Where's Boris

[Sandydragon]

I'm starting to notice a theme here. Something bad happens, flooding in much of the country or Coronavirus for example, and Boris is nowhere to be seen.

Yet we know he isn't shy of the cameras, so is this a deliberate strategy to let the cabinet minister responsible take all the heat or is Boris too busy with Brexit to worry about anything else?

[Digby]

He's like Rob Andrew. Give him a victory and he'll find the nearest camera, present anything worrisome and he's hiding out back looking for someone to blame or at least take the flak

[belgarion]

You know what I am sick and tired of whenever there is a crisis or disaster eg Coronavirus, flooding the call goes up 'where is the PM' (and this goes for any colour of PM). Why does the PM have to come out and say everything is going OK when they have Secretaries of State/Ministers to do that. Why have a dog and bark yourself. The flooding is the one that really pees me off, when that dam last year was close to bursting the PM visited and some people had a go at him for going and now there having a go cos he hasn't gone, you can't have it both ways. As for Covid-19 he would only be repeating what the Health Secretary & the CMO have already said.

[Digby]

Part of the job is visiting as a for instance areas hit by flooding and having people berate you. It's not nice, but it's a better than chickening out. And the worry with Boris is he has a long history of bottling it

[Numbers]

You know what I am sick and tired of whenever there is a crisis or disaster eg Coronavirus, flooding the call goes up 'where is the PM' (and this goes for any colour of PM). Why does the PM have to come out and say everything is going OK when they have Secretaries of State/Ministers to do that. Why have a dog and bark yourself. The flooding is the one that really pees me off, when that dam last year was close to bursting the PM visited and some people had a go at him for going and now there having a go cos he hasn't gone, you can't have it both ways. As for Covid-19 he would only be repeating what the Health Secretary & the CMO have already said.

I think the gravity of the situation is what dictates the requirement for action, for instance you wouldn't expect the Foreign Secretary to decide if we were to enter a war would you?

[belgarion]

You know what I am sick and tired of whenever there is a crisis or disaster eg Coronavirus, flooding the call goes up 'where is the PM' (and this goes for any colour of PM). Why does the PM have to come out and say everything is going OK when they have Secretaries of State/Ministers to do that. Why have a dog and bark yourself. The flooding is the one that really pees me off, when that dam last year was close to bursting the PM visited and some people had a go at him for going and now there having a go cos he hasn't gone, you can't have it both ways. As for Covid-19 he would only be repeating what the Health Secretary & the CMO have already said.

I think the gravity of the situation is what dictates the requirement for action, for instance you wouldn't expect the Foreign Secretary to decide if we were to enter a war would you?

No, but I don't expect the PM to visit everytime there's a flood, especially if I lived where flooding was likely.

[Digby]

have we still got that ice sculpture? it's going to be more willing to actually show up, and it'll be lighter to move around too

[Sandydragon]

You know what I am sick and tired of whenever there is a crisis or disaster eg Coronavirus, flooding the call goes up 'where is the PM' (and this goes for any colour of PM). Why does the PM have to come out and say everything is going OK when they have Secretaries of State/Ministers to do that. Why have a dog and bark yourself. The flooding is the one that really pees me off, when that dam last year was close to bursting the PM visited and some people had a go at him for going and now there having a go cos he hasn't gone, you can't have it both ways. As for Covid-19 he would only be repeating what the Health Secretary & the CMO have already said.

Sorry mate, but there is a leadership issue here. The minister should be responsible for managing problems in their portfolio and there are people who can talk about flood response etc quite adequately. But as the Prime Minister he should have been seen at some of the flooded areas to show interest and demonstrate leadership. Charles and even Corbyn turned up to some areas and its reassuring for those battling on the ground to know someone gives a toss.

[belgarion]

You know what I am sick and tired of whenever there is a crisis or disaster eg Coronavirus, flooding the call goes up 'where is the PM' (and this goes for any colour of PM). Why does the PM have to come out and say everything is going OK when they have Secretaries of State/Ministers to do that. Why have a dog and bark yourself. The flooding is the one that really pees me off, when that dam last year was close to bursting the PM visited and some people had a go at him for going and now there having a go cos he hasn't gone, you can't have it both ways. As for Covid-19 he would only be repeating what the Health Secretary & the CMO have already said.

Sorry mate, but there is a leadership issue here. The minister should be responsible for managing problems in their portfolio and there are people who can talk about flood response etc quite adequately. But as the Prime Minister he should have been seen at some of the flooded areas to show interest and demonstrate leadership. Charles and even Corbyn turned up to some areas and its reassuring for those battling on the ground to know someone gives a toss.

Why does he have to visit to show leadership? You can show leadership by being confident and professional in allowing the people you put in charge of the situation to carry it out without turning up somwwhere and diverting attention from the situation.

[Digby]

Terrific leadership being shown by Boris in bringing together Rutnam and Patel, or terrific leadership in undermining voices he doesn't want to hear

[Sandydragon]

Rutnams past is interesting, particularly the issues with HS2 and Windrush. But he also comes across as a typical senior civil servant. Moderately risk adverse, used to trying to translate political views into reality and making sure ministers are realistic about what can be achieved. I wouldn’t believe everything that is printed in the press about this, but no one is emerging from this one with too much credit.

[Digby]

I don't believe anything in the press since it was revealed to me the truth can only be discerned by reading local newspapers in Turkish

[Sandydragon]

I don't believe anything in the press since it was revealed to me the truth can only be discerned by reading local newspapers in Turkish

Indeed, although it’s also impossible to lie in Russian.