Boris Johnson Archives | Page 3 of 4

Prime Minister taken hostage in Britain’s Brexit civil war

September 4, 2019September 4, 2019 MelanieBoris Johnson, brexit, constitutional crisis, parliament

Astoundingly, Britain no longer seems to have a functioning government because the prime minister has effectively been taken hostage by the House of Commons. Last night, Boris Johnson was heavily defeated when the Commons voted by a majority of 27 to seize control of the legislative agenda, in order to debate a bill today introduced by Hillary Benn and backed by Remainer MPs. This bill states that unless a deal is reached with the EU or Parliament approves a no-deal Brexit by October 19th (no chance), the government would be…

Britain

Why Brexiteers need Remainers to keep Boris Johnson honest

August 29, 2019August 29, 2019 MelanieBoris Johnson, brexit, No Deal

Yesterday’s government announcement that Parliament is to be prorogued for much of the next few weeks until the Queen’s Speech, plus the reaction this has detonated by greatly reducing the time available for Remainer MPs to block Brexit, has created the general impression that Prime Minister Boris Johnson intends the UK to leave the EU with no deal. Remainer-world has gone into scarcely believable meltdown as a result. Brexiteers are thrilled. They shouldn’t be. The danger of a faux-Brexit is now in some ways even more acute than it ever…

Britain Europe

Glad, confident morning for Britain’s battling Brexiteers? Er, not quite

August 22, 2019August 22, 2019 MelanieBoris Johnson, brexit, eu, Irish backstop

Suddenly Brexit has become possible, coo the newspapers this morning; and suddenly, this Brexiteer’s heart stops for the umpteenth time during this national crisis. For what they are saying has now suddenly become possible is not Brexit — which, after all, Britain’s new prime minister, Boris Johnson, has been intoning like a stuck record will happen on October 31 even with no deal – but Brexit with a withdrawal deal with the EU. And that’s because the German Chancellor, Angela Merkel, has given Boris Johnson thirty days to come up…

Britain Global conflict Israel

Is Boris Johnson “good for the Jews”?

July 26, 2019 MelanieBoris Johnson, Iran, Israel, jews

Britain now has its first celebrity prime minister. On Tuesday, Boris Johnson was elected leader of the Tory Party following Theresa May’s resignation over her failure to deliver Brexit. On Wednesday, Johnson “kissed hands” with the Queen and thus succeeded Mrs. May as Britain’s PM. As with all social or political developments of note, the Jewish world is predictably asking about this one: “Will it be good for the Jews?” Johnson has entertained and scandalized Britain for years through his many scrapes, his jokes, his politically incorrect gaffes, his chaotic…

Britain

As ruthless Johnson signals “Brexit do or die”, I’m still counting my spoons

July 25, 2019July 25, 2019 MelanieBoris Johnson, brexit, Cabinet

The commentariat has been utterly convulsed by the composition of new prime minister Boris Johnson’s government. As Remainer ministers and those disloyal to Johnson were either sacked or fell on their swords to be replaced by Brexiteers in every key position, Brexit supporters were as ecstatic as Remainers were choked with horror and rage. Johnson’s purpose in effecting this ruthless transformation was clear: to send an unequivocal signal that the Remainers’ game is now up. Britain will be leaving the EU on October 31, “do or die”. The purpose of…

Britain

Every flawed PM needs a Clemmie Churchill

July 24, 2019July 24, 2019 MelanieBoris Johnson, Clementine Churchill, Sonia Purnell, Winston Churchill

As few surely can be unaware, Boris Johnson idolises Winston Churchill. He has indeed been mocked for appearing to believe that he is Churchill reincarnated. Wags have observed that when Johnson waxed eloquent in his biography of Churchill about the great man’s stellar attributes he appeared to be describing himself. The comparison, however, might not be quite such a joke. I recently caught up with First Lady, Sonia Purnell’s justly acclaimed biography of Winston’s wife Clementine. This was an eye-opener for two reasons. First was the extent to which Clemmie…

Britain

Will prime minister Johnson put lipstick on the pig?

July 21, 2019July 21, 2019 MelanieBoris Johnson, brexit, eu, No Deal

Today’s Sunday Times reports that various EU countries are panicking so badly over Britain leaving the EU with no deal they are willing to offer a new one. At its shallowest, this proves the point some of us have been making from the get-go: that the only way the EU would ever offer withdrawal terms in Britain’s interests would be if the UK credibly threatened to leave with no deal at all. However, there is a far less rosy way to look at this reported development. Boris Johnson has positioned…

Britain

Why Brexiteers don’t trust Boris Johnson

July 7, 2019July 7, 2019 MelanieBoris Johnson, brexit, No Deal

Boris Johnson insists that he’s not bluffing when he says he’s prepared to take the UK out of the EU with no deal if, as is now widely predicted, he becomes Britain’s next prime minister later this month. Do we believe him? Maybe; maybe not. Many don’t. One reason why there’s so much suspicion is that he has consistently said he will try to get a better deal from the EU – and expects to do so. Since the EU has shown itself implacably opposed to any renegotiation, some might…

Britain

How the Tories can save themselves and Brexit

June 25, 2019June 25, 2019 MelanieBoris Johnson, brexit, Conservative party, No Deal

A general election in Britain in the near future is surely well-nigh inescapable. Whoever wins the Conservative leadership election — and as we can see from the histrionics of the past few days, Boris Johnson may end up destroying himself — both Johnson and his rival, Jeremy Hunt, have committed themselves to leaving the EU with no-deal on October 31 if they cannot renegotiate the withdrawal terms. Since it seems overwhelmingly likely — regardless of Johnson’s claims to the contrary — that the EU will not offer any concessions, the…

Britain

Can this leadership contest produce a real British conservative?

June 13, 2019June 13, 2019 MelanieBoris Johnson, brexit, Conservative party, leadership election

Boris Johnson has topped the first ballot for the Tory leadership with 114 votes, and it is being assumed that his bandwagon is now unstoppable. Is it? If Michael Gove, that intellectually formidable, competent and experienced minister is deemed by the admission of his past cocaine use to have a character flaw that makes him unsuitable to lead his country, how much more so is this true of Boris Johnson. His launch press conference was shoddy. Faced with awkward questions, such as over his own sampling of cocaine in the…