Thread by @DavieBirkettSNP

Wow… just Wow!

I was right to make a bucket of Popcorn for PMQ's this week, it was epic!

I too love to see Boris squirming under scrutiny, and it has to be said that this was the squirmiest I have ever seen him. 1/17

When @BorisJohnson was elected Leader of the Conservative Party and thereby appointed as Prime Minister in 2019 he faced a difficult first few months. 2/17

He was trying to get a Brexit deal approved, he was up against a united opposition and a few Tory Rebels (affectionately called the "Rebel Alliance"). 3/17

In those early months he faced defeat… after defeat… after defeat and looked totally emasculated just as he had reached the summit of his lifelong ascent to power… it was great politics… and it was glorious television. 4/17

Perhaps the biggest mistake the "Rebel Alliance" made was pursuing the 2019 general election, and this was for 2 reasons.

Firstly I think that if Johnson had endured another couple of months of defeats he would have quit! 5/17

Secondly the Rebel Alliance crumbled - it was all going so well until @joswinson went off the reservation with her "I'm a candidate for Prime Minister" delusions.

For which she deservedly lost her seat! 6/17

All of this led to the arrogant swaggering premiership from December 2019 onwards..

- the purge of any talent from the party (especially the Cabinet)

- the insidious influence of Dominic Cummings (until he too fell out of Favour) 7/17

- The rampant cronyism

- The arrogant rule flouting

- And most seriously the disastrous response to the Covid-19 Pandemic. 8/17

So it was good to see the return of the Pre-Election version of Boris Johnson today, the return of the haunted and defeated looking Boris Johnson, rather than the bombastic, triumphant and unbearable version we have since became accustomed to. 9/17

During the PM's stint at the dispatch box yesterday, the Conservative MPs sitting behind him were subdued, avoiding the traditional cheers.

They were of no support to him, sticking firmly to questions about local projects, like bus routes, and even washing machines. 10/17

Many in the Indy Movement would like him to stay!

I would concede it's true that our cause has no better recruiting sergeant than Alexander Boris DePfeffel Johnson… and a continued Johnson Premiership would undoubtedly promote our agenda… 11/17

But, and this may sound a bit counterintuitive… I disagree with that assessment…he has to go…

These are the most compelling reasons for my belief... 12/17

1/ We are not yet independent - The reality of our constitutional situation at the moment is that Scotland's recovery (both from Covid and Economically) is still linked to rUK's.

Like it or not we will benefit from more competent UK Governance once Boris goes... 13/17

2/ England is our neighbour, her people are our friends and family, Our 2 nations are important to each other and though we are heading in different directions we need to remain important to each other. 14/17

3/ We don't want England to become a bin-fire - It's worth remembering that the Independence Movement is not Anti-English.

Being Anti-UK is not Anti English.

A desire to watch England decline would be seen as such, as well as actually being spiteful and petty. 15/17

The next few days are going to be telling…

If Boris refuses then he's just showing more contempt to the electorate and will add fuel to our fire.

If his party backs him then they are joining in his show of utter contempt and they will be finished. 16/17

But if Boris Johnson, just for once does the decent thing then it will be a good thing for the whole of the UK, and sadly at the moment that includes us. 17/17

@threadreaderapp unroll please