European leaders furious at Boris Johnson's appointment as Foreign Secretary
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Why Boris Johnson is the perfect pick to be foreign minister
Theresa May’s decision to name the bumbling, boorish Boris her top diplomat is a perfect reflection of the politics of modern Britain
Colin Horgan
July 14, 2016
Theresa May’s decision to name the bumbling, boorish Boris her top diplomat is a perfect reflection of the politics of modern Britain
Colin Horgan
July 14, 2016
Newly appointed British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson leaves his home in north London, as new Prime Minister Theresa May prepared to put the finishing touches to her top team, Thursday July 14, 2016. (Lauren Hurley/PA via AP)
Not long ago, in a column for the Daily Telegraph, Boris Johnson wrote about Tony Blair’s upcoming trip to Congo. Johnson posited that, upon Blair’s arrival, “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.” A paragraph earlier, he stated that the Queen “has come to love the Commonwealth, partly because it supplies her with regular cheering crowds of flag-waving piccaninnies.”
Earlier this year, Johnson warned that the European Union is simply finishing the pan-European expansionist dreams once held by Adolf Hitler and Napoleon. He has in the past described U.S. presidential candidate Hillary Clinton as a vision with “dyed blonde hair and pouty lips, and a steely blue stare, like a sadistic nurse in a mental hospital.” And, again just this year, he alleged Barack Obama – and the man who is still currently still President of the primary nation with which the U.K. will want to trade upon its eventual exit from the EU – held a grudge against Britain because of his “part-Kenyan ancestral dislike” of the nation’s colonial history.
In between all that, Boris (and it is his first name by which he is best known) served as a Conservative MP twice, and eight years as the mayor of London. Yesterday, Theresa May, the new prime minister of Britain, named him as her foreign secretary, the nation’s top diplomatic job.
It is an inspired choice. Perfect, even.
It was only a few weeks ago that Boris was still considered the most likely man for an even bigger role, that of prime minister. And nobody, it seemed, considered him more seriously a candidate than Boris himself. His departure from the leadership race was surprising. But we might now know why it happened. An alliance between May and Boris that is, for now, mutually beneficial. Boris gets to add to his bona fides as he, presumably, continues to bide his time to take the top role. As for May? What does she get?
She gets Boris, and all that he stands for. With the winds of change (slight though they may be in some parts of Britain) shifting as they are, that’s not nothing.
The important thing to grasp about Boris is that Britons like him a lot. And consistently. In 2012, he polled as the Britain’s most respected politician. In 2013, he was found to be its most popular. And again in 2014. Ditto 2015.
What do they like about him? All of it, probably. His vocabulary. His wit. His bumbling charm. The fact that he rides the tube or a bicycle to and from work. His hair. Even the things he says, apparently despite the words he sometimes chooses to use. And yes, people even like all those photo ops that have so infamously gone awry.
More:
Why Boris Johnson is the perfect pick to be foreign minister
Not long ago, in a column for the Daily Telegraph, Boris Johnson wrote about Tony Blair’s upcoming trip to Congo. Johnson posited that, upon Blair’s arrival, “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.” A paragraph earlier, he stated that the Queen “has come to love the Commonwealth, partly because it supplies her with regular cheering crowds of flag-waving piccaninnies.”
Earlier this year, Johnson warned that the European Union is simply finishing the pan-European expansionist dreams once held by Adolf Hitler and Napoleon. He has in the past described U.S. presidential candidate Hillary Clinton as a vision with “dyed blonde hair and pouty lips, and a steely blue stare, like a sadistic nurse in a mental hospital.” And, again just this year, he alleged Barack Obama – and the man who is still currently still President of the primary nation with which the U.K. will want to trade upon its eventual exit from the EU – held a grudge against Britain because of his “part-Kenyan ancestral dislike” of the nation’s colonial history.
In between all that, Boris (and it is his first name by which he is best known) served as a Conservative MP twice, and eight years as the mayor of London. Yesterday, Theresa May, the new prime minister of Britain, named him as her foreign secretary, the nation’s top diplomatic job.
It is an inspired choice. Perfect, even.
