Is there no end to Johnson's high self regard and vanity?

I’m not bullying or accusing you of being a traitor😄😄, just thought that as you are in defence - you might have had a whisper about Johnson’s clandestine meeting with the KGB?

Interesting to hear a fellow civil servants perspective. I am surprised that you are so confident that there are few left-wingers working in defence.

How do you know?

Whitewavemark2

ENO

Talking about traitor😄😄😄😄.

Any news about your poster boy and the KGB

You people - or should I say trolls - have a despicable way about you. You won’t bully me so don’t try.

ENO

Talking about traitor😄😄😄😄.

Any news about your poster boy and the KGB

MaizieD

No, ENO.

It has to do with his incessant lying, his incompetence, his utter bungling of the covid crisis, his partying when the rules (which he formulated) forbade it and his lying to parliament about it, his money grabbing, his lying, his ennobling the son of a Russian agent, his lying, his complete self interest, his lying, his willingness to cheat on anyone and anybody if he sees and advantage to himself in it, his disregard of the Ministerial code, that he wrote, oh, and did I mention the fact that he can't lie straight in bed?

I believe that Hitler was said to be charismatic....

For a self proclaimed civil servant you have a very strange idea of the qualities needed in a PM...

I’ll take exception to that remark about my CS employment. I work for Defence, a place where generally you find few left-wingers as we - military and civilian - understand the importance of authority and power. And have little patience with traitor-like support for those against our country.

Let’s not get personal, it shows a distinct lack of class.

He’s a coward. Wasn’t in parliament tonight. I bet he’s fuming that Sunak has achieved something that he couldn’t and has made a fool of himself by opposing the agreement that’s been reached. It’s always been about him and not what’s best for the country.

No, ENO.

It has to do with his incessant lying, his incompetence, his utter bungling of the covid crisis, his partying when the rules (which he formulated) forbade it and his lying to parliament about it, his money grabbing, his lying, his ennobling the son of a Russian agent, his lying, his complete self interest, his lying, his willingness to cheat on anyone and anybody if he sees and advantage to himself in it, his disregard of the Ministerial code, that he wrote, oh, and did I mention the fact that he can't lie straight in bed?

I believe that Hitler was said to be charismatic....

For a self proclaimed civil servant you have a very strange idea of the qualities needed in a PM...

Left or right in politics aside, I too would welcome Boris back, for his charisma if nothing else. Like it or loathe it, take it or leave it, he got on with people and got them to do things. He’s not the fool you might think.
I suggest a lot of the expressed dislike connects back to the loss of the vote to remain, and the fact he achieved what wasn’t wanted - or managed by Cameron or May, the separation from Europe.
Charisma is in short supply, albeit Rishi seems to be shaping up. I don’t see much elsewhere in UK politics, do you?

Tough call Casdon

varian

I can hardly think of anyone who could be a worse choice to lead Nato.

Trump?

I can hardly think of anyone who could be a worse choice to lead Nato.

Grantanow

'F*ck the Americans' is just another example of Johnson speak which demonstrates he is unfair for any public office except perhaps dogcatcher (and that may be unfair to that trade).

'F*ck the Americans' - 'F*ck Business', and money "spaffed up the wall" that was funding historic child abuse investigations which he thought was a waste of time - and money, obviously.

Is he just a coarse oaf, or does he believe he's 'getting-down' with the working-class or something by using this kind of language?

For an educated man his lexicon seems severely limited.

He's so damned flippant, I doubt he'd have the diplomatic skill required for the position he now covets in NATO. Not to mention his grasp of detail which appears to be rather lightweight, to put it mildly.

'F*ck the Americans' is just another example of Johnson speak which demonstrates he is unfair for any public office except perhaps dogcatcher (and that may be unfair to that trade).

Yes, Jane71, but so were Trump becoming US President and Brexit before they actually happenend. Neither of those went well, did they? I just hope enough members of NATO see it as being sufficiently ridiculous to prevent it from happening.

This is so ridiculous it's hardly worth commenting on.

Dickens, I think you have the knack of putting things succinctly and saying what I wish I had! Your posts of 11:18:06 and 13:11:55 are spot on.

