7 votes

Boris Johnson is already shedding allies before he's touted to take Britain's top job

6 comments

  1. [6]
    Grzmot
    Link
    Why him? I'm from the EU, but might anyone shed some light on why Johnson of all people will be PM? Are the Tories planning on using him as the fall guy, since no matter how you push forward with...

    Why him? I'm from the EU, but might anyone shed some light on why Johnson of all people will be PM? Are the Tories planning on using him as the fall guy, since no matter how you push forward with Brexit, it's political suicide?

    5 votes
    1. [2]
      TooFewColours
      Link Parent
      It's simple, the general population like his character. He has a daft, witty demeanor that harks people back to the days of Black Adder and sipping tea while watching the Red Arrows. The way he...

      It's simple, the general population like his character. He has a daft, witty demeanor that harks people back to the days of Black Adder and sipping tea while watching the Red Arrows. The way he walks and talks reminds people of the great British bulldog Winston Churchill. His calling of gay men as 'bum boys' and saying muslim women look like 'letterboxes' are just him saying it how it is, so he won't be afraid to go into Brussels and tell them what-for, securing us a deal that best for Britannia. He's willing to cast his own country to ruin by sending it into economic terms with absolutely no precedent, just to spook those suits in Brussels, and show them who's British.

      He says 'wiff waff' and it's all very, very funny.

      6 votes
      1. NoblePath
        Link Parent
        He’s fixing to make Britain great again?

        He’s fixing to make Britain great again?

    2. jgb
      Link Parent
      As I see it, the main issue is that the Tories are risibly devoid of political talent, especially among the Brexiteers. Boris is a horrendous choice for PM, make no doubt about it, but it's hard...

      As I see it, the main issue is that the Tories are risibly devoid of political talent, especially among the Brexiteers. Boris is a horrendous choice for PM, make no doubt about it, but it's hard to believe that Mark Francois or JRM would be any better.

      1 vote
    3. JoylessAubergine
      Link Parent
      Partially because it is a poisoned chalice and anyone with aspirations for their political career in the future is avoiding the job. Boris doesn't have that problem because he always lands on his...

      Partially because it is a poisoned chalice and anyone with aspirations for their political career in the future is avoiding the job. Boris doesn't have that problem because he always lands on his feet despite his innumerable fuck ups and crimes thanks to his connections in being part of the "elite" of the country.

      Partially because Brits like eccentrics. Eccentricity, in the elite especially, has always been a point of pride. We love our weirdos, anoraks and people who just don't care about fitting in. Boris has always been eccentric, how much of it is a character and how much is authentically him, we don't know but he has been in the public eye for a long time being "Boris Johnson". And after 25+ years of stage managed, robotic PMs, a lot see eccentric Boris as a breathe of fresh air.

      He is also one of the elite, Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson has the backing of a lot of the Establishment. Unlike Trump who has questionable ties in the NY elite, Boris Johnson has always been comfortably part of the Elite, from his ancestry, to his parents, to his childhood, to doing the classic Eton onto Oxford education and being part of the Bullingdon Club. Having one of their own as PM during the last stage of Brexit is probably going to be very profitable.

      1 vote
    4. mat
      Link Parent
      He's absolutely a fall guy. Just like May was. The smart Tories (the few that there are) are currently hunkered down and keeping quiet, or speaking out against Boris if they have enough honour to...

      He's absolutely a fall guy. Just like May was. The smart Tories (the few that there are) are currently hunkered down and keeping quiet, or speaking out against Boris if they have enough honour to put the country ahead of their own careers.

      There's always been this thing about Boris where he's managed to convince people that he's a dangerously smart guy who just pretends to be a blithering idiot. I think his decision to run for PM right now has gone a long way to clarify that. He's exactly the idiot he's been acting like his entire life. fwiw, I know a couple of people who move in Westminster-adjacent circles and by their account Boris in private is just as stupid as public Boris but he's a lot nastier. The only thing he pretends to be is a fraction of the bastard he actually is.