Boris, Putin & China

[spen666]

Could Putin & the Chinese save Boris ( at least in the short / medium term)?

If Putin invades Ukraine this will cause a crisis worldwide and already Labour has said it is behind the UK approach.

It is foreseeable that the Chinese would use the crisis and attention focussed on Ukraine to launch a raid on Taiwan.

During such a major crisis, Labour realistically cannot continue its attrition against Boris and the Tories for serious risk of making itself seem opportunistic and acting against the best interests of the country.

By the time such a crisis has eased off, the pandemic and issues of Parties etc will be forgotten.

Boris could do with Putin attacking Ukraine in the next 48 hours or less ..ie before Sue Gray's report is published

 

[Milkfloat]

As I understand it Boris gets to decide how much of Sue Gray's report gets published, this with the fact that she is reporting on the activities of her boss and her bosses boss makes me think that the report will not be so important, unless of course it gets leaked. However, a good war is always a benefit for a struggling government, even a proxy one - although with Russia providing much of our energy needs Boris needs to be careful not to annoy the bear too much.

 

[spen666]

.... with Russia providing much of our energy needs Boris needs to be careful not to annoy the bear too much.

What a great reason to allow widescale fracking in the UK to make us self sufficient in gas?


Moi cynical?

 

[dutchguylivingintheuk]

As I understand it Boris gets to decide how much of Sue Gray's report gets published, this with the fact that she is reporting on the activities of her boss and her bosses boss makes me think that the report will not be so important, unless of course it gets leaked. However, a good war is always a benefit for a struggling government, even a proxy one - although with Russia providing much of our energy needs Boris needs to be careful not to annoy the bear too much.

Russia can't really lose, i mean they call it ''military excercise'' but it's actually a very simple way to show the west can't do anything, just like they couldn't when Russia invaded Georgia some years ago. The only think that might cause some firework is that both the uk and the us governments are struggling, so i proxy war might benefit both.
And who is the one party benefiting from the gas price from Russian gas soaring? (which it does already from only the troop builtup and the uk/us response with war terms and such.)

 

[Rusty Nails]

If Russia were to invade Ukraine and China were to attack Taiwan then our problems with Boris would fade into insignificance.

It might take internal pressures off him for a while but he would have much bigger problems than those to deal with.

He, via Raab, is trying to talk tough for domestic consumption.

 

[spen666]

If Russia were to invade Ukraine and China were to attack Taiwan then our problems with Boris would fade into insignificance.

It might take internal pressures off him for a while but he would have much bigger problems than those to deal with.

.....

It would take the pressure off him to go now, which is the point I was making.

 

[BoldonLad]

Could Putin & the Chinese save Boris ( at least in the short / medium term)?

If Putin invades Ukraine this will cause a crisis worldwide and already Labour has said it is behind the UK approach.

It is foreseeable that the Chinese would use the crisis and attention focussed on Ukraine to launch a raid on Taiwan.

During such a major crisis, Labour realistically cannot continue its attrition against Boris and the Tories for serious risk of making itself seem opportunistic and acting against the best interests of the country.

By the time such a crisis has eased off, the pandemic and issues of Parties etc will be forgotten.

Boris could do with Putin attacking Ukraine in the next 48 hours or less ..ie before Sue Gray's report is published

How cynical..... but... true.

 

[Rusty Nails]

It would take the pressure off him to go now, which is the point I was making.

True. Of course your post was cynical but this is politics and your cynicism is well founded. The really cynical would say that Boris would not be the only politician to use a distraction at a time of problems for them.
He has not created the distraction.

 

[Moodyman]

The idea that China may use the Russian invasion of Ukraine to attack Taiwan, has been suggested by Liz Truss in Oz.

Here are former PM Paul Keating's views on it - he does not mince his words:

The former Australian prime minister Paul Keating has accused Liz Truss of making “demented” comments about Chinese military aggression and urged the British foreign secretary to hurry “back to her collapsing, disreputable government".

Full article in the Guardian:

https://www.theguardian.com/austral...icises-liz-truss-over-demented-china-comments

 

[Deleted member 49]

What a great reason to allow widescale fracking in the UK to make us self sufficient in gas?


Moi cynical?

Yea fark the people living in the vicinity of the fracking sites....who cares !

 

[Moodyman]

I'm not sure China/Russia will save Boris. Most people don't care about foreign issues unless they think bombs will rain on Blighty.

I think the easing of Covid restrictions a few days ago was a blatant attempt at deflection.

I expect the next good news will relate to Govt action on the impending rise in household fuel bills.

 

[Rusty Nails]

I'm not sure China/Russia will save Boris. Most people don't care about foreign issues unless they think bombs will rain on Blighty.

I think the easing of Covid restrictions a few days ago was a blatant attempt at deflection.

I expect the next good news will relate to Govt action on the impending rise in household fuel bills.

The trouble is that deflection often works.

Enough of the UK electorate is fickle and driven by self interest to make his tactics work.

 

[spen666]

True. Of course your post was cynical but this is politics and your cynicism is well founded. The really cynical would say that Boris would not be the only politician to use a distraction at a time of problems for them.
He has not created the distraction.

No, the truly cynical would say Boris was encouraging Putin to deflect from his (Boris's) own problems

 

[spen666]

I'm not sure China/Russia will save Boris. Most people don't care about foreign issues unless they think bombs will rain on Blighty.

...

They will care when Putin turns off the gas or hikes prices or both

 

[Ian H]

None of this is remotely like the Falklands/Malvinas, so I don't see there's much political capital to be gained.

I can't see the USA sending troops to Ukraine & therefore the UK won't. Putin can't afford a long drawn-out conflict, but he might try to detach the Russian-majority parts of Ukraine by stealth. But also, if he wants to sell more oil he needs to present Russia as a reliable supplier.

Whether China is ready for a major military offensive is another matter. It's probably a red herring at the moment.