Who is in control of Boris's Bus?

[DerekC]

The resignation of Sayeed Javid and the sacking of Julian Smith both suggest a wish to centralise power in 10 Downing Street and not to tolerate any opposition within Government. This ruthlessness doesn't seem in character with the cuddy, laid back persona that Boris likes to show to the world. It asks the question - who is at the wheel of Boris's Bus? Boris? or Dominic Cummings?

 

[Spamcan81]

I reckon it's Cummings wielding the power at the moment.

 

[DaleCooper]

Boris needs to remember he only wields power with the agreement of his MPs. Thatcher discovered that.

 

[Busaholic]

The resignation of Sayeed Javid and the sacking of Julian Smith both suggest a wish to centralise power in 10 Downing Street and not to tolerate any opposition within Government. This ruthlessness doesn't seem in character with the cuddy, laid back persona that Boris likes to show to the world. It asks the question - who is at the wheel of Boris's Bus? Boris? or Dominic Cummings?

Let's not forget that Boris's favourite pastime is making model buses, with cardboard cutout 'happy passengers'. So he's filling his bus with cutouts like Matt Hancock, Liz Truss and Pritti Patel who'll be happy to fulfill his latest bizarre wish. I think those three should be sent on a special mission to check out the depths of the North Channel for Boris's vision of a bridge between Ireland and Scotland.It'd be a shame if they didn't make it back, of course.

 

[Grumpy Git]

Just give this fact a little bit of thought:

Liz Truss is the longest serving minister in the government.

God help us all.

 

[Aictos]

I reckon it's Cummings wielding the power at the moment.

Of course it is, Johnson is merely the puppet!

 

[edwin_m]

He did get rid of some of the more headbanging Brexiteers - Leadsom etc*. And Javid is reported to have "won" the argument with Cummings over HS2. So rather a mixed picture. The contradiction remains of how this government is going to deliver all the costly promises it has made, on the back of an economy hobbled by the unnecessary and costly Brexit that they themselves brought about.

*Perhaps the reason the Boris bus has so many doors is to make it easier to throw people out, and indeed under it.

 

[Bantamzen]

He did get rid of some of the more headbanging Brexiteers - Leadsom etc*. And Javid is reported to have "won" the argument with Cummings over HS2. So rather a mixed picture. The contradiction remains of how this government is going to deliver all the costly promises it has made, on the back of an economy hobbled by the unnecessary and costly Brexit that they themselves brought about.

*Perhaps the reason the Boris bus has so many doors is to make it easier to throw people out, and indeed under it.

I'm surprised it can move at all with all those bodies under it!

But it does feel like The Hand Of Cummings (stop sniggering at the back there) at play here, with some political commentators starting to suggest that BoJo-Cummings are gathering around them "Yes Prime Minister" ministers, a lot like Trump is doing over the pond.

 

[DarloRich]

with some political commentators starting to suggest that BoJo-Cummings are gathering around them "Yes Prime Minister" ministers, a lot like Trump is doing over the pond.

that is exactly what it is: a concentration of power within No.10 and a removal of anyone who may block the application of that power.

 

[Bantamzen]

that is exactly what it is: a concentration of power within No.10 and a removal of anyone who may block the application of that power.

I am sharpening my pitchfork as I type.....

 

[Grumpy Git]

How the hell did we get into this sorry state of affairs?

 

[nlogax]

How the hell did we get into this sorry state of affairs?

Something to do with a bus, I believe.

 

[Meerkat]

As power seems to be concentrated with people who believe in public spending, infrastructure, and equalising development across the country is it really all as evil as you are making out?

 

[Howardh]

I reckon it's Cummings wielding the power at the moment.

Don't tell Brexit voters that the country is being run by an unelected, unaccountable bureaucrat.

 

[Puffing Devil]

The more I see, the more I think that "The Thick of It" is a reality show.

 

[Grumpy Git]

As power seems to be concentrated with people who believe in public spending, infrastructure, and equalising development across the country is it really all as evil as you are making out?

Except if it was the Labour Party doing it, we would be spending money we don't have.

 

[Geezertronic]

Just give this fact a little bit of thought:

Liz Truss is the longest serving minister in the government.

God help us all.

Doesn't that "honour" belong to Gove?

 

[sprunt]

Of course it is, Johnson is merely the puppet!

This is letting Johnson off the hook. He's a thug with a history of thoroughly unpleasant behaviour, and he shouldn't be allowed to give the impression that he's a helpless bystander while Cummings runs amok.

 

[transmanche]

How the hell did we get into this sorry state of affairs?

Blue passports...

 

[nlogax]

This is letting Johnson off the hook. He's a thug with a history of thoroughly unpleasant behaviour, and he shouldn't be allowed to give the impression that he's a helpless bystander while Cummings runs amok.

