So it's Boris

I agree Amagram. Can’t believe that they have chosen the worst possible leader at the time we need the best possible leader. The lunatics have truly taken over the asylum.

Jones - Ollie Robbins was not a special adviser. That’s a different role.

Gonegirl
Interesting! How does an 'eighty year old' behave ?

Amagran, some of us on here are not putting our optimism down to Boris Johnson's character. I for one am just happy to see the backside of Theresa May. A change of PM is a reason to hope things will improve. Things could be worse, it could be Jeremy Corbyn. I've read an article in The Guardian only this morning, very similar to your post. We all have different views and I think a little optimism can go a long way. It's good for us as a nation. It certainly doesn't do us any harm.

Give the Guy a chance, personally I am very pleased.

Day 6 ^Trump gets things done^- really!? No wall built, no real policy or results on limiting immigration (apart from locking up children), no big economic deals. In fact nothing at all apart from insisting he has made America great again. If all we can hope for is Boris manages the same for Britain he won't need to do much. But then that's what he's good at talking a lot and doing little.

I agree Maddyone. Theresa May was a control freak only listening to her special advisers, who were all europhiles such as Olly Robbins. No wonder her Brexit secretaries resigned.
Happy Wednesday everyone.

What fundamental aspect (I don't mean his hair or buffoonery) of Boris Johnson's character is prompting the optimism cited in a few posts on this thread?
Is it his pathological mendacity, his idleness, his inability to focus, his unpreparedness at international meetings, his racism, his greed or his inappropriate behaviour? These are all characteristics described not by his enemies, but by his friends and colleagues!! I despair of any political party willing to condone such character flaws just because they think it will win them an election.

Yes, she was, although perhaps worrying about the effect of Boris's Franglais on the French.

Good posts Gabriella and Day6.

I think you’re right JonesKpj, we need some optimism in this country. I am hopeful that with this change of PM it could turn out to be just what this country needs. I’m glad to see the back of Theresa May and her kicking the can down the road, and ‘I’m in charge and doing it all myself’ way of governing. I hope Boris Johnson is able to get things done, and Brexit isn’t the only thing that needs doing. I think Boris is like Marmite, people love him or hate him. I like him.

Coming late to the party, I am by this Lessismore - can you explain it for me please?

sukhbir sekhon
sukhbir sekhon
3 weeks ago
Is this good French?

forvirradable
forvirradable
3 weeks ago
Etc
TIA
PS that FO official in the YouTube clip was a bit humourless, wasn’t she?

I'd rather we see what happens. Too early to say, and he has a difficult time ahead, that's for sure. Compared to Blair and May he could just turn out to be what this country needs. A bit of optimism at last.

I’m glad to hear that your snide comment was not borne out of malice Day but simply came across that way

The next few days are going to be very interesting, seeing the cabinet in formation. Those of us who live in the uk, through thick and thin, we are ready and waiting for the magic. Our voices will be heard be sure of it, we have been silent for too long. Gabriella, urmstongran, you are saying what many think. Whoopee, here we go

But gmarie LOTS of Americans like Trump and many political commentators list his successes.

I find him loathesome as a man and I don't share many of his political views, but he is right about some things and he is a patriot too.

Johnson's task is to get us out of the EU this year. Lots of us WANT to leave the EU. (It costs us BILLIONS and BILLIONS of pounds a year for membership alone)

I think Boris has the intellect and education that Trump lacks. I quite like Trump's confrontational political style in that it's refreshing and direct. You don't mess with Trump and he does away with the usual pussy-footing around and often unnecessary diplomacy. There is no one like him. He has thrown away the Presidential rule book. But he gets things done. Obama was the PC face of America and a good orator, but he wasn't terribly efficient. Mr Nice Guy but little else.

I hope Boris gets things done too. If he emulates Trump in that respect (only that one!) he could win people over.

As someone from the states who's just spent the last two and a half years living under the dark cloud of a narcissistic, ignorant, train wreck of a president, you have my complete empathy.

Your concern for jura is touching. Unbelievable, but touching

Was that nasty remark really necessary SirChengin? What is happening to some posters?

I think your response says much more about your disposition than mine.

As is the case on these boards, regular posters engage in wordy combat, but Jura and I (even though many of our political views differ) have, over the years and on occasion, exchanged pleasantries. I know Jura does feel strongly concerning our leaving the EU, so there was no malice in my enquiry, but lots of spite in your comment.

If Johnson were to face a properly convened interview panel, there is no way he would be appointed on the basis of his track record.

Nor is the issue who is 'right' or 'wrong', which is just a childish argument. The role of the PM (and others in senior positions) should be to take a holistic view of the needs of the whole country. Those supporting Brexit can't come up with arguments suggesting Brexit will have a positive effect on the country. All they do is dismiss concerns, in their mission to get what they personally want.

Why is it relevant if they denigrate the politics of the countries in which they now reside? Seems like a strawman argument.

How about other posters not picking up cudgels for a purportedly slighted victim. That person, whoever they may be, can fight their own battles.
We don't need gang warfare on here.

growstuff
Ah...but who's to say who is right and who is wrong. ??

I sometimes wonder if ex pats (who moan and/or denigrate our politics and people in the UK) ever moan and denigrate to the same extent, the politics and people running the countries in which they now reside.
??
If they do, it's certainly not on this site. ?

Grandad1943, an excellent post at 18.17.

Lessismore, you are wrong. Grieve was raised in a bilingual home. Of course he speaks excellent French. It is his second, possibly his first language. Of course learning French at his mother’s knee makes for linguistic fluency.

I guess my interpretation of politeness differs from that of Urmstongran. As I've just written, Brexit is about a culture war. Urmstongran seems to follow different cultural norms from me.