She may have been a Remain campaigner during the referendum, albeit reluctantly, but Britain's new Prime Minister Theresa May has just given one mighty Brexit "F*ck you!" to the Europeans and, to a lesser extent, the Americans, by appointing lead Leave campaigner Boris Johnson as Foreign Secretary....
'I wish it was a joke': European leaders furious at Boris Johnson's appointment as Foreign Secretary
Boris Johnson addresses Foreign Office staff on the first day in his new job Credit: PA
Matthew Holehouse, Brussels Correspondent
14 July 2016
The Telegraph
European leaders have responded with dismay and fury at the appointment of Boris Johnson, the former Mayor of London, to Foreign Secretary.
His French counterpart denounced him as a “liar”, while his German interlocutor said it was “outrageous” that he played cricket on the day after the Brexit referendum.
Jean-Marc Ayrault, the French foreign minister, said he was concerned that he would be able to negotiate with Mr Johnson.
"I am not at all worried about Boris Johnson, but during the campaign he lied a lot to the British people and now it is he who has his back against the wall," he said.
"(He has) his back against the wall to defend his country but also with his back against the wall the relationship with Europe should be clear," Mr Ayrault said.
"I need a partner with whom I can negotiate and who is clear, credible and reliable," he added.
"We cannot let this ambiguous, blurred situation drag on in the interests of the British themselves."
The German foreign minister expressed pity for British voters.
Boris Johnson leaves home for his first day at work as Foreign Secretary Credit: Getty Images
"People [in the UK] are experiencing a rude awakening after irresponsible politicians first lured the country into a Brexit to then, once the decision was made, bolt and not take responsibility," Frank-Walter Steinmeier said during a speech at Greifswald University.
"Instead they went to play cricket. To be honest, I find this outrageous but it's not just bitter for Great Britain. It's also bitter for the European Union."
Carl Bildt, the former Prime Minister of Sweden, tweeted a now-notorious picture of Mr Johnson dangling on the Olympic zip wire.
View image on Twitter
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Carl Bildt ✔
@carlbildt
I wish it was a joke, but I fear it isn't. Exit upon exit.
8:03 PM - 13 Jul 2016
2,330 Retweets 1,720 Likes
Mr Johnson caused grave offence in Brussels and Washington during the referendum campaign when he said that the EU was an attempt by other means to unify Europe in a manner attempted by Adolf Hitler.
He also described President Obama as “the part-Kenyan President” who harboured “ancestral dislike of the British empire.”
In a lengthy Facebook post hours before Mr Johnson’s appointment, Frans Timmermans, the European Commission’s vice president, said such comments had spread “hatred” in a way he would not have believed possible in Britain.
“Would it not have been enough to say that you disagree with the American President's point of view? Why discredit not just his motives, but even his persona, with borderline racist remarks?” he said.
Frans Timmermans
20 hours ago
“When in Rome...” learning (to understand the) English
In March 1972 fate decreed that I should go to an English school. Not by choice, but by necessity. The French school in Rome did not accept new pupils, so my father, whose work brought us here, decided it would be Saint George's English School instead. I did not speak English, but I did understand a bit - thanks to the Beatles, the Avengers and the Thunderbirds. Being Dutch, my parents assumed that the only difference between us and the English was that they drove on the wrong side of the road, had the peculiar habit of refusing any form of decimal system and were so much better at being unf...
...
See more
441 Likes 282 Retweets
John Kerry, the US Secretary of State, spoke to Mr Johnson by phone today and urged Britain to be “sensible”.
"The Secretary stressed US support for a sensible and measured approach to the Brexit process and offered to stay engaged as the UK government develops its plans," a spokesman said.
Mr Johnson will come face to face with Mr Kerry and his European counterparts at a meeting of the Foreign Affairs Council in Brussels on Monday.
'I wish it was a joke': European leaders furious at Boris Johnson's appointment as Foreign Secretary
'I wish it was a joke': European leaders furious at Boris Johnson's appointment as Foreign Secretary
Boris Johnson addresses Foreign Office staff on the first day in his new job Credit: PA
Matthew Holehouse, Brussels Correspondent
14 July 2016
The Telegraph
European leaders have responded with dismay and fury at the appointment of Boris Johnson, the former Mayor of London, to Foreign Secretary.
His French counterpart denounced him as a “liar”, while his German interlocutor said it was “outrageous” that he played cricket on the day after the Brexit referendum.
Jean-Marc Ayrault, the French foreign minister, said he was concerned that he would be able to negotiate with Mr Johnson.
"I am not at all worried about Boris Johnson, but during the campaign he lied a lot to the British people and now it is he who has his back against the wall," he said.
"(He has) his back against the wall to defend his country but also with his back against the wall the relationship with Europe should be clear," Mr Ayrault said.
"I need a partner with whom I can negotiate and who is clear, credible and reliable," he added.
"We cannot let this ambiguous, blurred situation drag on in the interests of the British themselves."
The German foreign minister expressed pity for British voters.
Boris Johnson leaves home for his first day at work as Foreign Secretary Credit: Getty Images
"People [in the UK] are experiencing a rude awakening after irresponsible politicians first lured the country into a Brexit to then, once the decision was made, bolt and not take responsibility," Frank-Walter Steinmeier said during a speech at Greifswald University.
"Instead they went to play cricket. To be honest, I find this outrageous but it's not just bitter for Great Britain. It's also bitter for the European Union."
Carl Bildt, the former Prime Minister of Sweden, tweeted a now-notorious picture of Mr Johnson dangling on the Olympic zip wire.
View image on Twitter
Follow
Carl Bildt ✔@carlbildt
I wish it was a joke, but I fear it isn't. Exit upon exit.
8:03 PM - 13 Jul 2016
2,330 Retweets 1,720 Likes
Mr Johnson caused grave offence in Brussels and Washington during the referendum campaign when he said that the EU was an attempt by other means to unify Europe in a manner attempted by Adolf Hitler.
He also described President Obama as “the part-Kenyan President” who harboured “ancestral dislike of the British empire.”
In a lengthy Facebook post hours before Mr Johnson’s appointment, Frans Timmermans, the European Commission’s vice president, said such comments had spread “hatred” in a way he would not have believed possible in Britain.
“Would it not have been enough to say that you disagree with the American President's point of view? Why discredit not just his motives, but even his persona, with borderline racist remarks?” he said.
20 hours ago
“When in Rome...” learning (to understand the) English
In March 1972 fate decreed that I should go to an English school. Not by choice, but by necessity. The French school in Rome did not accept new pupils, so my father, whose work brought us here, decided it would be Saint George's English School instead. I did not speak English, but I did understand a bit - thanks to the Beatles, the Avengers and the Thunderbirds. Being Dutch, my parents assumed that the only difference between us and the English was that they drove on the wrong side of the road, had the peculiar habit of refusing any form of decimal system and were so much better at being unf...
...
See more
441 Likes 282 Retweets
John Kerry, the US Secretary of State, spoke to Mr Johnson by phone today and urged Britain to be “sensible”.
"The Secretary stressed US support for a sensible and measured approach to the Brexit process and offered to stay engaged as the UK government develops its plans," a spokesman said.
Mr Johnson will come face to face with Mr Kerry and his European counterparts at a meeting of the Foreign Affairs Council in Brussels on Monday.
'I wish it was a joke': European leaders furious at Boris Johnson's appointment as Foreign Secretary
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