Having already opted out of the channel 4 "climate" debate and instead we are to have an empty chair - at least it wont tell any lies,
It now seems that despite being happy to ridicule other leaders after their individual grilling's from Andrew Neil, "our leader" Brois Johnson isn't even going to appear.
The spineless bottles get.
He will have far more difficult obstacles to overcome, especially in trying to secure multiple trade deals with the EU and accross the globe but, his backside has well and truly fallen out.
What kind of yellow bellied leader are we going to have "in charge"

To coin the famous rugby league phrase, I cant speyk

Alexander De Pfeffel Johnson is running scared, he only wants to answer vetted questions and not face any real scrutiny on his parties performance over the last 9 years or the NHS privatisation trade talks that have been taking place. Also has anyone seen Jacob Reece Mogg this election campaign?

If Johnson loses his 5000 majority in Uxbridge then his successor will probably Jeremy Hunt. So where's he?

Do the Tories know Uxbridge are about elect someone other than Johnson and are keeping Hunt out of the headlines and the election conflict? The Tories would far sooner stay in power and offer opposition parties a referendum and Hunt would be the leader to do that.

Johnson is very vulnerable in Uxbridge that's for sure.

If Johnson has an hour with Andrew Neil, he will probably disappear in a pile of sweat and bluster.
How can such a coward be elected leader of anything.

A good time Charlie shouldn't be anywhere near the helm, what will he do when Trump asks him to bend over

Seemingly the noble Beeb decided not to tell Corbyn that Johnson had backed out! I assume Corbyn and his buddies fully expected Johnson to also be up in front of Neil! I wonder if that might have influenced any decision by Corbyn to do the interview?

I think Reece Mogg is hiding in the Outer Hebrides with Diane Abbott

The Sun, Mail Express etc. will either make no mention of it if he does not appear or spin it to be a positive move. He is definitely following the Trump playbook to only appear or write in those sections of the media considered favourable to the cause.
I thought is current partner was very much into saving the environment but because Channel 4 is considered hostile he avoids the debate. This could actually prove to be a bad decision because this is one topic that many of the electorate consider to be of great importance. I guess his desire to appeal to Trump is more important than the climate.

Can you imagine just how easily Trump or anyone else is going to be able to gain the upper hand.
Johnson has all the hallmarks of the kid who thought that he was tough when he was surrounded by his "hard" mates but, who's drops out when confronted directly - not great for any leader.

Isn't this cosy, another lefty love-in.



The real question should be, why would any campaign team advise their leader to do these interviews in the first place?

Fact is, very few people come out of an Andrew Neil interview looking good for the simple fact he's well prepared, aggressive, and won't let politicians get away with soundbites. We saw it in the Corbyn interview - Neil would answer a question, Corbyn would give the usual vague answer, but Neil always kept digging...up to 16 or 17 times before Corbyn gave an answer to the WASPI funding question. He destroyed Corbyn and Sturgeon and he'll do that same with Swinson. Farage is a seasoned campaigner at heated debate and will probably fare better. Johnson is very inconsistent when hard questions are flying and would be well advised to stay clear.

In the same vein I've said many times the TV 'debates' are a farce. No-one ever does particularly well and they are nothing more than a soundbite competition. You hear nothing new and the only game-changer can be who fails to perform on TV. I can't think of any debate where I've thought, "well, that person was superb, I might change my vote". Can anyone remind me of a leader's debate that's been well worth everyone's time?

The Tories are well aware what happened last time. It doesn't take much to derail a GE campaign.

So, you agree that Johnson would very likely come undone by Andrew Neil ?
The guy has no bottle and as soon as the thin layer of bumbling humour is removed, he is left with nothing.

Serious question, how do you think he will cope when put under pressure by Trump or the EU ?

I think he'd do better than Corbyn (a dead goldfish would do better), but you and I know there's enough ammunition for Neil to make life very difficult for him. It makes no sense to put yourself in that position.

Anyway, quite how Andrew Neil has become the official interviewer of the General Election, I don't know.




I think neither Trump nor Johnson will be anywhere near the negotiating table.

It won't make any difference who's around the negotiating table for us Sabine Wayand will run rings round them!
She's already done it for the past two years as Barnier's No2. So now she's been promoted to EU Chief Trade Negotiator there's no reason to think she won't continue where she left off.
She will drive a very hard bargain with the UK side thinking they've done very well until they look at the detail.
Her first comment was that Dec 2020 wasn't long enough to negotiate a thorough EU/UK trade deal so the UK will end up with either the bare bone of a deal or No Deal at all. She then continued that the EU was very well prepared for that outcome as well.
Johnson may well be looking to "Get Brexit Done" but we will probably end up getting done over good style thanks to these incompetents.

