalties, which suggests they aren't getting enough use out of them.

I also wonder why this couldn't have been done over a video call though.

 

[nw1]

Ah fair enough.

And to be clear, I don't think there's anything wrong with your posting it. I was drawing attention the contrast between the way people complain about Tory bias in the press yet turn a blind eye to Labour bias - as evidenced by the replies to your post.



Ummmm.... The Mirror's 'Same Old Tories' headline was taken straight from an old Labour election poster. So unless you think that Labour electioneering material somehow counts as unbiased news....View attachment 120369





What fawning adulation? Did you actually check any other papers before writing that? I don't have access to the printed papers, but checking online, the Times is leading on 'Jonson bows out with swipe at rivals', the Telegraph on 'Boris Johson hands over baton in unexpected relay race', the Mail on Boris's 'This is it, Folks!', even the Express, arguably the most right-wing paper has the headline, 'Changed the Rules! Boris Johson in one final jab as he exits No10: That's it folks'. Generally they all seem to be factually reporting what has been happening - with the obvious exception of the Mirror's headline. Is there some national newspaper I've missed that is running the headline, 'Now let's all bow down and worship Liz Truss'? And if so, can you provide a link?

Was based on a TV news bulletin which appeared to display the front pages, the Times appeared to show "Let's get straight down to business" (or something similar) with a large picture of Truss, for example.

It appears @Typhoon has confirmed this was indeed the actual Times front cover.

 

[dosxuk]

Normally it would just be a car drive over to the Palace, so it's not like there's any real precedence for doing it the way they have today.

 

[nw1]

Are people not allowed to change their views after 28 more years of life and therefore experience?

Based on what she seems to say and do, she strikes me as someone who will do and say anything to please the people she's trying to please. In 1994, that was presumably the more radical wing of the Lib Dems.

 

[TwoYellas]

As a good citizen, I shall patiently await the trickle down of some wealth.

 

[LSWR Cavalier]

There are striking similarities with the career of Ms Merkel in Germany.

Both started with quite different political beliefs before becoming conservatives. Both were underestimated by old white men who formed the bulk of the party.

I wonder whether Ms Truss can last as long as Ms Merkel, nearly sixteen years at the top?

 

[sor]

There are striking similarities with the career of Ms Merkel in Germany.

Both started with quite different political beliefs before becoming conservatives. Both were underestimated by old white men who formed the bulk of the party.

I wonder whether Ms Truss can last as long as Ms Merkel, nearly sixteen years at the top?

that would also have been a result of proportional representation and coalition government as a norm, whereas we apparently prefer "strong and stable" governments under FPTP and the pendulum swinging back and forth between one extreme and the other

 

[Lost property]

It's not good optics is it, whatever the reason. Should have booked them both on the sleeper. Or just done it via a Zoom call.

I hope Johnson is funding his own flight back to London as he's no longer a member of the Government.

I do wonder if the Queen is really too immobile to leave Balmoral, or whether she has such contempt for Johnson that she thought she'd make him travel as far as possible on his last day.

I think it's known as karma....or a dish best eaten cold..or both in this case. Missing the Highland Games is a small price to pay when she's had to suffer Boris and his lies, both to herself and the nation, along with a reminder to Truss...you're only temporary...Nice move by Buck House really.

 

[Acfb]

There are striking similarities with the career of Ms Merkel in Germany.

Both started with quite different political beliefs before becoming conservatives. Both were underestimated by old white men who formed the bulk of the party.

I wonder whether Ms Truss can last as long as Ms Merkel, nearly sixteen years at the top?

Merkel was the head of the CDU for a few years before she fought the 2005 Bundestagswahl. She blew a huge opinion poll lead (like May) from a position of strength in a matter of weeks. She got lucky in office due to the SPD taking all the flack for the decisions that the Grand coalitions made although the 2013 election result was arguably impressive for the CDU/CSU. Ultimately she stayed around too long though (should have stood down in 2017 perhaps) and damaged the CDU/CSU in the longer run.

 

[DynamicSpirit]

Based on what she seems to say and do, she strikes me as someone who will do and say anything to please the people she's trying to please. In 1994, that was presumably the more radical wing of the Lib Dems.

Yet she joined the Conservatives at just about the worst possible time to join them if you were motivated by ambition and trying to please people - when New Labour was at its heights and the Tories looked all but completely unelectable.

The LibDems have arguably become far more left-wing since the 1990s so it's not that surprising that someone who believes in free market economics would be attracted to them 25-30 years ago but would have moved to the Conservatives in the meantime. And of course there's the factor that 25 years is a long time to change your opinions on things. 25 years ago I believed stuff that today I'd probably be like, 'Uh??? How can anyone think that?'

