Ed Davey has been writing on the Guardian website. He lashes out at Boris Johnson but reserves his main criticism for the Tory MPs who have kept Johnson at the helm for far too long:
He broke the law. He lied. He has failed disastrously to tackle the cost of living emergency or the crisis in our NHS. He has shredded the public’s trust in the government and in politics.
But Johnson didn’t act alone. For three years, he has been backed to the hilt by more than 350 co-conspirators on the Conservative benches. They nodded along to every shameful lie. They gladly went on TV to defend the indefensible and excuse the inexcusable. They willingly trooped through the voting lobby in support of every disastrous policy.
They could have prevented the chaos and paralysis that now engulfs every part of the government, if only they had thrown Johnson out of Downing Street months ago – or not backed him as their leader in the first place…
But they sat on their hands and did nothing.
This week’s long-overdue change of heart among some Tory MPs can’t absolve them of years of cowardice and complicity. The public will not forgive them for propping up Boris Johnson for so long…
The anger and frustration that has seen so many lifelong Conservative voters turn to the Liberal Democrats goes well beyond Johnson and won’t be assuaged simply by replacing him.
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10 Comments
I think Boris Johnson has shredded trust in *Conservative* politicians. We have to prove (and in general we do prove) we are much better than that – Not lying; Trying our best for everyone, not just our supporters; Delivering what we promise and Not going for insincere apologies.
There is some suggestion that we’re about to return to a normal of Westminster politics but that “normal” is what drove people to vote for Boris on the center-Right and Corbyn on the center-Left because of how many people were being left behind.
If we look at an issue where LD’s are more sensible than most, immigration, Tony Blair started the hostile environment for immigrants which was then ramped up by Theresa May under David Cameron so perhaps returning to “normal” isn’t the best thing.
Chris Pincher was revealed as an alleged sex-pest without fanfare several years ago but press and public didn’t mind because Ed Milliband couldn’t eat a bacon sandwich without looking a bit funny so perhaps returning to “normal” isn’t the best thing.
I appreciate Ed Davey is in a difficult position because few want to hear that this point was coming from twelve plus years ago and that bringing in other Tories into the spotlight might be enough to make future better, but internally that shouldn’t be the conclusion from Boris’ time in office even if he was the worst one.
After the shenanigans of the 2017 parliament I doubt if the public had much, if any, trust in politicians left to be “shredded”.
@ David Evans “Not going for insincere apologies.”
……………. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m really really sorry”………………… ?
Not ust the MPs. MOST KF THE Tory Party membership voted for him too and almost all of them supported him up until the last few weeks and days.
David Raw, you really are a must unforgiving Liberal. What purpose is served by constantly harking back to the coalition that with hindsight most of us wish had never happened or at least the way it was run by Clegg.
Time to move on. Past Labour governments have made big mistakes and have, eventually, gone on to win elections. Are only the LibDems never to be forgiven?
Of our 14 MPs only 3 remain from the coalition years and only 2 of them served in government, so it’s long past time to move forward and focus on attacking the Tories, as I am pleased Ed Davey has done. Johnson may be almost gone but the lies, corruption, rule breaking and terrible government was -and still is- propped up by a Tory party who think they don’t have to follow the rules and that democracy and freedom are to be destroyed to keep them in power.
I gently suggest to David Raw that he gets stuck in to that vital effort and stops his constant sniping from the sidelines
“He has shredded the public’s trust in the government and in politics.”
One more success for BJ’s legacy. No, that isn’t sarcasm – I think it’s what he aimed to do.
@Jenny – I also tend to think that shredding the public’s trust in politicians and the Executive (aka government) may not be a totally bad thing. the challenge is using this doubt to encourage people to re-assess their voting habits and vote for real change…
On grounds of fairness, I’d be grateful if LDV would permit me a short (and final) gentle response to Dr Taylor.
In life, as in politics, forgiveness is indeed Liberal – and highly desirable. But it requires some acknowledgement of wrong and hopefully future restorative action. Short of this, one has to assume the best predictor of future behaviour will be past behaviour.
As a former Cabinet Member for Social Care, and Food Bank Chair, I witnessed outcomes which still await acknowledgement and restorative action…….. though I have no problem with one of Mick’s three ‘survivors’. I happen to know he did his best.
There are those who will eat a non kosher bacon sandwich. It’s choice.
Until recently I never realised the back stabbing that’s so normal in the Commons.
How can a situation like Lebedev happen? The other meetings with a Russian former KGB Officer son is more worrying. If you listen to comments about the government on international Web site’s, things are so low.