BJ

My daughter did a semester of her history degree at Trinity College, Dublin on an Erasmus exchange. It was an eye opener, because she had never studied Irish history, certainly not from an Irish perspective. She became aware how parochial people are.

I agree with MOnica 100%. It really doesn't matter what Mr Varadkar's ancestry is, nor does it matter what Mr Johnson's ancestry is. Nevertheless, it is somewhat surprising that Mr Johnson should express such xenophobic sentiments.

I knew a Murphy but he was Welsh.

Boris’ great grandfather was Turkish. I don’t think he’s ‘racist’ at all.

It’s too easy these days to shout that out.

Beyond silly.

So what? Having a Turkish grandfather doesn't make you not racist, xenophobic or not capable of making lazy, stereotypical remarks.

Anybody with any heritage can be racist. Using terms like " all the rest of them " is racist . End of.

Boris Johnson vows to use powers of persuasion to win new Brexit deal

www.theguardian.com/politics/2019/sep/06/boris-johnson-will-use-powers-persuasion-win-new-brexit-deal

Is there anyone on Gransnet who believes that he has such magic powers?

might be

Don’t need to know M0nica, I said I wondered where they hailed from. You must have done too or you wouldn’t have had the answer to hand. Sometimes I despair on this site, even the usual rational posters seem to want confrontation.

I heard about Varadkar's background when he became Taoiseach and his background was discussed on R4. I certainly wasn't interested enough to research it.

BJ is finished - did not take long.

The accusation that DC is a "Girly swot" must say a lot about the immaturity of the accused.

news.sky.com/story/boris-johnson-branded-david-cameron-girly-swot-leaked-document-reveals-11803807

He called Corbyn a "big girl's blouse" in PMQs. Maybe he has a problem.

I think he has quite a few problems

How anyone can dismiss the concerns about Johnson's offensive dismissal of anyone he disagrees with, is beyond me. Lessismore I agree with you, growstuff and varian. His father described his as very clever, studied classics you know. He isn't showing signs of being at all clever since he became PM. He's boorish, rude, irritable and a disgrace to the office he holds.
I'm staggered at the Murphy comment - I thought I was beyond being staggered by Johnson. Evidently not and I expect it will happen again.

How long do we think he'll last?

Three months max.

Two people I'd like to have a chat with, re BJ - HRH our Gracious Queen and Mrs May. Oh I wonder what they think at the moment ?!?

On top of all his xenophobic/racist/stupid comments, he has now been strongly criticised for making an inappropriately and "off piste" political speech, using members of the police force as a back drop.

Presumably his intention was to create a subconscious connection, in the eyes of the general public, between himself and the forces of law and order. Instead, he has yet again shown very bad judgment - this time in disregarding the necessary neutrality of the police force.

I expect May is reclining on her sofa having a little of her favourite tipple, having a little bit of a laugh. Apparently HRH is hosting Johnson and Symonds at Balmoral at this very minute.

Eloethan Apparently Trump did the same.

Quitting the EU won't solve our problems, says Boris Johnson

Britain’s economic problems would not be solved by simply leaving the European Union, Boris Johnson warns.

By Robert Winnett, Political Editor (The Telegraph)
10:00PM BST 12 May 2013

This country’s workers are plagued by “sloth” and under-perform compared with their foreign rivals, says the London Mayor.

Writing for The Daily Telegraph, he says that if Britain left the EU, “we would have to recognise that most of our problems are not caused” by Brussels.

Mr Johnson’s intervention comes after Michael Gove and Philip Hammond today became the first two Cabinet ministers openly to support leaving the EU unless there is significant reform.

However, the London Mayor claims the “question of EU membership is no longer of key importance to the destiny of this country”. The political row risks overshadowing more important weaknesses in the economy.

He suggests that the British workforce suffers from “sloth” and that there is a “culture of easy gratification and under-investment” from firms.

David Cameron pledged earlier this year that he would hold a referendum by 2018 if he is re-elected as Prime Minister in 2015. However, many Conservative MPs want the Prime Minister to go further and now write the pledge into law – a proposal being blocked by the Liberal Democrats.

