Thread by @thehoff102

My verdict.

I sympathise more with a person and also am disgusted about the actions of those who have gone in to hate Territory.

I say this as someone who believes he should have been fired for clear workplace bullying of a friend of mine.

I am still puzzled by /1

Why so many people are so desperate to defend something which despite me feeling more sympathetic to the man has clearly got this wrong.

I get the anger towards him too, I really do, but ultimately is it helping, no? And I do believe him about threats to him and his family/2

As his MP @EmilyThornberry should be doing all she can to stop that, not inciting it on Twitter.

Having worked for an MP, I am aware your job is often about helping people where there is no love lost, but the job of an MP is to represent all your constituents, not those who/3

Think you are the bees knees. If you do not think you can do that I do not think you should be an MP.

Equally if you become the Chief Special Adviser to the PM you should realise months of sticking two fingers up to all press, briefing bs to them etc /4

Is highly irresponsible and dangerous in a free press.

Journalists are people to and at a time when in this country too many people treat journalists as if they are from planet zog, not human beings that is deeply, deeply irresponsible.

For sure it works electorally, but /5

It leads to hate and to the frankly appalling actions of a minority of journalists, in the face of those in charge of no 10 communications seemingly taking press advice from the Corbyn and Trump school of despising journalists. /6

At the same time there are people like in Brexit who will hate Dominic Cummings no matter what -but seemingly forget that Alastair Campbell was as much as an arsehole or those who are up his backside defending a guy they know jack shit about as he pisses off people you hate. /7

Fine, but just admit it and please dont claim you believe in a free press and democracy if you do, because your belief in freedom is not about freedom for your friends, but for those who you feel hate for. /8

Equally those who know nothing about Cummings and just hate him because hes a Tory and was behind Brexit -_you cannot live your life hating people who have views that challenge yours. /9

I'm a Zionist, who opposes annexation, the occupation and supports the creation of a Palestinian state.

I'm a classical liberal and a political geek who has no time for the current party political system.

I voted for Brexit due to my opposition to protectionism /10

And democracy. I am also fervently against no deal and support membership of the EEA.

I abhor all forms of prejudice but have an instinctive dislike of prejudice.

I love free markets and capitalism, but oppose big business, corporatism and cronyism caused by uneven /11

Playing fields.

I'm liberal on immigration, but for all migrants and do not believe EU migrants should be treated differently to those outside the EU. Indeed I think that's discriminatory. /12

I believe both the american and NHS models are failing, but support social insurance systems which would still mean as happens in most of Europe that it is free at the point of need.

I believe social care must be integrated and has been ignored by politicians at the expense /13

Of having an honest discussion about the NHS.

I support Goves free school revolution- but am not a fan of testing kids too much.

I believe there should be no targets for university and people should not be forced to go.

I am a proud Jewish person of faith, but oppose faith /14

Schools. Like every single human being I'm a total contradiction - I've hated myself for so long, because I thought it was wrong to have such complex and contradictory views.

And until I started to accept it of course I was angry with those /15

Who challenged views of mine, because I was angry with myself.

But now I'm more honest about what I think I feel more willing to hear other views. The point being if you cant accept other views, you will find it hard to accept yourself and will lead to hate for /16

Yourself and others.

I know I've gone way off the topic of #CummingStatement, but I feel at a time when so much hate from people I love and respect is being show before giving my cold as ice thoughts, it was important to look at all the understandable emotion and /17

And how it can be channelled much better as we are all human beings and people who may seem perfect are as screwed up as you and people you think are the devil incarnate actually have a lot of humanity in them. /18

If you live your life based on #moreincommon and #beingmorehuman you wont get dragged in to opposing echo chambers of hate. /19

And I'm a stinking hypocrite since #Cummings gate began on Friday night I've been rude, aggressive and hateful, but at least now unlike the past I'm recognising it, trying to deal with it, becoming a better person whilst sticking to my principles. /20

Anyway back to the #CummingStatement

1. For me the issue was never about the law but the spirit of the law. Personally I feel he did not break the law but did what he felt was best.

2. He did have a unique circumstance.

3. I find it shocking that those in no.10 /21

And their families were not tested. They are key workers and I believe they have been put in unnecessary danger - that to me applies to all SPADS, civil servants etc. /22

#CummingStatement

4. He is right to point out he was a lockdown hawk and pushed for more seriousness around global pandemics for years just like Bill Gates did.

The difference is Gates built allies and did not piss so many people off and not talk to people. Essentially he was more likeable /23

And when you work as a key voice in no.10 you need to be a good communicator and the simple truth is from what I've seen verbally he is not, though it may be a different story digitally. /

The reason he was not listened to is because he's also written some deeply/24

Weird things on his blogs and stoked the fires of populism in a way that not intentionally has caused hate. This leads to hate and so he gets mischaracterised by a media who he until today has only apart from his favoured papers ever been rude to. /25

Interestingly I've spoken to most of my #WestminsterVillage contacts and most have never met him or got to know him.

And I think this is part of the problem.

He simply doesn't like talking to people. And in a job where thats a key part of his job that's a huge problem. /26

So I felt for him today in the press conference as I who has suffered problems with social anxiety would have hated it and he clearly did.

I genuinely believe his account, but as he said reasonable people will disagree with my actions and reasonably I do. /27

I disagree for following reasons

a) He should have spoken to the PM before making the decision or to an aide of the PM. Nobody however much we would like to operates in their own vacuum. /28

b) He should have done this press conference on saturday morning. By not doing so he has allowed himself to become the story. /29

c) When a man in his position becomes the story it is better for him, his family and the Government for him to go as it means the Government is paralysed in dealing with a sideshow to what it needs to be laser like focused on - #covid19 /30

d) He is obsessed by work. It was telling his wife was worried about him going back to work- I've been there where I've chosen work over my health and convinced myself I was right- its not.

e) He did not knowingly endanger anyone, quite the opposite. /31

f) He could understand why people were angry, but showed little empathy- he was not stepping a mile in other shoes and I simply do not think he understands the anger or problem of what he did.

Most people do not read the small print.

I'm still astounded by parts

/32

Of your story and I'm someone who believes you on this matter.

g) Its not about speaking to Conservative voters, its about speaking to the whole country. This is the entire problem with politics in this country.

So many people think they get the people- but they only get _33

What people who share their views or don't make you uncomfortable think.

I think he may have convinced his base, but he has not United the country. /34

h) I think personal responsibility does have to come in to this.

I've been in a situation where I realised I had to leave a job for mental health reasons.

I was not pushed. I took the decision to leave. /35

Dom needs to get away from this idea it's all on the PM to fire him.

This is technically true, but takes personal responsibility from the fact that every day you stay in this job you will cause more distress for yourself, the Govt, Boris etc. /36

I know that is not what you want and you are a smart person. Go on your terms and with your head held up high - it will be hard but you will get another job.

Or wait till your sacked and cause more harm and distress. Being sacked is much worse for everyone. /37

@threadreaderapp unroll please

*my support of democracy