Bozo Parties While Britain Burns

Britain is set to experience record high temperatures in the next 48 hours, with high 30s in many areas, and for the south east, the promise of a high in excess of 40 Celsius, or 106 degrees for those still using the Fahrenheit scale. Warnings not to venture outside in such temperatures have been issued; many are expected to die as a result of the heat.

A national emergency has been declared. So it was no surprise to learn that a COBRA meeting was talking place; ministers would need to be briefed. Also not a surprise was that alleged Prime Minister Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson had absented himself from that meeting, demonstrating once more that his priorities are, mainly, Himself Personally Now. His preferred divertissement was planning his farewell party at Chequers.

As the Observer has reported, “Boris Johnson was accused on Saturday of being ‘missing in action’ after failing to attend a Cobra meeting to discuss the national heatwave emergency following predictions that thousands could die in the coming days … He instead stayed at his Chequers country retreat, where he is due to hold a thank you party for supporters on Sunday”.

The paper also reminded us “On Friday, the Met Office issued its first-ever red alert warning for extreme heat - signifying a risk of ‘serious illness or danger to life’, even for healthy people. The UK Health Security Agency’s chief scientific officer, Isabel Oliver, yesterday pointed out that during a significantly cooler heatwave last year, 1,600 people died”.

Moreover, “Network Rail is advising passengers to use services only if ‘absolutely necessary’, and Londoners have been urged against travelling on Monday and Tuesday … Health experts also cautioned that older hospitals may become uncomfortably hot … Some schools will be closed altogether on Monday and Tuesday while others have shortened their day”.

It is looking like the claim, reported earlier this month by the BBC, that “A wedding party for Boris Johnson and his wife Carrie will no longer be held at the prime minister's country house following criticism of the venue choice. Newspaper reports said plans had been made for a party at Chequers in July”, was bunk. Bozo’s having his party, he’s billing taxpayers - you and me - for the privilege, and he clearly doesn’t care what anyone thinks.

And it's got worse since then

So, for all those who still claim that they “Back Boris”, the question has to be asked: just what part of that do you not understand? He doesn’t give a fig about any of you. You’re no better than more of those Useful Idiots.

All the excusing of his lying, unprincipled, deceitful and untrustworthy behaviour with claims like “they’re all at it”. No they aren’t. All the talk of Bozo working oh so hard for the country. As if. He wouldn’t be able to identify hard work if it jumped up in front of him and fly-hacked the SOB in the undercarriage. All the talk of him “getting the big calls right”. Yeah, right: his response to Covid was way too late, the vaccine rollout was done by the NHS (remember them?) and his Brexit deal is turning out to be a dud.

With a record-breaking heatwave due to hit the UK imminently, but without leadership, making sure the people understand that this is potentially deadly event, there is room for yet more of the climate change denial movement - the definition of an un-polishable turd if ever there was one - crawling out from under their rocks and whinnying “it’s no worse than Summer 1976”.

That is, of course, bullshit: temperatures then did not rise above the high 20s Celsius; now they are set to go a full ten degrees higher, high enough to exceed average body temperature and therefore induce heat exhaustion. It’s that serious. That’s why we need leadership, rather than Bozo weaselling out so he can plan and participate in another bout of gratuitous freeloading.

He should not remain in Downing Street, or indeed be allowed anywhere near Chequers, for a moment longer. Throw him out. And don’t let him back in.

Enjoy your visit to Zelo Street? You can help this truly independent blog carry on talking truth to power, while retaining its sense of humour, by becoming a Patron on Patreon at

https://www.patreon.com/Timfenton