UK Politics: Life in the Johnsonian Dystopia

[Werthead]

2 hours ago, BigFatCoward said:

Is this the first shadow cabinet with comparable name recognition to the actual cabinet? 

He really is trying to tick a lot of boxes. 

If anything, more name recognition. The Tory benches are currently a mixture of complete nonentities and the cast of a 1960s Hammer Horror movie.

[A Horse Named Stranger]

So, Starmer has decided, that Labour should value competennce again. Who could've guessed.

Now he just has to off that clown Milne.

Anyway, is it just me, or is Cooper's name missing in his Shadow Cabinet.

[Raja]

 

[Fragile Bird]

The story was broken by the Russians and the PM's office is denying it, but who knows right now.

 

[dog-days]

3 minutes ago, Raja said:

 

Feel a bit bad for laughing when it was first announced that he'd got Coronavirus - I assumed that he'd be spoiled at arm's length by the Downing Street support staff for a week, and then bounce back. 

[Mr. Chatywin et al.]

3 minutes ago, dog-days said:

Feel a bit bad for laughing when it was first announced that he'd got Coronavirus - I assumed that he'd be spoiled at arm's length by the Downing Street support staff for a week, and then bounce back. 

Same thoughts. Perhaps I was too cruel. 

He's still a piece of shit though. 

[williamjm]

4 minutes ago, Fragile Bird said:

The story was broken by the Russians and the PM's office is denying it, but who knows right now.

The BBC are reporting a statement from Downing Street:

A statement from Downing Streets says: “Over the course of this afternoon, the condition of the prime minister has worsened and, on the advice of his medical team, he has been moved to the Intensive Care Unit at the hospital.

“The PM has asked Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab, who is the First Secretary of State, to deputise for him where necessary.

“The PM is receiving excellent care, and thanks all NHS staff for their hard work and dedication."

[Derfel Cadarn]

Just now, williamjm said:

The BBC are reporting a statement from Downing Street:

 

 

My wife’s of the opinion he’s very likely “fucked”. Though she works in neurology, not virology or icu.

[Fragile Bird]

This does not sound good. A sharp downturn after 10 days is generally a bad sign.

[Heartofice]

He’s apparently not on a ventilator so it might not be all that bad right now. Hope he’s ok.

24 minutes ago, A Horse Named Stranger said:

So, Starmer has decided, that Labour should value competennce again. Who could've guessed.

RBL and Lammy seem to disprove that idea.

[ljkeane]

Well this is bad. In the absence of a clear cut successor I wouldn't rule out it descending into a bit of a scrabble for power with Johnson incapacitated.

Hopefully Johnson pulls through.

[Mr. Chatywin et al.]

3 minutes ago, ljkeane said:

Well this is bad. In the absence of a clear cut successor I wouldn't rule it descending into a bit of a scrabble for power with Johnson incapacitated.

Hopefully Johnson pulls through.

Ya'll would be best suited with a short term monarchy. It's quite clear that your old queen has the steadiest hand in the game. 

[Isis]

It's possible he survives but is too damaged to continue as PM, i.e. he has lung or heart disease as a result of infection. 

I was surprised that he went into an NHS hospital though. 

[Heartofice]

Just now, Triskele said:

Thanks, I guess ICU does not necessarily mean on ventilator.  Often it does, but not always.  

Actually the more I hear about it the worse it seems. Just being in ICU is very serious 

[Raja]

The ICU is a level of care, not just fancy machines - it is generally reserved for instances where you need continuous monitoring of your vitals  or support of one of the major organ systems ( that's where the fancy machines come in)

It's Raab in charge now, right?

[Werthead]

31 minutes ago, ljkeane said:

Well this is bad. In the absence of a clear cut successor I wouldn't rule it descending into a bit of a scrabble for power with Johnson incapacitated.

Hopefully Johnson pulls through.

The current designated succession (for any kind of incapacity) is that Dominic Raab would take over as interim PM, that's pretty clear. Longer-term steps would have to wait until the pandemic situation was resolved.

Regardless of what happens to Johnson, this is a massive warning shot across the bows of every world leader that this illness does not care how famous or important you are. It might even give Trump pause and make him consider other options.

[Isis]

6 minutes ago, Triskele said:

Thanks, I guess ICU does not necessarily mean on ventilator.  Often it does, but not always.  

I would guess it means he's been given oxygen. At some point. That was reported/denied today. Oxygen via mask can continue to a certain saturation...before intubation becomes necessary. But maybe he only needs a bit of oxygen...time will tell.

[polishgenius]

The BBC said that he's in the ICU in preparation for going on a ventilator, if he needs it. I suspect that's not the whole of the truth- even the PM isn't getting an ICU bed before he really needs it in a crisis like this- but there's probably some level of preparing for the worst case scenario,

[Maltaran]

1 hour ago, Fragile Bird said:

The story was broken by the Russians and the PM's office is denying it, but who knows right now.

 

The Russians were claiming he was already on a ventilator 

[ljkeane]

11 minutes ago, Werthead said:

The current designated succession (for any kind of incapacity) is that Dominic Raab would take over as interim PM, that's pretty clear.

I know. There’s also no legal requirement for the cabinet to accept Johnson’s designation of Raab as interim Prime Minister.