WHO DO YOU FANCY FOR OUR NEXT PM, AND WHY?

I do not know Boris Johnson. These are the words of Max Hastings who knows Boris only too well.

"If the day ever comes that Boris Johnson becomes tenant of Downing Street, I shall be among those packing my bags for a new life in Buenos Aires or suchlike, because it means that Britain has abandoned its last pretensions to be a serious country.
I have known the mayor more than 20 years. He worked for me as EU correspondent of the Daily Telegraph and then as a columnist when I was the paper's editor, and I have seen plenty of him since. He is a magnificent journalist and showman. He proved himself the perfect maitre d' for the London Olympics. But few maitre d's are fit to cook the dinner.
Most politicians are ambitious and ruthless, but Boris is a gold medal egomaniac. I would not trust him with my wife nor – from painful experience – my wallet. It is unnecessary to take any moral view about his almost crazed infidelities, but it is hard to believe that any man so conspicuously incapable of controlling his own libido is fit to be trusted with controlling the country.
His chaotic public persona is not an act – he is, indeed, manically disorganised about everything except his own image management. He is also a far more ruthless, and frankly nastier, figure than the public appreciates."

And then there were six! That list is now very much reduced. So where are we now? (Synopsis of The Guardian.)

Johnson hasn't ruled out a no deal exit but he's not keen on proroguing Parliament to get it through.

Hunt would send a new cross party team to Brussels. Would consider no deal but thinks it would lead to GE.

Gove has not ruled out leaving without a deal but has considered an extension to the October deadline.

Raab is actively pursuing a no deal exit and will prorogue Parliament to achieve it.

Javid wants a deal but would leave without.

Stewart vehemently opposed to no deal. Says he would set up another Parliament if the new PM prorogues Parliament.

Still a huge split in the Tory party and hence the country I think.

I heard cuckoos in Malaga most mornings out here in Malaga.
Lovely.
Never hear ‘em in Manchester.

I clocked one last month ??

Snipes are still alive, unlike the Dodo which is extinct

I haven't heard a cuckoo for years

Snipe, that's a bird along with Do do.

Possibly M0nica.

Cuckoo's Cuckoos

Cuckoos are vicious predators who prey on birds smaller than them. Does that describe leavers?

Cuckoo's are clever. They let other birds bring up their young, whereas parrots do nothing but repeat oft heard phrases spoken by others but have no thoughts of their own.
I think that neatly describes most remainers.

Let me remind people yet again that when Boris was Foreign Secretary, he didn't read his brief and didn't check his facts an as a result nearly did for Nazzanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, by saying she was in Iran teaching journalism when she was doing nothing of a sort and as a result had her chances of release shot and gave the Iranians an opportunity to retry her.

If he can be as stupid and insensitive and uncaring in dealing with what was a situation requiring the most careful of responses and sensitivity, who on earth thinks he could negotiate Brexit. He is considered even more of a laughing stock in Europe than he is, in the UK and held in less esteem than even Mrs may and any of her other Brexit ministers.

Frankly as a Remainer I think the faster we are out of Europe the better, and if that means no deal so be it. But do not let anyone kid themselves that Boris will be our saviour. I just hope that those who voted leave live in the areas that will most enjoy the benefits of leaving; international companies moving to other EU states, reduced investment in current facilities and unemployment. Car manufacturers are already pulling out of Britain, high tech indistries will not be far behind.

Oh, I forgot, one factor in his favour, he is as big a buffoon as Donald Trump and even looks a bit like him. They will get on like two houses on fire and Boris can hope to be held in as high in International esteem as Trump is.

Is the weather good in cuckoo land MaizieD lol.

You should know, Firecracker.

You're the person (along with many other Leavers) who's living there.

Boris who hasn't given an interview yet, has Rees-Mogg, who they say has earnt millions by advising companies on brexit, as his front man, telling the public that Boris doesn't need to give interviews because everyone knows him.

Peardrop50, You write: Boris is the man to stand up to the likes of Barnier, Junker and Verhofstadt - the Tories started this process to deal with internal party issues not them. They are the representatives of the EU and are safeguarding the interests of all other nations in the EU, especially our compatriots in Ireland. That is what they are there for. They are doing their job and btw they're 'intellectual, flamboyant and articulate and unafraid' of Boris Johnson.

You go on to say: what we need is an intellectual, flamboyant, articulate, unafraid and not necessarily totally PC good old chap....so he can negotiate with representatives of other nations and insult them as he has done on many occasions? You think this is an attribute of a Prime Minister? A good diplomat and statesman would not be anything but PC.

You say: as long as we have good people in the various government departments... - they've been there all along working away very long hours behind the scenes.

Carly You are so right and he offers them a huge tax cut and they're falling over themselves voting themselves a few extra £K per annum. Truly disgusting. It says a lot when his supporters are keeping him away from the public. However, how bad would it have looked if he'd turned down the offer of a broadcast debate? Can't wait.

Is the weather good in cuckoo land MaizieD lol.

In my opinion Boris is the man to stand up to the likes of Barnier. Junker and Verhofstad

Problem is, Peardrop that Barnier and the rest already know that Johnson is a lazy, disorganised lying sh*t. Do you think that the UK lives behind some sort of force field that keeps all that's said and done within it a a secret from the rest of the world? They won't be at all impressed by him and would take everything he said with a massive pinch of salt. I think they'd be absolutely prepared to say 'go off and shoot your self in the foot; it will damage you far more than it will damage the EU'.

OTH, Being that he is completely amoral and no more 'believes' in Brexit than does my dog, he might well decide to revoke A50 as being less damaging for the UK and his 'career' (though, I admit, that does credit him with a degree of concern for his country which he probably doesn't have...)

It won’t be Rory.

.....however Monica what’s the alternative? The Lib Dems?
? the SNP and the odd ( very odd) Greens?

Much as I hope Johnson won’t be chosen ( I would prefer Raab or Hunt) he is way out front at the moment, but it’s not a done deal he will be picked, the favourite rarely wins.
To those who say it’s not democratic that a small band of people choose the next PM from within their ranks....it’s always done that way, and I don’t remember any bitterness about the fact before now.

I would like it to be Rory ...but fear it shall be Boris.

It will take a lot more than a no deal Brexit to rescue the Conservative party. Boris or no Boris.

Both of the major parties are in decline and voters as a whole are sick of the lot of them. Both parties remind me of lemmings running over a cliff edge. One thinks promising heaven on earth with constant promises of bread and circuses and more and more welfare will rescue them, while being riven by anti-semitism of the most unpleasant kind. The other thinks we are greedy fools prepared to sacrifice the weak and suffering for the sake of further tax cuts and that they can redeem themselves, also of heaven on earth by making us emission free by 2050, without giving us any idea how this Nirvana can be reached and the date is too far away for them to need to worry about it anyway..

Definitely Boris,I voted leave & Cant wait for 31st October,really think that Farage should be in the negotiation team.

Boris = No Deal Brexit. He will have to do it to face down Farage & Co, and save the Tory Party; and the EU will never give him a better deal than they gave May. And the rest of us will have to deal with the consequences.

AlisonKF Boris offers the chance to save the Tory Party from haemorrhaging votes to Farage & Co, and seeing their Party go under. And saving the Tory Party (and their jobs) is the only thing they care about.

Like all of the above, I detest the lot of them. I am utterly baffled at the support for Boris. What does he have to offer, even the other Tory MPs?

UG, I don't think it is for you to ask me to give it a rest. You claimed I made bitchy comments when I didn't.

I will give it a rest though because clearly It's a waste of time.
The lunatics have taken over the asylum and we just have to live our lives.

Cheers.