This would be our new Prime Minister?

[Soph0571]

h/t https://www.businessinsider.com/who-is-boris-johnson-the-gaffe-prone-politician-tipped-to-succeed-theresa-may-controveries-offensive-remarks-2019-5?r=US&IR=T

We are fucked

[JustAnotherGen]

1. Yep

You guys are fucked.

I'm just waiting for the pictures of this guy at a costume party dressed as a Nazi.

And thank you Soph for keeping these issues on the table at DU. My concerns tend to be global trade compliance focused - it's a good reminder about what we are dealing with - with this guy.

[Soph0571]

13. You are welcome

It is a funny thing. I was always so interested in USA politics (apart from having a house in America) because it was so polarised in comparison to the UK. These days, not so much.... They say we are a decade behind America in all things. Yep, but we are catching up pretty damned quickly.

PS - he doesn't need to dress as a Nazi...cause....Godwins law no longer applies here or in the US

[C_U_L8R]

2. Trump's idiot half-brother

Yup, fucked.

[Doodley]

6. Comparing Boris Johnson to Trump. Really?

[LeftishBrit]

10. Trump actively promoted Boris for PM against May the last time he visited the UK

Yes, Boris is probably not as far-right as Trump (though as both are opportunists, it is difficult to set their exact positions); and he hasn't separated hundreds of children from their parents. The most direct collaborator with Trump is Farage. But he is quite nasty and nativist enough.

[Doodley]

16. I agree, and I'd say Boris isn't a divider. Look at how he stood up to Trump's

Islamophobic attacks on London.

[LeftishBrit]

18. Several years ago he did, when he was Mayor of London and specifically dependent on Londoners' votes

In the last few years it's been a different story.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/worldviews/wp/2018/06/26/boris-johnson-offers-three-reasons-he-admires-trump-whom-he-once-called-out-of-his-mind/?utm_term=.58b36614daa1

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/video/2018/jun/26/emily-thornberry-boris-johnson-increasingly-admiring-trump-video


And Trump is his fan:

https://news.sky.com/video/donald-trump-says-boris-johnson-is-his-friend-as-he-heads-to-uk-11431980

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2018/jul/13/mps-voice-outrage-at-repulsive-donald-trump-broadside-against-theresa-may

[Siwsan]

3. My favorite Boris moment might just encapsulate his tenure as Prime Minister

&feature=youtu.be

[3Hotdogs]

4. Is he buds with Phillip?

[LeftishBrit]

11. No, though they both have foot-in-mouth disease

At least Philip has the excuse of being in his 90s. Boris was born an old fogey.

[Doodley]

5. If that is the worst he has said, I don't have a problem at all.

[Denzil_DC]

12. You don't have a problem at all with terms like "piccaninnies" and "watermelon smiles"

being applied to black people?

Good grief.

Here's the full quote from Johnson's 2002 article where he said that, in context, which doesn't make it any better:

It is said that the Queen has come to love the Commonwealth, partly because it supplies her with regular cheering crowds of flag-waving picaninnies; and one can imagine that Blair, twice victor abroad but enmired at home, is similarly seduced by foreign politeness. They say he is shortly off to the Congo. No doubt the AK47s will fall silent, and the pangas will stop their hacking of human flesh, and the tribal warriors will all break out in Watermelon smiles to see the big white chief touch down in his big white British taxpayer-funded bird.

He did apologize for it later. Six years later.

[Soph0571]

14. Ok Then. *worried look*

Patriarchy, sexism, Islamophobia and racism.... ALL THERE - but you don't have a problem? That really does not compute.

[Doodley]

15. Do you not see that many of those examples are irony or attempts at humor? I actually agree with

the ironic points he is making. He is using allegory to make his points. He acts like a clown, a jester, a fool, but as Shakespeare shows, even a fool can make serious points and be smarter than those around him.

I'm not a fan of Johnson, but he is a lot better than the worst reading of those quotes, and certainly nothing like Trump. Look how he has stood up to Trump and Trump's Islamophobic attacks on London, for example.

[Denzil_DC]

17. Somebody has a weird "sense of humour", and I don't think it's me.

Boris Johnson wrote that 'Islam is the problem' and defended Islamophobia as a 'natural reaction'

LONDON — Boris Johnson was today reported to the Equalities Commission after comparing Muslim women who wear burqas to "letter boxes" and bank robbers.

...

It is not the first time that Johnson has pushed Islamophobic tropes.

...

"To any non-Muslim reader of the Koran, Islamophobia — fear of Islam — seems a natural reaction, and, indeed, exactly what that text is intended to provoke," he wrote.