More than 100 Conservative MPs are set to support a Parliamentary amendment which effectively criticises the Queen’s Speech for failing to legislate for the referendum. A key vote on the amendment is expected to be held this week.

Last week, Downing Street insisted Mr Cameron was “relaxed” about the amendment but ministers have now been ordered to abstain from any vote.

In his article today, Mr Johnson says that he supports legislation backing a referendum – but warns that Britain’s problems will not be solved by simply leaving the EU as many of his Conservative colleagues apparently believe.

“If we left the EU, we would end this sterile debate, and we would have to recognise that most of our problems are not caused by “Bwussels”, but by chronic British short-termism, inadequate management, sloth, low skills, a culture of easy gratification and underinvestment in both human and physical capital and infrastructure,” the London Mayor says.

“Why are we still, person for person, so much less productive than the Germans? That is now a question more than a century old, and the answer is nothing to do with the EU. In or out of the EU, we must have a clear vision of how we are going to be competitive in a global economy.”

Mr Johnson sets out four reasons to stay in the EU and four reasons to leave but welcomes Mr Cameron’s pledge to renegotiate the country’s relationship. He says that he has asked his economic adviser to “blow away the froth and give people the facts” on the pros and cons of membership.

However, he concludes his article by saying: “This renegotiation can only work if we understand clearly what we want to achieve: a pared down relationship based on free trade and cooperation. And our partners will only take us seriously if they think we will invoke Article 50, and pull out, if we fail to get what we want.”

www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/10052646/Quitting-the-EU-wont-solve-our-problems-says-Boris-Johnson.html

The Johnsons family, Boris, Joe and Rachel (not sure about Stanley) were all pro Europe before the referendum. Boris Johnson eventually joined the Leave group but I was not convinced he believed they could win the vote.
He seems to be digging himself deeper into a hole with his leave or die position. Peter Oborne's article in the DM this morning deplores the mess Johnson is in, says Cummings must go, along with other advisors and the 21 must be allowed back into the party.
Its no secret I'm not a Conservative voter but I'm not enjoying the spectacle of the party killing itself. We need a strong government and an effective opposition, neither of which we've had for a while. The positive I can see, is that the opposition parties are beginning to work together, for the benefit of the country.

I agree with you Iam64. I'm neither a Conservative nor a Labour voter. To be honest, I'm not very happy with any of the parties, but we do need strong parties and politicians and not just because we're doing our duty by getting behind them. We need leaders. History has shown us what happens when there is weak governance and chaos.

It's a strange world when Corbyn is seeming more statesmanlike than the leader of the Conservatives, who is throwing away goodies like smarties (which is what Labour is always accused of doing) and when the Conservative Party, which is supposed to be maintaining the status quo, is apparently run by an anarchist.

Opposition parties have said they will either abstain or vote against the Prime Minister when another vote to hold a general election is held on Monday. In a rare show of solidarity, Labour, the Lib Dems, the SNP, Plaid Cymru, the Green Party and Change UK have made the decision in a bid to stop a no-deal Brexit.

metro.co.uk/2019/09/06/boris-johnson-sums-week-look-10698911/?ito=cbshare

Twitter: twitter.com/MetroUK | Facebook: www.facebook.com/MetroUK/

Boris Johnson could be forced to resign by October, according to Guto Bebb, one of the Conservative rebels who was kicked out of the parliamentary party this week when he voted to make a no-deal Brexit in October illegal.

"I don't think he's going to get a general election, he says he's not going to extend, and I can't believe for a moment that a British prime minister would break the law, so logically he will have to resign," said Bebb.

Johnson appears to be running out of options: he has repeatedly said the UK will leave the EU on October 31, and said on a Thursday he would rather be "dead in a ditch" than seek a delay.

Labour look set to reject his request for a general election next week, throwing the future of his premiership into doubt.

www.msn.com/en-gb/news/uknews/he-will-have-to-resign-conservative-rebel-says-boris-johnson-will-have-no-choice-but-to-leave-downing-street/ar-AAGWVxc

John Le Carre latest novel is being published in October.

In it he describes the British Foreign Secretary as “pig ignorant” in a cabinet run by 10th raters.

Le Carre is implacably opposed to Brexit, and his comments were directed at Johnson.