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The conman with the keys to the Kingdom - New Statesman

A long and very interesting article on Boris Johnson written by Martin Fletcher (former foreign editor of the Times) and published by The Statesman on 24 July 2019 https://www.newstatesman.com/politics/uk/2019/07/con-man-keys-kingdom?fbclid=IwAR2CHUW9bP0KMxz4EMR-1VvhAoAFeWlTv3ii2u3Tk-jJ7HEve047_3fRMCQ

Ivonne Holliday ● 2619d23 Comments

Some will predictably say this article is all lefty biased nonsense. Well, I can tell you it is not. It's about as accurate an assessment of Boris's character as you could ever read.

Freddie Francis ● 2619d

I totally agree. An excellent article.It is hardly a lefty biased article as the author used to be foreign editor in the Times, hardly a lefty newspaper!

Ivonne Holliday ● 2619d

Max Hastings, previously a hero of the right and still a remarkable military historian, has been very robust on the subject of Johnson “he is utterly unfit to be PM”.  I saw him at the Edinburgh Book Festival and when asked about his views on BJ he said he was there to talk about his book on the Vietnam War: “I would rather concentrate on past tragedies than current ones”.  It seems anyone who’s spent time near him is prone to developing an intense antipathy.  Gove needs to wake up and smell the coffee. He got it right three years ago.

Jonathan Callaway ● 2619d

Perhaps Give is waiting for Johnson to burn the beans, then hoping to take over - perhaps he'll prefer being opposition leader? 🙂 

Michael Ixer ● 2619d

Whichever way it goes, I certainly do not wish Johnson as PM, neither am I fan of Gove, even in opposition.By the way, I know I have mentioned the question of the new EU Anti Tax Avoidance directive and the reasons for the 2016 referendum...  I found this article which, in fact, is of interest. What do you think?https://the-inconvenient-truth.com/is-the-new-eu-anti-tax-avoidance-directive-the-reason-the-uk-is-leaving-the-eu/

Ivonne Holliday ● 2619d

Then those here with their infantile crushes on 'BoJo' should be obliged to spend some time with him.

Jane Carter ● 2619d

I agree with you Jane.What a lovely thought, all of them together with BoJo….  At the end of the day, ask them:  What did you learn?  Would love to hear their responses!!

Ivonne Holliday ● 2619d

An interesting article, thanks for sharing Ivonne.  I tend to disagree on Gove.  As unlikeable as he initially appears to be, I think he has far more empathy and insight than he's given credit for.  I think he'd make a far better PM than Boris...isn't it bizarre that so many people - including those on the right - are already writing Boris off after just a few weeks.

Craig Fordham ● 2619d

Amazing that the ERG bought his bullsh!t; JRM was looking really fed up in the Commons yesterday. Cheered me up a bit 🙂

Michael Ixer ● 2619d

I wrote Boris off years ago, after every previous shambolic disaster he was personally responsible for. The list is too long to recount here, but in any other field of endeavour Boris would have been sacked and ended up working in McDonalds

Sean Hodges ● 2618d

So agree Sean

Lucille Grant ● 2618d

Now, now, we want everybody to be happy, whether they like it or not.

David Ainsworth ● 2618d

:-)

Michael Ixer ● 2618d

I'm not sure about this: even McDonalds have standards...

Richard Carter ● 2618d

We need somebody to get us out of the EU as per the 2016 referendum.  The consequences of failing to do this could be disastrous for the UK, as in a complete breakdown of trust in our government.Others have tried and failed, I think Boris is the only one who has a hope to succeed at this time.  Whether he goes on to be our PM for many years is debatable, but we cannot afford to entertain other suggestions at this point, unless we want to completely alienate parliament/government and the people (who pay for everything after all).

Bunny Payne ● 2618d

At the moment Boris himself appears to have successfully alienated Parliament/government and the people.

Caroline Whitehead ● 2618d

Plus, possibly, the Monarch.

David Ainsworth ● 2618d

Well I'm afraid I don't agree with either of you, it depends who you talk to.  The country is not against Boris and I believe that London, Government and media are in a little bubble of their own.  The media rarely interviews anybody from outside London, but when they do, it seems that many are pro-Brexit and pro-Boris, some are even pro-no deal!!I heard somebody on the radio this evening quoting Dominic Cummings (no comment from me, jury's out here) the "rich Remainers" and I tend to agree with him.

Bunny Payne ● 2618d

A typical divisive dismissive comment by Cummings. There are rich Brexiteers too, especially in the City (all those hedge fund managers keen on extreme deregulation) and the likes of Jim Radcliffe whose huge petrochemical group is now based in Switzerland and Sir James Dyson whose companies are now based in Singapore. Not to mention the Barclay brothers, owners of the Telegraph and an island in the taxfree Channel Islands.  There are also an awful lot of Brexiteers in the Tory associations and golf clubs of suburban SE England.

Jonathan Callaway ● 2618d

100%  this, Jonathan.

Lucille Grant ● 2618d

"I heard somebody on the radio this evening quoting Dominic Cummings (no comment from me, jury's out here) the "rich Remainers" and I tend to agree with him." The staggering hypocrisy of Cummings! This is the house of his parents-in-law:

Richard Carter ● 2618d

"I heard somebody on the radio this evening quoting Dominic Cummings (no comment from me, jury's out here) the "rich Remainers" and I tend to agree with him."Well, I am surprised. A Tory turning his back on the rich and successful? I am shocked, shocked!

David Ainsworth ● 2618d

Oh come on, we are not engaging in politics with Jeremy Corbett's grass roots supporters, are we??

Bunny Payne ● 2618d