The issue is one of scrutiny and at this point, even though he was made to look uncomfortable, facing a tough and relentless line of questioning, at least Corbyn showed up.
Johnson, on the other hand had said he would take part and then, surprise, surprise, didn't stick to his word, again.

As for them negotiating, I'm sure that you're right but, when they have a little "cosy up" in the oval office, we know exactly who will come out on top (and by some distance).
Johnson has less credibility than Nick Clegg and like him, all that he wants is to kick his shoes of and spin round in the big chair at No 10.
Running away and the occasional one liner aren't going to work on the world stage and he's starting to look very, very weak.

Says one thing to me - Johnson and his team are a hell of a lot smarter than Corbyn and his team - not that that is saying a lot. Labour have been easily out manoeuvred - happy days.

Their is a long way to go yet but Labour have pulled all the rabbits out of the hats they can - the NHS stunt of yesterday has back fired big style.

As the thread title says, SPINELESS absolutely SPINELESS.
The one thing that he isn't is any kind of Leader - apart from gutless.

All that remains is a warm puddle of water

It should say SENSIBLE absolutely SENSIBLE.



Let's put it this way. If the tables were turned Labour HQ should be laughing their tits off, "Jeremy, stay well away, whatever happens you won't end up looking as bad as that sorry shower." That's if anyone at Labour HQ actually has their head screwed on.

It may well be that Johnson eventually agrees to some form of debate or critical interview - but best advice would always be to avoid too much close-quarters stuff.

As for tonight's environmental debate, or whatever the hell that was supposed to be...I gave it fair chance but switched off well before the end. Pointless. Just utterly pointless. Mind-numbingly awful.

Yes but for many this is the number issue and to avoid suggests a lack of interest or no plan, so why would they vote for the conservatives, especially the young.

Block of melting ice?
Tub of lard or a wobbling jelly would be more akin, and more use.

So how is Corbyn leading - let's take Brexit as a start - is he dictating the direction of travel?

And why would that be? Because otherwise he'd show himself up to be the charlatan, liar and conman he really is? Mumbling through his ill prepared lines like some naughty little schoolkid who hasn't done his homework.

Johnson's tactic is to live up to the media invented image of 'bumbling Boris', to be as bold and as brash as possible, spouting all manner of fantasies in the most technicoloured language, but as soon as it's time for debate, critique and questioning... shrink and hide away. He's a fraud, and you know it.

Important as the climate is, this was a relatively pointless debate BUT, it does seem like Boris is ducking out of anything where he and his policies may be scrutinised and with alarming regularity and the schoolboy stunt of sending Gove and Stanley to cover for him was just bloody ridiculous.
Really, what kind of politics do we now have.
Whether the Tory strategists have got this one right, or not, they have certainly lowered politics and the GE campaign to it's lowest EVER level.

Meanwhile Johnson will be sticking with very safe appearances, probably with more "groomed" voters and well away from difficult questions.
As I said, SPINELESS.

Well, he's certainly not hiding away and as I said previously, the Tories are 3 leaders down and one that is too scared to show his face.
Therefore, despite the huge lead in the opinion polls, Corbyn must be doing something right.

Lets also remember that it was the Tories that brought in the fixed term Parliament act and since it's inception, they haven't managed a full term








What was the point

As I said, SENSIBLE.



No-one answered earlier - so tell me, can you think of any of these live debates in which someone has delivered a strong and glowing performance, stood head & shoulders above the rest and made you change your mind or indeed your vote?

Nope, they're just full of repetitive soundbites, and (as a caller on JV has just said), bad manners and rudeness. No-one ever looks good. The only swing moment that can happen is a car crash moment. Perhaps if they ever talked like human beings they might be more worthwhile, but they're all trained by media advisers, they all have the same catchphrases, deliver the same evasive answers and use the same body language and hand gestures. A pet hate of mine (started by Blair) is the pointing without a finger - knuckle pointing - to look less aggressive.

When Johnson looks bad in an LBC interview with Nick Ferrari, you know he's got nothing but a wing and a prayer.

And you accuse other people of being a “snowflake”