It was only a few weeks ago that Boris was still considered the most likely man for an even bigger role, that of prime minister. And nobody, it seemed, considered him more seriously a candidate than Boris himself. His departure from the leadership race was surprising. But we might now know why it happened. An alliance between May and Boris that is, for now, mutually beneficial. Boris gets to add to his bona fides as he, presumably, continues to bide his time to take the top role. As for May? What does she get?
She gets Boris, and all that he stands for. With the winds of change (slight though they may be in some parts of Britain) shifting as they are, that’s not nothing.
The important thing to grasp about Boris is that Britons like him a lot. And consistently. In 2012, he polled as the Britain’s most respected politician. In 2013, he was found to be its most popular. And again in 2014. Ditto 2015.
What do they like about him? All of it, probably. His vocabulary. His wit. His bumbling charm. The fact that he rides the tube or a bicycle to and from work. His hair. Even the things he says, apparently despite the words he sometimes chooses to use. And yes, people even like all those photo ops that have so infamously gone awry.
More:
Why Boris Johnson is the perfect pick to be foreign minister
And he was right.
The UK already trades with the US.
And what a start to Boris's reign as Foreign Secretary.
This is the man who won The Spectator’s President Erdogan Offensive Poetry competition:
Boris Johnson remains very concerned after Turkey coup bid leaves dozens dead
By Press Association
16 July 2016
Daily Mail
Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson has said he remains very concerned about the situation in Turkey after an attempted military coup left 161 people dead.
Mr Johnson said officials were working hard to "do the best" for the many Britons in Turkey and urged them to follow the Foreign Office's updated travel advice which continues to "strongly advise" holidaymakers and others to stay indoors.
He urged calm and the avoidance of further bloodshed as the Turkish prime minister, Binali Yildirim, said the death toll had risen to 161, with 1,440 people injured, while 2,839 military personnel have been detained.
Flag-waving Turks celebrate the apparent end of the coup bid in the shadow of Istanbul's iconic Bosphorus Bridge (AP)
Mr Johnson, who has Turkish ancestry, told reporters: "We've been monitoring the situation in Turkey very closely overnight and remain very concerned about what's been going on there.
"The first thing to say is obviously we want to urge calm, the avoidance of any further bloodshed, and it's crucial that we support the democratic institutions of Turkey and that's a message that was very much echoed of course by the Turkish foreign minister, my counterpart Mevlut Cavusoglu, to whom I spoke a couple of hours ago, and he was very grateful for UK support at the UN and elsewhere.
"And obviously I've also spoken to our diplomatic staff in Ankara and in Istanbul.
"They're doing a fantastic job, they are working very hard as you can imagine to do the best for the many Brits who are there, the many people who are there on holiday and they should follow the travel advice and we'll do our best to update you as soon as we can."
Mr Johnson, who has Turkish ancestry, told reporters: "We've been monitoring the situation in Turkey very closely overnight and remain very concerned about what's been going on there."
Labour's Shadow Foreign Secretary Emily Thornberry said: "We welcome the fact that democratic rule is prevailing in Turkey, and applaud the Turkish people - including many opposed to the current government - who bravely united to stand up for democracy.
"We mourn all those who have been killed and injured in the last 24 hours, and we urge everyone in Turkey, on all sides, to end the bloodshed and ensure there is no recrimination.
"We urge the Turkish government now to recognise the need to unify the country and show greater respect for human rights, free speech and justice. These events cannot be used as justification for yet further repression and division."
After the government claimed the coup had failed, the Foreign Office updated its travel advice to reflect the latest developments in a rapidly changing situation.
It warned that some violence appeared to be ongoing in Ankara and Istanbul, while the road between tourist resorts Marmaris and Icmeler was closed amid reports of gunfire.
Shadow Foreign Secretary Emily Thornberry
It said: "There has been large-scale military action in Turkey, with the military deployed to the streets and widespread reports of gunfire and explosions in Ankara and Istanbul.
"The situation now appears quieter in Istanbul, and the bridges across the Bosphorus are reopening. But there are reports of tank fire and small arms fire in Ankara.
"Some flights to airports in Turkey are being diverted or cancelled.
"The road between Marmaris and Icmeler remains closed, following earlier reports of gunfire between the resorts of Marmaris and Icmeler. We strongly advise you to stay indoors, avoid public places, in particular demonstrations, and remain vigilant."