There may well be lots of things you could criticise Liz Truss for, but I don't think moving on from some of the views she expressed in the 1990s is one of them.

 

[DarloRich]

Why did Johnson and Truss go up to Scotland on separate private planes? It seems a bit of a waste, given the cost of living and climate concerns...

it is continuity of government and all that but personally I would have taken the risk. The Downing Street cat could run a better show than these clowns.

 

[nw1]

There are striking similarities with the career of Ms Merkel in Germany.

Both started with quite different political beliefs before becoming conservatives. Both were underestimated by old white men who formed the bulk of the party.

I wonder whether Ms Truss can last as long as Ms Merkel, nearly sixteen years at the top?

2038?

So 28 consecutive years of Tory rule?

Please, please, no!!! And at least 5 years longer than Thatcher or Blair. God help us. Yes, really.

 

[DarloRich]

There may well be lots of things you could criticise Liz Truss for, but I don't think moving on from some of the views she expressed in the 1990s is one of them.

I have nothing but contempt for people who change sides, unless they join Labour obvs

I do wonder if the Queen is really too immobile to leave Balmoral, or whether she has such contempt for Johnson that she thought she'd make him travel as far as possible on his last day.

If they were making me PM I would be very happy to go on my free executive jet to the other end of the country to see an elderly relative and have a chat and a cup of tea! I could then get on with sorting this country out.

 

[nw1]

it is continuity of government and all that but personally I would have taken the risk. The Downing Street cat could run a better show than these clowns.

Indeed. And if you want someone who used to be an anti-monarchist and has recently become more right-wing, I'd prefer John "Johnny Rotten" Lydon in all honesty. I mean, I don't like his Trump support but has more going for him than most senior Tories.

 

[DarloRich]

Indeed. And if you want someone who used to be an anti-monarchist and has recently become more right-wing, I'd prefer John "Johnny Rotten" Lydon in all honesty. I mean, I don't like his Trump support but he has more going for him than most senior Tories.

I would prefer a mature, sensible adult tbh.

 

[nw1]

I would prefer a mature, sensible adult tbh.

Well, indeed. Lydon would not be my first choice for PM, to put it mildly. But my suggestion that even that prominent Trump supporter would be less bad is testament to just how utterly awful Truss is.

 

[jfollows]

A couple of things stand out.

Why would Javid accept Northern Ireland? Unless someone is totally deluded about their skills of diplomacy, it is a passport to high blood pressure, stress and burnout. At least 70% of politicians at Stormont will think the incumbent is totally wrong and making things ten times worse whatever they are proposing. There is more chance of succeeding as Brexit Opportunities minister (at least they are out of the limelight - I almost wrote something else, totally inappropriate under the circumstances).

The Guardian (https://www.theguardian.com/politic...n-queen-cabinet-reshuffle-rishi-sunak-tories-) now reporting that Liz Truss is having problems filling posts at
Northern Ireland (Chris Heaton-Harries the latest to be asked, apparently Shailesh Vara is currently in the post but he appears to have been less visible than Boris Johnson these past months)
International Trade
Transport (so does this mean Grant Shapps sticks around?). Kemi Badenoch reportedly offered the post but thinks she can do better.
Education
Culture
Penny Mordaunt also holding out for a better post, but I don't know what she's been offered so far, if anything.

 

[johntea]

It's not good optics is it, whatever the reason. Should have booked them both on the sleeper. Or just done it via a Zoom call.

I hope Johnson is funding his own flight back to London as he's no longer a member of the Government.

I do wonder if the Queen is really too immobile to leave Balmoral, or whether she has such contempt for Johnson that she thought she'd make him travel as far as possible on his last day.

They're probably too paranoid someone will hack into it!

 

[AlterEgo]

The monarch is not going to appoint their prime minister over Zoom, honestly!

 

[JamesT]

The monarch is not going to appoint their prime minister over Zoom, honestly!

Why not? She's going to do the rest of the cabinet that way - https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/politics/queen-appoint-cabinet-over-zoom-27901468

 

[nw1]

The monarch is not going to appoint their prime minister over Zoom, honestly!

Oh I don't know, I think it would be entirely appropriate.

 

[brad465]

This picture, from BBC news live has created plenty of metaphors:


(Image Description: Lectern outside No.10 with a bin bag over the microphone)

 

[AlterEgo]

Why not? She's going to do the rest of the cabinet that way - https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/politics/queen-appoint-cabinet-over-zoom-27901468

The Prime Minister is a bit different and involves a personal audience between appointee and monarch.