Boris Johnson; a man who has lived his entire life recklessly, selfishly, irresponsibly; without any regard for the consequences. Because he’s never needed to. His enormous privilege has protected him from any repercussions.
He is a proven pathological liar, swaggering through the years with no empathy or concern for anyone but himself. Indeed, recently bragging about shaking hands with Corona virus patients. As if it was just another laugh; a jape; just another moment in a life less honourable.
There is a grim irony to him finally, in this manner, being confronted by the consequences of his behaviour. Even he can’t lie and bluster his way out of this mess.
One can only hope that the Prime Minister, as he languishes in intensive care, courtesy of the NHS that he and his party have done so much to destroy, deeply regrets the cheering & jeering doled out to nurses by he and his colleagues; when they voted down a pay-rise for those heroes. If he’s lucky he’ll now be finding out exactly how valuable these people are.
My brother, sadly, wasn’t lucky. On March 28th, Jas, 54, died of Covid-19 in Nottingham’s Queens Medical Centre. Unlike the Prime Minister, Jas was denied a ventilator. ‘Operation: Last Gasp’, right, Prime Minister?
I then stood on an empty street, shouting to be heard over the wind, no privacy, no dignity, to tell an old man on a doorstep his child had died. The most indescribably awful duty I’ve ever had to carry out.
There will, of course, be those idiots, those hypocrites, those bootlickers, who will condemn me for ‘politicising’ both my own loss & Boris Johnson’s condition; those who can’t grasp that politicians making political decisions and political choices impact people’s lives. And sometimes end them. As Jas found out.
Do I wish Johnson dead? No. Do I wish dead the selfish, the greedy and the stupid who voted for him and still, even now, support him? Those who were perfectly happy to ignore the systematic destruction of the NHS while they were all right Jack? Again, no.
My sympathy, however, remains with the terrified & heartbroken victims of this crisis. The appalling & callous mishandling of which is unavoidably the responsibility of Boris Johnson.
It would be nice to think that lessons will be learned; that, individually and collectively, we will discover our self-respect and grasp that governments only ever treat us the way we allow; that, when this is over, an enormous reorganisation of the nation’s priorities will be undertaken, by both the politicians and the electorate; that, finally, people will concern themselves with the value of others and much less with the cost of things.
If Boris Johnson, in any way, might be that catalyst then he will have done at least one noble thing in his life.
My breath, however, remains unheld.
43 replies on “Boris Johnson: a Life Less Honourable”
I found out on Thursday that a DNARCPR had been placed on my brother when he was an inpatient on an orthopaedic ward with a broken femur. He has physical difficulties as the result of a RTA many years ago but is disgustingly healthy with no underlying health conditions. I only found out when another doctor at different hospital questioned the validity of the DNAR and has now revoked it.
We weren’t told it was in place so you can imagine the shock when I found out. As he was an inpatient at the height of the COVID crisis, my blood runs cold at the thought of what could have been. He would have been denied treatment because of his difficulties. I am furious that his life is worth less than an able bodied person.
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With love, sadness and rage. Thank you for holding the strength to express these thoughts so well.
With Bozo’s “personality” profile, we know that his survival will only confirm in him his delusions of grandeur. Hope lies not in his so-called heart, nor in his party’s policies, but in what is taking us through the mess he has allowed to unfold; the solutions he has been forced to allow: those enveloped by social conscience, which is the heart of socialism.
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With love, sadness and rage. Thank you for holding the strength to express these thoughts so well.
With Bozo’s “personality” profile, we know that his survival will only confirm in him his delusions of grandeur. Hope lies not in his so-called heart, nor in his party’s policies, but in what is taking us through the mess he has allowed to unfold; the solutions he has been forced to allow: those enveloped by social conscience, which is the heart of socialism.
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I am deeply sorry for your loss and heartsick for your father. Please accept my condolences.
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This does not surprise me. Before this pandemic, a doctor signed a DNR for my brother, who had learning difficulties, before he had even diagnosed his injuries. He took 10 days to see that my brother had had his neck broken and explained that by saying, “He could not tell us what happened”. How they are going to treat these vulnerable people in the present situation I dread to think. So, so sorry for your loss.
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This is so sad, it had me in tears, I cannot believe that anyone would be denied all the help available, so sorry for your tragic loss, my grandson has special needs, it makes me wonder would he be treated like this too??
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I have a couple of journo friends in the national press. I am sure they would be interested to run a story about a man being categorised as DNR and denied a ventilator, which, according to Samjit was available, because he had Downs. I am totally shocked by this. Are you happy to be contacted, although I know you are still grieving.
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Emailed you.
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First of all my condolences. Second I wanted to thank you for expressing what has happened with such eloquence, we cannot experience your loss but we can express our solidarity. I have shared your Facebook piece as an answer to those of my wider acquaintance who think I’ve been too political in not showing sympathy for the man who has left thousands of my ex NHS colleagues unprotected and left ordinary people short of life saving equipment.
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This is a complete fabrication and you should feel pathetic. I work in the coronavirus ward at QMC and there is no record of anyone that age having died on the date specified. There is no shortage of ventilators on my ward. Another disgusting attempt to manipulate the people using propaganda from the sad left. People are actually losing loved ones and you mock them by falsifying a story.
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Really? Then check out the Registration or Notification of Death, a copy of which I posted on Twitter in response to vile trolls like you. Here you go… https://twitter.com/HarryPaterson1/status/1247514538754236417?s=09
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Hi, Firstly, I am very sorry for you loss. It’s awful under any circumstances but the situation your brother was in is terrible.