Johnson has no real thoughts or vision beyond 'I'm in charge'. Cummings appears to be the one with an aspiration for what he thinks society should be and the direction in which the UK should go. Johnson is happy to just be the PM and be the person officially at the top without having to do the thought leadership bit.

As for what we think about Cummings' vision..I'm sure that's worth a whole new thread.

 

[PG]

How the hell did we get into this sorry state of affairs?

Blue passports...

aka allowing the electorate to make decisions...

 

[edwin_m]

Meanwhile, someone at a bus conference attended by a minister and two MPs has tested positive for coronavirus: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-51503292

The person, who has not been identified, was at the UK Bus Summit at the QEII Conference Centre last week.

Two Labour MPs who were also at the conference said they were well but cancelling public engagements until 20 February as a precaution.

The government's buses minister Baroness Vere - who was a keynote speaker at the conference - is "following Public Health England advice", the Department for Transport said.

 

[DerekC]

As power seems to be concentrated with people who believe in public spending, infrastructure, and equalising development across the country is it really all as evil as you are making out?

I think (without wishing to be rude) that it's a bit naïve to think they believe in those things. Boris believes that he was destined to be PM, has achieved his life's ambition and will do anything at all to stay there. An apparent commitment to public spending, infrastructure and equalising development is what he thinks they need to show at the moment. Cummings is harder to read. His agenda seems to be about centralising control, stripping the Civil Service of its remaining advisory functions and getting rid of any possible internal opposition. Whether either of them believes in anything much, I have no idea. All the "future vision" stuff they produce is just Pfeffle.

 

[edwin_m]

I think (without wishing to be rude) that it's a bit naïve to think they believe in those things. Boris believes that he was destined to be PM, has achieved his life's ambition and will do anything at all to stay there. An apparent commitment to public spending, infrastructure and equalising development is what he thinks they need to show at the moment. Cummings is harder to read. His agenda seems to be about centralising control, stripping the Civil Service of its remaining advisory functions and getting rid of any possible internal opposition. Whether either of them believes in anything much, I have no idea. All the "future vision" stuff they produce is just Pfeffle.

I'm prepared to give Boris some credit if he makes things better, even if it's for all the wrong reasons. However in my opinion he's starting the marathon ten miles before the start line, having got to power by foisting a damaging Brexit on the country.

 

[Meerkat]

I think (without wishing to be rude) that it's a bit naïve to think they believe in those things. Boris believes that he was destined to be PM, has achieved his life's ambition and will do anything at all to stay there. An apparent commitment to public spending, infrastructure and equalising development is what he thinks they need to show at the moment. Cummings is harder to read. His agenda seems to be about centralising control, stripping the Civil Service of its remaining advisory functions and getting rid of any possible internal opposition. Whether either of them believes in anything much, I have no idea. All the "future vision" stuff they produce is just Pfeffle.

That sounds like it is based on bias. Boris was known as a one nation Tory, not a right wing nutter.
And criticising a politician for trying to do what they think the people want is rather weird.....

 

[edwin_m]

That sounds like it is based on bias. Boris was known as a one nation Tory, not a right wing nutter.
And criticising a politician for trying to do what they think the people want is rather weird.....

I think the way he reversed his position on Europe after ceasing to be mayor of London, and used the campaign to lever himself into power, provides ample evidence that he will adapt his views to suit his ambitions.

 

[Goldfish62]

Has anyone noticed the uncanny resemblance between Cummings and the Martians in "Mars Attacks!"?

 

[Romsey]

Just remember - politicians promises are like pie crust; made to be broken.
The trouble is I can't remember who said that!

Would you really trust Boris with anything to do with buses? Consider the new routemaster/Borismasters, less reliable and costing more than off the shelf hybrid buses of a similar capacity. I think it was the Evening Standard who published a leaked TfL document showing how costly they are.

 

[Typhoon]

He did get rid of some of the more headbanging Brexiteers - Leadsom etc*.

True - but he did appoint Suella Braverman. And I'm not certain that the loss of Leadsom will get us anywhere. I'm struggling to think of anything she actually did.

The contradiction remains of how this government is going to deliver all the costly promises it has made, on the back of an economy hobbled by the unnecessary and costly Brexit that they themselves brought about.

Quite. Sajid Javid might be best out of it. I gather that his replacement has already asked ministers to identify cuts in spending, and I thought austerity was over! (https://inews.co.uk/news/politics/rishi-sunak-ministers-cut-budgets-saving-brexit-1741769 )

 

[PG]

Sajid Javid might be best out of it. I gather that his replacement has already asked ministers to identify cuts in spending, and I thought austerity was over!

I thought all chancellors routinely asked departments to 'review' their spending?