Forum Topic

Boris Johnson's Mental Health

Now whether one is for Brexit or not, we surely all agree about the personality of its leading proponent Boris Johnson.He is a pathological liar to colleagues, family and more important the general electorate; he is totally self-centred and self absorbed; he has publicly declared in his writings his dislike/contempt/prejudice regarding gay men, black people, muslims, working class men, unmarried mothers; he has the sexual morality of an alley cat. But in his interview with ITV regarding the little boy forced to spend hours on the floor of his hospital, his bizarre behaviour would have caused my long deceased grandmother to say -"is 'e all there"?Refusing to face up to the question which was essentially why after nine years of Conservative stewardship this is happening; and claiming he had not had time to view a photo that had been on the front page of most newspapers, he refused to look at it on the reporter's phone and then, pause for intake of breath, he took the phone and put it in his pocket !This is the man who Brexiteers hope will be leading negotiations with the EU once the Withdrawal Agreement gets its final reading in the HoC and the actual long and complex process of really leaving the EU begins.Of course he will also be leading negotiations with Trump over a US trade deal - the Trump who will always 'put America first'.Thinking about it perhaps a touch of mental derangement in this case might come in handy !

John Hawkes ● 2062d33 Comments

I agree Michael, although I think even the Unionists are shocked by her naivety in doing a deal with the Tories.Of course, the only reason Boris got a new Brexit deal was not by bullying/impressing/charming the EU. He got it by agreeing to protect their single market on the island of Ireland after Brexit by putting a customs border down the Irish Sea. Allowing a ‘division’ between Northern Ireland and GB, that he pledged he'd never to do.Of course the EU also engaged with Boris Johnson because they believed that he - as a political figure had a better chance of selling a deal back home to MPs than Theresa May ever had. But, according to Katya Adler,  have a chat in EU circles and you’ll hear the only way Johnson really has chance of getting bare bones Free Trade Agreement  with EU done and dusted by Christmas next year is if he crosses his own red lines again and gives in to EU concerns ie. level playing field regulations and allowing EU fishing rights in UK waters.Getting it done seemed of more importance to Johnson with the Brexit deal than keeping his word about the union and avoiding a dividing line down the Irish Sea. How might it be with an EU trade deal? Would he give up ‘control’ and ‘sovereignty’ for a quick deal by December? Remember if he signs up to ongoing alignment with EU environmental, labour, state aid competition rules etc after Brexit, then where’s the national sovereignty he promised voters? And if he doesn’t sign on the dotted line, then negotiations with the EU are bound to take longer.Hmmm.

Paul Doorly ● 2062d

John, you make some excellent points. Not only is his mental status suspect, he is also looking very tired. His election machine is in overdrive to cover up his slipshod attitude to truth, and the billionaire media owners (Murdoch: Times, Sunday Times - Barclay Brothers: Sunday Telegraph, Telegraph - Lord Rorhermere: Daily Mail, Mail on Sunday) are ratcheting up the scare stories about the “threat” from a Labour government while living in tax free havens or abroad. What do they care about the NHS or social care for the elderly?The Tory spin machine and their Twitter bots are promoting false stiries and outright lies dressed up as personal postings. With their Russian donors money and hedge-fund friends they will blitz Facebook, Google, Youtube and Twitter with more propoganda.Closer to home in Putney the best pro-Conservative contributors to this forum can only say “cobblers” without any counter arguments, or promote a totally fictional and untrue  cv that Nick Guilford posted. No rational argument at all.In Putney there are two groups of voters who need to make up their mind. The Conservatives who support remaining in the EU or at a minimum want to see a second referendum. They need to weigh the damage that the Johnson government will inevitable bring in social and economic terms against the mostly fantasy threat of a more left wing Labour party. They should either abstain, or vote Labour or even LibDem if that salves their conscience. Unfortunately in Putney a LibDem vote is now a wasted vote. LibDem voters need to vote Labour tactically and ensure that Fleur Anderson gets in. She supports the referendum and will work hard to remain. As those who went to the hustings will know, she will be an effective and genuine advocate for Putney.Nick

Nicholas Evans ● 2062d