British Airways has cancelled all flights to and from the country.
Mr Johnson's comments came after Turkey's president told the country he was in charge after a night of air battles, gunfire and explosions.
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan suggested that plotters will be treated similarly to terrorists and "will pay a heavy price for their treason to Turkey".
"Those who stain the military's reputation must leave," he said.
"The process has started today, and it will continue just as we fight other terrorist groups."
Former Army chief of general staff Lord Dannatt said it was important that Britain is able to work with Turkey "reliably and dependably" given its role fighting Islamic State in neighbouring Syria and Iraq.
He told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "Of course Turkey is an important Nato ally, where Turkey sits vis-a-vis the fight against Isil's so-called Islamic State is absolutely critical.
"Yes of course it's got its own internal divisions and difficulties vis-a-vis the Kurdish aspect of that conflict but it's really important that we can work reliably and dependably with Turkey because Turkey is an important part in this fight, really critical fight, to defeat Islamic State."
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Coffee House
Boris’ EU summit debut shows why he is the perfect pick for Foreign Secretary
Tom Goodenough
Tom Goodenough
18 July 2016
The Spectator
After a bit of initial drama involving an emergency plane landing, Boris Johnson is in Brussels. There’s been a lot of social media chatter about why Boris is the wrong choice for Foreign Secretary and how he’s going to embarrass Britain in his new role. Some are quoting Boris’ past articles to prove he is only going to upset those he meets on the world stage – and Boris’ prize-winning President Erdogan poem in the Spectator has also gathered much interest. But for all those worrying about the ‘damage’ Boris is going to do, look instead to the huge interest in his debut at the EU summit to see why he is the perfect choice for the role.
It’s important to contrast the huge media scrum which greeted Boris today with the fact that Britain is on its way out of the EU. We’ve been warned that people would turn their backs on Britain now that we’re heading for the door. But instead, Boris’ arrival in Brussels has garnered the opposite effect: people are genuinely interested in what Boris has to say.
So with the media hanging on his every word, is he embarrassing Britain? Is he managing to upset our neighbours who already think Britain is turning its back on the EU? No, far from it! Instead, he’s putting across the message that Britain is open for business. Here’s what he said:
Boris' EU summit debut shows why he is the perfect pick for Foreign Secretary | Coffee House
Boris’ EU summit debut shows why he is the perfect pick for Foreign Secretary
Tom Goodenough
Tom Goodenough
18 July 2016
The Spectator
After a bit of initial drama involving an emergency plane landing, Boris Johnson is in Brussels. There’s been a lot of social media chatter about why Boris is the wrong choice for Foreign Secretary and how he’s going to embarrass Britain in his new role. Some are quoting Boris’ past articles to prove he is only going to upset those he meets on the world stage – and Boris’ prize-winning President Erdogan poem in the Spectator has also gathered much interest. But for all those worrying about the ‘damage’ Boris is going to do, look instead to the huge interest in his debut at the EU summit to see why he is the perfect choice for the role.
It’s important to contrast the huge media scrum which greeted Boris today with the fact that Britain is on its way out of the EU. We’ve been warned that people would turn their backs on Britain now that we’re heading for the door. But instead, Boris’ arrival in Brussels has garnered the opposite effect: people are genuinely interested in what Boris has to say.
So with the media hanging on his every word, is he embarrassing Britain? Is he managing to upset our neighbours who already think Britain is turning its back on the EU? No, far from it! Instead, he’s putting across the message that Britain is open for business. Here’s what he said:
‘The message I’ll be taking to our friends in the Council is that we have to give effect to the will of the people and leave the European Union but that in no sense means that we are leaving Europe. We (are) not going to be going to be in any way abandoning our leading role in European co-operation and participation of all kinds’
And in contrast to if it wasn’t Boris putting the message across, people are actually listening. Yes, Philip Hammond may have been a safe pair of hands when he was Foreign Secretary. But, to put it mildly, he doesn’t have the same ‘A-list’ status as Boris does. Some are waiting for Boris to trip up and get Britain into trouble. He won’t. But whilst his sense of humour might be edgy, we should be excited and relieved that people are actually listening to Boris put a message across which those around the world need to hear.
Boris' EU summit debut shows why he is the perfect pick for Foreign Secretary | Coffee House