"Boris Johnson's former deputy has said the Prime Minister is an "embarrassing buffoon" in a damning new book."
"In his memoir In The Thick Of It, Sir Alan Duncan also criticises former PMs Theresa May and David Cameron."
"As well as describing the PM as "a clown with an untidy mind", the author claims there was a row over a report about diplomats treating him as an "international joke"."
"The book reads: "He is a clown, a self-centred ego, an embarrassing buffoon, with an untidy mind and sub-zero diplomatic judgement."
"Sir Alan also criticises Mr Johnson for his "blatant self-serving ambition" and says he knew none of the details on Brexit."
"After Mr Johnson quit as foreign secretary in July 2018 over Mrs May's Chequers plan for Brexit, Sir Alan said the former London mayor needs publicity like a drug addict needs cocaine."
"Sir Alan told the Spectator in September that year Mr Johnson "needs a regular fix" of headlines and equates it with political power."
"In the memoir, Sir Alan also says that Home Secretary Priti Patel is "a nothing person, a complete and utter nightmare".
"The book also describes Cabinet Office minister Michael Gove as a "whacky weirdo"."
"Failures in the UK’s pandemic response are not hard to identify, but on one front the Government’s success is undeniable: persuading a fearful nation to stay locked indoors for much of the past year."
"But the problem with fear, as one behavioural scientist said on Friday, is that “you can’t turn it on and off like a tap”."
"Whether frightening the public was a deliberate – or honest – tactic has become the subject of intense debate, and dozens of psychologists have now accused ministers of using “covert psychological strategies” to manipulate the public’s behaviour."
"This situation began with an extremely serious issue. The mishandling of an investigation into sexual harassment allegations. And I honestly wish that everyone’s focus had remained on that issue."
"But what we’ve seen since then has been the deliberate, systematic and entirely cynical exploitation of that issue to suit motives which are all too apparent today."
"The media in Scotland and throughout the UK is awash with speculation about the Sturgeon/Salmond psychodrama. The coverage of this has been culminated by one question, what does this mean for the independence cause?"
Many accuse #Tories of being out of touch with reality and people's everyday lives BUT the reality is that #LiarJohnson and his cabal in UK Government are from another planet!!
"Regardless of why, Yes supporters began March facing a slew of polling placing the independence movement on the back foot."
"But two recent polls suggest this decline may have halted."
"At the beginning of March, polling showed that No had a one- or two-point lead. Over the weekend, an Opinium poll for Sky News showed Yes with a two-point lead, and today’s BMG Research poll for The Herald shows Yes ahead by four points – 52% to 48%."
All these results are within the margin of error, meaning that if a referendum were held tomorrow the result would be too close to call. But that this has been the situation since the beginning of March suggests that the decline in Yes support has halted.
"ALEX Salmond was touted as a potential candidate for deputy prime minister in the UK Government after the 2014 independence referendum, according to Alastair Campbell's diaries."
You might want to read that comment a couple more times before the full implications hit you! 😮😲
"The revelations come in a serialisation of extracts from Campbell's diaries from 2010 to 2015, which exposes the turmoil behind the scenes of the campaign to keep Scotland in the UK."
"The idea for Salmond's Westminster role was said to have come from one of his former aides in 2015, shortly after he announced he was running for a seat at Westminster."
"Perhaps stealing public money to pay political party supporters, promising to boost national affluence and the economy but blocking exports and impoverishing the poor, or breaking international law, might bring on resignation."
Look no further than UK Government for evidence!⚖️
"But confusion over the date a leader heard about allegations of their predecessor being accused of inappropriate sexual harassment? How can that lead to resignation? How can that equate to breaching a Ministerial Code?"
"The call for her resignation was simply devised and leaked by the political opponents taking part in the Holyrood Harassment inquiry’s committee. They feel it might give them a little more chance to win more seats in the May election."