Forum Topic

Well Alastair Campbell should know, I guess

HuffPost via Yahoo:-"As the ex-spin doctor for Tony Blair when he was prime minister, Campbell has been a particularly ferocious critic of Johnson for years.But last night, hours after Johnson had officially announced his resignation, Campbell really let loose.He said: ″Anybody who ever worked with him knows he’s a liar, every single person who worked with him knew he was a liar.“Every single person who sat around that cabinet table and propped him knew he was a liar.“Every single right-wing commentator who licked his backside and told us he was going to be a wonderful man – they all knew he was a liar.”Touching on Johnson’s announcement that he intended to stay in Downing Street until his replacement was confirmed (likely to happen in the autumn), Campbell noted: “He should be out of Downing Street.”"Guess he's an expert.

David Ainsworth ● 1072d26 Comments

Fundamental lack of understanding of our electoral system there - you should read up on it so that you understand what is happening next time the government changes.At the moment all that is happening is that a sh*t government is losing its sh*t leader and choosing another. The arcane process by which this takes place is worthy of some laughter its true. The leader of the other major party is really an irrelevance until this sh*t government comes to the end of its term. In the meantime, the fact that it has a massive majority and has achieved nothing but sh*t so far has to be noted. Maybe they can find a competent leader now and make a decent fist of the remaining 18 months or so. On past form, what are the odds do you think?

Michael Winstanley ● 1068d

Mr Winstanley, No matter how loud some of us shouted against Boris we weren't listened to. Now we are all paying the price.

Lucille Grant ● 1068d

Not intentionally. If pointing out when you are being a atwat is indulging you, so be it.👐⚓️🐓🐹🍒😃💩👅

Michael Winstanley ● 1069d

But you do 😁😁😂😂

Andy Pike ● 1069d

What, find fault at your tedious insistence in finding false equivalence between the faults of your  pet party and the one you don't like? Why would anyone waste their time indulging you?

Michael Winstanley ● 1069d

"I do not think many people care about Campbell much, or better said, what his opinions are."If they knew about him, perhaps Iraqis might care.

David Ainsworth ● 1071d

"It's a laugh watching you lot squeeling away because the Conservatives are still there."Thank you. It is good to see the effortless superiority of the true Tory at this moment.----------------------------------"“But as we’ve seen at Westminster, the herd instinct is powerful and when the herd moves, it moves." (Johnson showing his unchanging opinion of such erstwhile loyal followers)

David Ainsworth ● 1071d

I do not think many people care about Campbell much, or better said, what his opinions are.  Don't you think that Campbell and Cummins are very much alike?

Ivonne Holliday ● 1071d

Hello Michael W,Thank you for the explanation on how our system operates.I cannot help but being nasty here, very nasty perhaps, but is that system that you described not alike the most undemocratic system the EU uses to elect its officers?

Ivonne Holliday ● 1071d

Exactly Michael so why all the nonsense about the Tory leadership election. Essentially they are both the same with different players.And of course in the Labour ones we have the affiliated union barons who cast thousands of votes based on the views of one person.

Andy Pike ● 1071d

"Didnt Gordon Brown become Prime Minister based on the votes of about 300 MPs?"I think Gordon Brown position was unopposed when he took over so possibly even less democratic. After all who would stand between a gentleman's agreement between Blair and Brown???

Ed Robinson ● 1071d

Yes, Andy, that's a function of how the UK parliamentary system works. Interestingly, in 2015 the Labour membership male/female split was 62/38 so, yes, more males but not such a great disparity? (There might be more up-to-date statistics somewhere.)https://labourlist.org/2017/04/tim-bale-twenty-first-century-campaigning-just-what-did-labours-members-and-its-supporters-do-for-the-party-at-the-2015-general-election/

Michael Ixer ● 1072d

Didnt Gordon Brown become Prime Minister based on the votes of about 300 MPs? And had that election been contested there would have been a couple of hundred thousand,  mainly white, mainly Male labour members in control ofv the decision.Not sure I see much difference, but i'm sure Mr Wikistanley will find fault.