In my defence, I picked up the quote on twitter from one of the political commentators I follow, which led to the link

Report in Daily Mail online (I know) that Johnson is deeply upset over Sunaks negotiations in NI. Reported to have said "Fuck the Americans" in what the DM refer to as a "jocular" comment. Can you imagine the hysteria if Starmer had said such a thing?

Fleurpepper

His visits to bunga bunga parties with Russian oligarchs, hae never been addressed. And th fact he was told not to go, and that he was barely compos mentis on the day he returned. He is very probably being blackmailed to this day, and his side of the Party is refusing to agree to sever links and redistribute any Russian money seized to Ukrainian funds to look after people there, left freezing and hungry and without basic medicine or care.

The whole thing stinks.

The whole thing stinks.

It does.

I deliberately did not mention any of his 'activities' - but skipping the NATO summit deserves to be mentioned again.

Everyone is aware - if they bother to look - of his failings, his lies, obfuscation... and in particular, the way he deflects any criticism by changing the subject and attacking his critics... surely one of the most obvious signs of dishonesty?

How anyone can champion him in the light of all this I really don't understand.

Yes, your post sums up my thoughts exactly, Fleurpepper, if we are to return to good old British values as beloved by Brexiteers, then arresting this man would be a good start, he is to my mind, a serious risk to this country's security, and the fact that so many voters are prepared to overlook these facts of his very close relationship with the Kremlin, just as long as they get Brexit is chilling. Surely, security services have him in their sights?

His visits to bunga bunga parties with Russian oligarchs, hae never been addressed. And th fact he was told not to go, and that he was barely compos mentis on the day he returned. He is very probably being blackmailed to this day, and his side of the Party is refusing to agree to sever links and redistribute any Russian money seized to Ukrainian funds to look after people there, left freezing and hungry and without basic medicine or care.

The whole thing stinks.

I think we are all agreed that Johnson's ambitions regarding NATO are likely to be scuppered; even if some in this country think the sun shines out of him, many non UK politicians see him for what he is.

A quick reminder of what investigative journalist Carole Cadwalladr said : In 2018, after the poisoning of Sergei Skripal, NATO called an urgent summit to discuss Russian sanctions. Johnson left it, skipped his security detail and flew to Italy where he met an ex_KGB officer whose son he later ennobled.

I think we should all keep this in mind. In the 1960s with the spy scandals and double agents, Johnson would have been arrested.

Whitewavemark2

Sunak - a true Brexit believer, has the sense to recognise that the NI agreement which he fully supported at the time is not working. But don’t let him fool you into thinking that he has rode in like a knight on a charger to mend something over which he had no part. Not so - he is trying to fix a problem that he enthusiastically helped to create.

quite so...

Sunak - a true Brexit believer, has the sense to recognise that the NI agreement which he fully supported at the time is not working. But don’t let him fool you into thinking that he has rode in like a knight on a charger to mend something over which he had no part. Not so - he is trying to fix a problem that he enthusiastically helped to create.

eazybee

You just can't stop , can you?

You know, if Johnson had quietly removed himself from the political arena which is a bit of a bear-pit and which he - as much as anyone - helped to make it so... then I could understand why people might be upset at the constant attention he is getting.

Some politicians, when they've disgraced themselves or over-stepped the mark, just retire 'gracefully'. In fact it was the tradition.

Well Boris Johnson has made it clear that he has no intention of fading into the background - quite the contrary.

If you are going to strut the national and international stage, jostle with members of your own party - even its PM - stir 'things' up, or take on the mantle of the fictional Francis Urquhart as Chief Whip and put a bit of stick about and make 'em jump... then you are going to get a reaction - not only from your own party but from the wider public, the media, and all those with an interest in politics.

You just can't stop , can you?

We could - but why should we? Why should Johnson not be held accountable any less than other Members, other PMs, other politicians have been?

He's riding the crest of the wave of his previous popularity, hoping to fulfil his personal ambitions in one role or another. But he's paid from the public purse - and we are the public. In spite of all the hubris, he is still a public servant and we, the public, have every right to question his motives and his actions because it is us who suffer the consequences of them ultimately. Johnson is not a political novice, he knows exactly what he is doing... and so do we.

FannyCornforth

I wondered if it was another Roald Dahl-based thing…

‘Do you fancy a toot on my jibby-jab? It’s jolly good stuff’, the BFG asked young Sophie.

No wonder he had to be censored, the rotter

😄