Why do Conservatives like Johnson?

Alexa, I think you have asked the really big question of the decade for the U.K. As an Aussie I freely admit that our politics are a complete basket case. But the disaster and chaos of U.K politics just leaves me weeping. Sadly, the Labour Party is not offering a credible alternative.

Every good government depends on a good opposition. UK Labour where the heck are you? My ancestors were part of your formation, don't deny that legacy.

My ancestry, my language and my culture are all proudly UK based and I am in absolute despair about what is happening in the U.K. That a total buffoon, a puff ball full of nothing but vanity, hot air and false claims like Boris is the top contender for Prime Minister of U.K. just leaves me speechless and gobsmacked. Please don't let it be true.

On principle I wouldn't vote for any of them. I don't vote for traitors !
BJ thinks he knows everything and knows nothing !

Becauseche is bribing them with tax cuts.Retired pensioner's who werexin the top bracket as a wage owner will pay no NI and get a very nice increase with the less tax they are paying
He changing the tax threshold for those who earn over £40,000 up to £80,000 before you have to pay higher tax .So in a nutshell he is looking after his own and stuff the rest of us

Why do Italians like Silvio Berlusconi or Beppe Grillo?

People vote for clowns.

Apricity: Without endorsing Boris (I agree, he appears to be a buffoon) it is worth rememberiung that Churchill was laughed at and declared to be an absoulte waster. Nowadays people think of him as walking on water.

Rory Stewart doesn’t want Brexit.

I have a feeling UG, that whether he wants it or not, he seems to believe we should leave because it was voted for. He is the only one who recognises that in order to get it through he needs to negotiate, not with the EU but with Parliament and the country.

However, that explains why Stewart is most popular outside the Conservative Party membership but not why Johnson is popular with the group.

As an outsider, this group seem to me to be very able to suspend disbelief.

A survey of Conservative and Unionist Party members by YouGov suggests a majority of them would prefer Brexit took place to a host of scenarios, including 61 per cent in favour of it even if it caused “significant damage to the economy”.

"Almost two-thirds of the members would be willing to allow Scotland to leave the United Kingdom, and 59 per cent would rather Northern Ireland left than Brexit not taking place at all."

In an article in the New Statesman, Steven Bush suggests that it is this very suspension of disbelief that makes them able to put Brexit above these possible disasters. They simply refuse to believe they could happen.

He notes however that the only thing they would sacrifice Brexit for is a victory against Jeremy Corbyn - because they believe that is a possible outcome.

So currently the remaining rump of the Tory Party members will put Brexit ahead of country, party or even their own future simply because they refuse to believe any possible negative consequences.

Johnson, it seems, showed that he too had suspended disbelief to the extent of promising a 'no deal' Brexit if a deal could not be made before the end of October. They also believe he is the one who could beat Corbyn. This leads me to think that all their faith, their sacrifice of realism and logic, is placed in Boris. They do not need to see the real man any more than they need to see the consequences of leaving the EU with or without a deal.

It's simple, he's a bit of a posh boy-(went to the right schools and uni), so he's traditional. He's a bit of a media star (HIGNFY) so they know his name. He's a bit of a bad boy (but it's all healthy hetero stuff and men sow wild oats don't they) so they are being a bit daring. He's promising to go ahead with Brexit. What more could they want? (This is all what I imagine Conservatives think, my views on him aren't printable!)

Some years back, Johnson was sacked from the opposition front bench, by then Tory Leader Michael Howard, for an alleged affair with a younger woman who ended up having an abortion. Johnson was married to someone else at the time. Just one of his many alleged infidelities.
Would you want your daughter to be involved in his 'team'?
Whilst acknowledging that we all have frailties, surely we can expect more from our political leaders than what is offered by this self seeking, egotistical, womanising chancer.

Trisher...you are a star!

I agree with what so many have said in this thread - and think BJ is riding high for the same, or similar, reason as Trump is in America. There is an uprising of whatever "populism' means - people who feel neglected or in some way not heard; they seem to vote for reasons not related to the well being of the country. For instance many seem to have voted for Brexit "as a protest". What does that really mean? So BJ knows he rings a lot of bells for these voters and like Trump can get away with being incompetent, unreliable, and all the rest - so long as he has tousled blond hair (a bit less towsled now he wants to be PM) and people think he is a 'jolly good fellow'. We could do with a leader who is rational and not on an ego trip, and cares for the long term wellbeing of our country, the world, and all of us, especially the most disadvantaged . Where is she/he?