I think there may be some confusion as (on my phone) it seems the date of your post is 7 April and you refer to “last Saturday” night in relation to your brother passing which would indicate Saturday 3, April when it seems it was Saturday, 28 March. I only mention it because I think it’s important that we ALL fact check unknown sources. And this may be simply a misunderstanding. I am very sorry for your loss.
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Fair point. Will edit.
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I am so sorry for your loss and understand your anger if this is how this leader is behaved. I expressed sympathy for the UK when I hear your dignitaries are ill but this news disresses me as I well know the frusteration of failed leaderships. Again my sympathy to your loss.
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So sorry to hear about your loss, I’m sure your story will not be unique. I’ll never vote Tory.
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It’s OK, we don’t need you – got plenty of votes!
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Well Joe, you certainly do.
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Thank you, I’m sorry for your loss.
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Well, Harry, I am totally appalled by what you have said in reply to my previous post. I can understand why you are angry and upset if your brother was denied treatment for the reasons given.
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Sending both you and your family strength and love at this most difficult of times.
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Your brothers life given no value, using the excuse of an extra chromosome to deny him access to life saving treatment. At 54 he was younger than Boris and this Tory government have systematically set out to destroy disabled people. This is Tory Eugenics at its cruellest, those who voted Tory are in part responsible for voting for those who would erase disabled people from society. You Tory voters look the other way now they’ve come for disabled people, what about when they devalue and choose to erase you. I am disabled and I stand with Harry in fury over Jas.
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I I have no words to express how sorry I am for your loss, your grief and that of your family. The words of an ancient poet come to mind. Judah Halevi’s ‘Tis A Fearful Thing’ . I sincerely hope these may give you a modicum of solace at such time of sorrow.
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So very sorry . This is so tragic . I very much doubt anything will change Boris . Not even facing death and needing our brilliant health service ms himself . He and the rest of his ilk will continue their culling of the elderly, the infirm and the poor
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*`-
I too feel your hope for change is in vain. The most we can do is get those who voted for him to realise what an awful character he has. They must surely realise too that the NHS has been run down quite deliberately. Bevan must be spinning in his grave.
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I am so sorry for your loss. Your post resonates with me. I feel a deep sorrow for all those that develop a serious illness secondary to COVID19, it is a beast of a disease. But I also feel an even deeper sadness that we have become a country where for some it is more about ‘me’ than about ‘us’. Greed is also a virus, I hope that we can conquer that one also!
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Personally, i have no sympathy for Boris – comeuppance, i call it. The disrespect he’s shown since leading the tories beggars belief. One example we all know; being interviewed and then shown a picture of a very ill young boy lying on a hospital corridor floor because of a failing NHS system. Boris could hardly look at the picture, let alone express ANY concern or empathy. He’s a horrible, horrible self centred person and shouldn’t be running the country. The less we have of his ilk, the better.
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Beautiful and truthful letter. My heart goes out to you.
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Boris may be a flawed character and mistakes have been made, unsurprisingly, as this is an event so extraordinary that there is no previous experience to draw upon. I wish him well in his recovery. Who of those in opposition could have handled it better? Even the new Labour leader seems to be obsessed with the exit strategy which seems much too premature.I am not a natural Tory supporter but I am mightily relieved that Corbyn lost the election and that he and his old shadow cabinet are not handling affairs at present.
I am very sorry that you lost your brother to this awful disease. Are you saying specifically that there was no ventilator available for him and that the lack of ventilation caused his death? I did not think that we had reached the stage where there was a lack of availability and I thought that if it was the case, then younger people, like your brother, with a better chance of survival, would be favoured.
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No. He was denied a ventilator. Even before he needed one. We were told by ‘phone that that was the decision, made in advance. Along with the decision to slap a DNR on him without any discussion, much less agreement, with anyone. A cynic might wonder if that was the case because he had Downs Syndrome and was ‘economically inactive.’
Re; Corbyn. He consistently demanded the government follow the WHO lead, in contrast to what the government has actually done…
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I think you should also be speaking to the papers about this! It’s farcical that the figures published indicate that the youngest person to have passed away from this at Queen’s Medical in Nottingham is 64!!
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I had a horrid feeling this may have been the case but was too scared to ask you incase I upset you.
Again my condolences to you mate.
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Awful, but unfortunately not a surprise. We’ve been heading towards this type of scenario for months now. It’s dreadful Harry, but I fear it’s a story that has been,and will be repeated up and down the country before this is ‘over.’ Sincere condolences to you and your family for your brother’s loss.
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Any number of people could have handled it better, and that you continue to be an apologist for callous, incompetent and privileged fools is a statement about you.
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Harry I’m sorry for the terrible pain that you are enduring. Like you I wouldn’t wish harm to anyone. I find some of the current Boris eulogising hard to understand. I think your words totally encapsulate the essence of the man. I hope that he will emerge with a better appreciation of the health service.
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I just discovered your blog after seeing your post on Facebook today, . My condolences for the loss of your brother, so unnecessary for so many to become ill and die. You speak for all of us that oppose the Tories, but with far more eloquence than most of us can muster. Thank You
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very well said Harry, I am so sorry about your brother and I quite agree the Tories desecration of the NHS over the last decade is criminal.
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are you wishing the fate of your loved one on another father and his children shame on you!!!!
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Er, if you read it correctly I explicitly state that I *don’t* wish him dead. Do keep up.
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What a typical selfish comment given even before you read the letter,
Your no better than boris and his cohorts ,self centred and just plain thick
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That’s not what he said and you know it Shame on you.
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Thank you for expressing your thoughts on Boris Johnson far more eloquently than I could manage. Your anger is justified, particularly amidst your loss and grief.
Once this is over, something needs to change.
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My deepest sympathy and condolences to you and your family.
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So very sad for you and your family.
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