"Judged purely on its scripture — to say nothing of what is preached in the mosques — it is the most viciously sectarian of all religions in its heartlessness towards unbelievers."

...

In the wake of the London bombings, he also questioned the loyalty of British Muslims and insisted that the country must accept that "Islam is the problem."

https://www.businessinsider.com/boris-johnson-islam-is-the-problem-and-islamophobia-is-a-natural-reaction-2018-8

Dogwhistles attract dogs.

Boris Johnson's Facebook page hosts hundreds of Islamophobic comments after burqa row

Boris Johnson’s official Facebook page is host to hundreds of Islamophobic messages, a newspaper investigation has found.

The Sunday Times said an examination of his web page uncovered calls to ban Islam, deport Muslims and “vile” attacks on London Mayor Sadiq Khan.

It comes after the former foreign secretary mocked women wearing the niqab and burqa as looking like “letterboxes” and “bank robbers”, with one Facebook follower praising him for having the “bottle to start getting rid of these bloody Muslims”.

A source close to the former foreign secretary said he “totally condemns the hateful views posted by a small minority” on his Facebook followers.

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/boris-johnson-facebook-page-islamophobic-comments-burqa-row-anti-muslim-a8498021.html

He couldn't bring himself to condemn the views in person.

Don't like the Trump comparison? Tough.

The far-right BNP backs Boris Johnson as Britain's new Trump

* The far-right British National Party has backed Boris Johnson in the ongoing row over his comments about Muslim women who wear the burqa.

* A statement on the party's website praises Johnson for refusing to apologise and compares him to Donald Trump.

* Hundreds of BNP supporters on Facebook defend Johnson with many calling for him to become the next prime minister.

* There has been a spike in attacks against Muslim women in Britain in the week following Johnson's comments.

https://www.businessinsider.com/bnp-backs-boris-johnson-britain-trump-burqa-muslim-women-2018-8?r=US&IR=T

‘So you’re Donald Trump now?’ Boris Johnson grilled as he doubles down on controversial Burka comments

This was the moment Boris Johnson was accused of behaving like Donald Trump by LBC host Nick Ferarri on Monday morning after he said he stands by controversial comments he made about Muslim women.

Ghassem in Lewisham told the former Tory frontbencher during a phone-in on the LBC breakfast show that his niece had been assaulted on a bus by a man in his 40s who had tried to take off her niqab, who also tried to strangle her mum when she attempted to defend the teenager.

LBC host Nick Ferrari asked the former Mayor of London: “do you agree that you brought about unfortunate anti-muslim rhetoric?”

https://inews.co.uk/news/boris-johnson-lbc-nick-ferrari-burka-video/

Boris Johnson 'will dine with Donald Trump' when US president makes state visit to UK in June

Boris Johnson will have a private audience with Donald Trump during his state visit to Britain, according to friends of the president.

One scenario could see Mr Trump hosting a private dinner party at Winfield House, the US ambassador's palatial London residence, where he will stay during the trip due to the ongoing renovations at Buckingham Palace.

The US leader is also considering including Brexit Party leader Nigel Farage on the guest list, sources close to the plans suggested.

...

He has previously described Mr Johnson as a 'friend' who would make a 'great prime minister'.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-6968697/Boris-Johnson-dine-Donald-Trump-president-makes-state-visit.html

What the world - and especially the UK - needs right now is another glib, amoral opportunist in power. Thank goodness you're here to defend him.

[Soph0571]

20. ALL OF THAT!

Thank you love

[T_i_B]

7. I suspect that the Tories might not go for Johnson

But they would still choose somebody like Michael Gove who would be utterly atrocious!

[rurallib]

8. thy sure have some choices, don't they?

[LeftishBrit]

19. Gove is the most likely possibility IMO, but I wouldn't rule out Johnson

Both would be terrible, in slightly different ways

[Soph0571]

21. I want rory

Which of course means it is never going to happen

[LeftishBrit]

23. I'd prefer him to the others, but not a chance

[mwooldri]

9. No wonder the Lib Dems are enjoying a resurgence.

The Tories offer Boris Johnson, Jacob Rees-Mogg and Michael Gove. Labour offer Jeremy Corbyn. Vince Cable and Jo Swinson offer more sanity than the two main parties. Even the Green Party (heck even the Monster Raving Loony Party too) offer more sanity than the Tories or Labour right now.

[Soph0571]

22. Lib Dems for me on Thursday

Not sure for the general though - that will be a whole new shit storm when it is called..