He's a baffoon, and for a party that is a joke, well suited.

urnanstrong. Wrong AGAIN. I’m not a Tory but he’s the only one who is listening and he wants an orderly Brexit ( an act of disastrous self harm!) He has tried to get the withdrawal bill through,! Get your facts right instead of just showing your prejudice. But he has a terrible record of voting for austerity. He says he has followed Corbyns style of campaign because he managed to quadruple membership .

varian: "Why do Italians like Silvio Berlusconi or Beppe Grillo?

People vote for clowns." Plus, what Trisher wrote.

Yes, I see that. However, MPs are basically intelligent and are not likely to be carried away by a handsome pair of trousers. MPs even some Labour MPs are career people . So how is Johnson going to serve them?

With Nigel & the Brexit Party snapping at their tails they have to chose someone who will win the most votes in a General Election ,which may not be too far away & I’m afraid if they don’t give us Brexit the Conservatives will be finished.I preferred Rabb but unfortunately The MPs we have at the moment are a sorry bunch & he didn’t get the votes.The only reason Rory Stewart has got through is because the Tory MPs who want to remain have voted for him.Many of the Tory MPs who are Remainers are representing a leave voting constituency so will be de -selected as will the labour MPs who did the same.May be the making of Boris but sadly we may be saddled with another May,we really need a strong Pm & politics needs a real shake up.

Interesting

I just read that in a speech Johnson gave to business men over the weekend he stated that he would almost certainly keep Mays deal but just tinker with it.

Anyone surprised ? No? Neither am I

Urmstongran wrote:

"I think they want Brexit.

And the Conservatives let us have the referendum and know Nigel Farage is watching events and waiting to hoover up votes if they don’t get it done."

I do understand that, Urmston. I cannot understand how any MP from any party could put the safety of his party before the country.

I live in a very safe conservative seat with an MP who was an early Boris supporter. He's an intelligent man, so I really can't understand what he is thinking, except he's an ardent Brexiteer. I am also a member of the party (joined so I could vote in the last round when May got the crown). I'll be voting for the Any One but Boris candidate and if the philandering buffoon wins will be returning my membership and voting Liberal at the next GE

If he wins he'll be the uk equivelant if Trump, although not chosen by the electorate.

What is the world coming to.

I'd favour Rory Stewart but I think he's too honest, and possibly too weak to win.

Nanniejcl wrote:

"With Nigel & the Brexit Party snapping at their tails they have to chose someone who will win the most votes in a General Election ,which may not be too far away & I’m afraid if they don’t give us Brexit the Conservatives will be finished.I preferred Rabb but unfortunately The MPs we have at the moment are a sorry bunch & he didn’t get the votes.The only reason Rory Stewart has got through is because the Tory MPs who want to remain have voted for him.Many of the Tory MPs who are Remainers are representing a leave voting constituency so will be de -selected as will the labour MPs who did the same.May be the making of Boris but sadly we may be saddled with another May,we really need a strong Pm & politics needs a real shake up."

Then do we need proportional representation? Would PR get rid of party affiliations?

PS Nanniejcl thanks you answered my question

I think Boris has charisma in bucket loads which, sadly Mrs May was distinctly lacking. I think the Tory party will hope that he will reinstate some lost popularity with the electorate at the next election.

I agree with Nanniejcl too - all the polls say that BJ is the one to defeat Jeremy Corbyn. Tory MPs want to keep their jobs and members of the Tory party want to keep their party in power.
Though I am a socialist I could never support the Labour party whilst Corbyn is in power. His dyed in the wool 60's Socialist Worker policies would be far worse for the British economy and citizens than any hard Brexit.
I do not believe May and the EU when they say that the deal on the table is the best that can be achieved. BJ definitely has major faults but his bravado and blustering may actually result in a better deal. And since we have democratically decided to leave this is what we must hope for.

trisher, I think you have hit the nail firmly on the head.

His father also appears on reality TV show, adding to the myth that they are jolly fun people with larger the life personalities.

There was a thread on Mumsnet recently by people that had worked with or for Johnson. The general consensus was that he looked down on ordinary people and was only interested in his own posh clique. He was also lazy and disorganised but good at delegating and taking the credit for the work of others. The only women he was interested in were the ones he considered beddable.

It made interesting reading.

O Come on , he tells its how it is . The trouble with people in Britain today they want everything sugar coated . He want to see brexit through that so many million voted for . Let him get us out of the EU , then if he is doing a bad job , you can then kick him to the kerb .