I should be writing of a glorious winter’s day cycling around Preston’s Guild Wheel with calming pictures of ‘Swan Lake’ in Brockholes Nature Reserve. But no I’m lying down for my blood pressure’s sake having endured today’s Prime Minister’s Question Time. Misquoting those statistics and lie after damn lie from Boris Johnson.
Worse for him today he was questioned keenly by Angela Rayner, who is much sharper and incisive than her Leader. She pointed out that in October he had said fears of inflation were unfounded, so how did he explain inflation running at 6%? Flustered, he just lied, “I said no such thing”. As is the fault of Question Time the speaker, Lindsay Hoyle, moved on to the next question but Angela came back at him later with a dubious point of order stating that a video on Sky was available with his damning interview. Touché.
In his subsequent statement on the Covid crisis I expected his blaze “riding out the Omicron wave” and “putting the NHS on a War Footing” – whatever those phrases mean when our hospitals are one by one going under with the pressure of admissions, staff shortages and declaring ‘critical incidents’. SNP’s Ian Blackford, always entertaining and to the point, twisted in the knife with further questions which ruffled Boris. He has no answer or remedy for these problems, and more worryingly seems unconcerned.
I’m sure this will be highlighted in most of tomorrow’s papers and media, but in the meantime my blood pressure is still critical, and I worry about the state of our fragile Democracy whilst this serial perjurer is Prime Minister.
I, and I hope the public, have had enough of his lies, damn lies and statistics.
I watched this and share your frustration. Angela Rayner does seem much more energetic and effective in PMQs. Sadly, people knew what BJ was, and voted for him anyway. The situation in our local hospitals is worrying, and we seem to have run out of flow tests, as I found out this morning.
No hope of getting a lateral flow test around here. So the system falls down.
No wonder Starmer has tried to sideline Angela Rayner I agree that Bonzo was ruffled and he seemed to end up in a sort of silent sulk. But he has that capacity to make his lies stick by shouting the loudest, but today I think he went over the top into a kind of desperate hysteria. The rules governing PMQs are complicated and I am not fully au fait but it seems a pity that sometimes points cannot be pressed further home because of those rules. I don’t wish Starmer any harm but he would do well to let Angela loose more often.
Yes, Rayner puts up a good show.
Only four lies in one PMQ. Johnson must be slipping.
I’m sure there were more than that.
Not sure if this will work but worth a read if it does – from today’s Guardian:
https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2022/jan/05/johnson-fumbles-and-flails-under-pressure-from-rayner#comments
I thought The Guardian would be onto it. Interesting comments.
I WAS at Brockholes yesterday , watching the starling murmuration! Very good for blood pressure!
Missed the starlings, saw the swans before seeing red.
Was the murmuring at dusk?
I don’t do politics but I share your anger and frustration. The man’s a clown!!
I try to steer away from too much politics, but the present situation is affecting us all.
Murmuring was just after 4pm viewed from west side of pit 1……wonderful!
I was there lunchtime, will have to have a repeat visit. Did you see the kingfisher?
Sorry you are getting stressed. I try not to watch any political stuff. Hope you are ok. Brockholes is somewhere I never go, probably because we have a dog. There’s a rare kingfisher there at the moment isn’t there?
Brockholes is a wonderful varied reserve, but I see dogs are not allowed. There were a lot of people there yesterday trying to spot the kingfisher, I just cycled through the middle.. See Clare’s comment.
I didn’t see the kingfisher.Apparently it has decamped to Roach Bridge/ Withnell Fold ……avoiding the crowds!