Gransnet forums

News & politics

When is she going to fire him? (Boris)

(162 Posts)
Nandalot Tue 07-Nov-17 13:34:36

Boris may have caused a British Iranian woman’s sentence in Iran to be doubled to 10 years by something Liam Fox calls ‘ a slip of the tongue’.The woman was on holiday with her family in Iran when she was accused of spying. Johnson said she was there teaching journalism which the Iranian authorities leapt on as spreading propaganda. I don’t think May will give him the boot. She fears him too much to let him loose. Meanwhile, the UK, and this poor woman, have to endure the repercussions of his ‘slips of the tongue’.

M0nica Fri 24-Nov-17 21:17:32

Did you read in the leaked Brexit briefing papers prepared by Irish embassies that not only was Britain's performance described as chaotic and incoherent by senior EU figures
but the document also contained scathing assessments of key Cabinet members like Brexit Secretary David Davis and the “unimpressive” Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson.

As this thread says, when on earth is Mrs May going to sack this apology of a Foreign Secretary who does nothing but embarrass and do damage to this country every time he opens his mouth.

Elrel Fri 24-Nov-17 20:53:50

He should read his briefs and think before speaking. He is at least one definition of incontinent.
It is to be hoped that Nazanin gets released before her increasing ill health makes this farce a tragedy.

durhamjen Fri 24-Nov-17 16:38:36

Eazybee, she is NOT a journalist. YOU have madfe the same mistake as Boris.

MaizieD Fri 24-Nov-17 13:30:31

I think that, regardless of the (understandable) risk she took, Johnson should not have so carelessly made it worse by saying what he did. The FO would be well aware of the risk and would surely have briefed him against mentioning anything to do with journalism in connection with her.

I hope, eazybee, that you're not implying that she has only herself to blame by taking her child to visit its grandparents.

eazybee Fri 24-Nov-17 12:58:00

A Persian (how she describes herself) acquaintance has an adult son ,dual nationality, who works as a journalist; his Persian grandmother advised him five years ago not to visit Iran again because it would be too dangerous for him, and he would risk arrest. He has not been back since.

I am genuinely amazed that Nazanin Zagahri-Ratcliffe took the huge risk of visiting her parents and exposing herself and her baby to such danger. As a journalist she would know the prejudice against journalists in Iran.

MaizieD Fri 24-Nov-17 09:31:21

Here's the consequence of Boris's little gaffe regarding Nazanin Zagahri-Ratcliffe; she is to go on trial next month on charges of creating propaganda

twitter.com/AndrewzCooper/status/933989219520917504

(sorry it's a link to twitter ATM , I haven't time to look further)

JessM Fri 17-Nov-17 19:15:02

Surely to God this idiotic man has made a few blunders too many to ever become PM? And told too many lies?
I'm slightly surprised that nobody yet has accused him of any impropriety, given what Amber Rudd said about him.
And the fact that he appears to be a man with very poor impulse control.

durhamjen Fri 17-Nov-17 14:27:59

It was supposed to, Jalima.
And the stupid bloody government is this one, which has said that the two things have nothing to do with each other.
In that case, Iran can just keep Nazanin, can't they?
Three US hostages were freed last year because the US paid what Iran said they were owed.

Jalima1108 Fri 17-Nov-17 14:19:33

How about us using the earthquake as a bargaining chip.

BORIS' £450M CHEQUE Britain preparing to pay a long standing £450m debt to Iran that will help free Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe

Personally, I think that paying a long-standing debt at a very convenient time is much better than using the suffering of Iranians caught up in an earthquake as a bargaining chip.

I didn't respond to that suggestion above before because it made me feel extremely uncomfortable.

Primrose65 Fri 17-Nov-17 14:18:31

Which government .... Wilson or Callaghan? Perhaps criticism of what happened in 1970's and how the Iranian theocratic revolution was handled has probably passed its sell-by date. Or the 2002 & 2009 challenge? (Blair & Brown)
At least it seems this might be sorted out now which may help diplomatic efforts to release all the dual nationals held.

durhamjen Fri 17-Nov-17 13:52:44

"The British government admits it owes Iran up to £300m, but the countries have wrangled over the precise sum and whether any payment could be made while Tehran was still under EU economic sanctions for its nuclear programme.

Downing Street insists there is no link between the dispute and efforts by the foreign secretary, Boris Johnson, to release the Iranian dual national Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe during an expected visit to the country soon.

The chances of a settlement in the Chieftain tank dispute are high since both sides have given ground over the sum involved and because economic sanctions were lifted as part of the 2015 nuclear deal.

Ben Wallace, the current Home Office security minister, said in 2014 before he took the role that the UK government’s handling of the case was “un-British, double-dealing and obfuscatory”.

The Foreign Office said settling the Chieftains dispute was always one of the aims of Johnson’s visit, and could not be described as the price for gaining the release of Zaghari-Ratcliffe. "

Stupid bloody government!

durhamjen Fri 17-Nov-17 13:47:30

1,304,000+ signatures now.

GracesGranMK2 Fri 17-Nov-17 07:19:05

Well that answers the question about why they are holding her. Let's hope their negotiation for this is better than it is for Brexit as there are other people imprisoned too.

MaizieD Thu 16-Nov-17 22:30:02

Looks as if you were absolutely spot on correct, trisher

BORIS' £450M CHEQUE Britain preparing to pay a long standing £450m debt to Iran that will help free Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe

Boris Johnson and Philip Hammond authorise government lawyers to finally settle the 38 year-long dispute over a tank deal

www.thesun.co.uk/news/4923596/britain-450m-imprisoned-iran/

Blinko Wed 15-Nov-17 14:43:51

Lemons, nobody except BJ, it seems....

durhamjen Mon 13-Nov-17 18:23:38

www.standard.co.uk/comment/comment/dear-boris-it-s-time-for-us-to-free-my-wife-nazanin-together-a3689466.html?utm_source=change_org&utm_medium=petition

1,018,000 signatures now

durhamjen Mon 13-Nov-17 18:09:12

How about us using the earthquake as a bargaining chip.
Send Nazanin and her daughter home, and we will send help.

GracesGranMK2 Mon 13-Nov-17 16:01:45

He has finally made a proper apology in the HoP.

Day6 Mon 13-Nov-17 15:29:34

Yes, it's been said many times that poor Nazanin will be used by the Iranians as a bargaining chip. She is a hostage in jail rather than an offender. angry

Primrose65 Mon 13-Nov-17 14:31:53

Sounds awful but apparently what works best in Iran (and many other countries) is knowing who to bribe and how much to pay them

I agree, Trisher. I imagine this horrible situation really has very little to do with BJ and everything to do with money.

Tegan2 Mon 13-Nov-17 14:29:45

I can't believe that he is so awful as Foreign Minister but there is still the possibility of him becoming PM at some pointconfused.

trisher Mon 13-Nov-17 13:31:32

Nicky Morgan thinks he should go, suddenly makes you think maybe he isn't so bad doesn't it?? Not so much the lesser of two evils more which idiot do you want in charge!

lemongrove Mon 13-Nov-17 12:48:52

Blinko nobody is ‘unsackable’.

whitewave Mon 13-Nov-17 12:43:42

More that there is no one in charge. Johnson and Gove trying to stage a coup.

Blinko Mon 13-Nov-17 12:27:25

Back to BJ and his mooted 'unsackability', I wonder whether it's a case of keeping your friends close and your enemies closer.