Andy Pike ● 1072d

Mostly discredited MPs. 100,000 silver haired party members. It's a laugh watching you lot squeeling away because the Conservatives are still there.And that personality of a speak your weight machine leader of yours has said he isn't going to reverse it. Talk about p**s in the wind. Hopeless or what.

Paul Rolink ● 1072d

"Perhaps he's got a good agent or he's viewed as getting a good argument going?"I doubt it - they normally pop up without any challenge to their past speaking on the virtues of open, honest and transparent government. Kidnappings, torture and breaking international law were all OK on their watch!"The Rendition Project suggests aircraft associated with secret detention operations landed at British airports 1,622 times"https://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/may/22/uk-support-cia-rendition-flights

Ed Robinson ● 1072d

I'd assume the second one:-"he's viewed as getting a good argument going".If it bleeds, it leads.

David Ainsworth ● 1072d

I'm guessing someone cares about Campbell as he keeps popping up being interviewed or on discuss programmes. Perhaps he's got a good agent or he's viewed as getting a good argument going?

Michael Ixer ● 1072d

No, but we the electorate put this in their hands in 2019. Some of us were seduced by the illusory appeal of an "oven ready Brexit". others believed that granting Jeremy Corbyn some role in leading a progressive coalition was  not for them.Maybe the electorate do not understand the system in which they participate and maybe you do not either. But what is happening now is a discussion amongst the MPs we majority voted for in 2019 as to which of them will be put forward to the Queen as a recommendation to be PM. You have no say in this and if you now regret whatever you said in 2019, it's tough titty.Maybe people will vote more carefully  next general election? However, chances are Putney is no longer a marginal seat, and the pressure is on elsewhere.Doesn't seem right does it. I voted against PR last time round. I would be one of its strongest advocates now.

Michael Winstanley ● 1072d

Does anyone really care about Campbell, has anyone cared for a long time. Did anyone ever care - he never held any public office. he was not an MP nor a minister, simply a PR agent who shouts a lot. However, Johnson held the highest office in the land, despite his previous track record and despite his record in office, which tw*ts like Stanley sought to excuse and continue to do so.Unless we concentrate on Johnson an how he got there, we will never prevent it happening again. The first step though is to recognise that it should never have happened - Stanley's (and others') idiot subserviance to his Johnson God prevents this from taking place.

Michael Winstanley ● 1072d

358 mostly discredited Tory MPs will decide who will contest the Conservative Party leadership election. Then 100,000 or so (the figures are hard to pin down) mainly silver haired paid up party members will decide who will lead a nation of 67 million. Is this the best way to run a country?

Alexander MacLeod ● 1072d

Michael W,Stanley wasn't wrong about Campbell - tw*t or not. His points of view are not always predictable which I like. IMO I think people concentrate too much on Johnson flaws not the system that got him to No 10 (I do not mean the electoral system). So "He's off we hope" may be "Until next time".

Ed Robinson ● 1072d

On PutneySw15 and elsewhere. Much earlier too.Yet many were too stupid to see it coming, or simply accepted that he was a liar yet useful to their aims.

Michael Winstanley ● 1072d

"Alastair Campbell has neglected to mention every person who commented on PutneySW15."There are people as far back as 2007 who have commented pretty negatively on Boris Johnson on the Forum, I believe.

David Ainsworth ● 1072d

Hmm. Only an enabling, blinded tw*t like Stanley could imagine that Johnson's mis-deeds simply amounted to eating cake. Or you to if you believe this.What about the time he conspired to have a journo beaten up by his friend Darius Guppy.What about the time he appointed a confessed sexual predator to a critical role because he was a mate and supporter.What about.........Well I have better things to do. He's off we hope.

Michael Winstanley ● 1072d

He was on QT trying to bully the guests.Tim Stanley sums him up:https://www.trendsmap.com/twitter/tweet/1545125485809647617

Ed Robinson ● 1072d

Alastair Campbell has neglected to mention every person who commented on PutneySW15.

Michael Winstanley ● 1072d