Brexit?

[eotunun]

When I heard BoJo got his bollocks goldened with that new job for f***ing up Britain, I did the Tom Hanks:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wdYPxFMhEkE

[Alex66]

BoJo as foreign secretary ?!

well Coco the Clown is not an MP so we have to have Bojo the Clown and become an international laughing stock.

[deadagain]

BoJo as foreign secretary ?!

well Coco the Clown is not an MP so we have to have Bojo the Clown and become an international laughing stock.

yup. I'm laughing too, hysterically. it's the only way to cope with the insanity.

[Bartek]

At least Larry will keep his job. Larry, probably the only one honest creature living at Downing Street 10.

[stufarq]

BoJo as foreign secretary ?!

Actually quite worrying he has to be our senior diplomat and negotiator. It's like putting Tim Nice-But-Dim into the body of Chris Griffin and sending him to trade with the Germans and negotiate peace talks in Syria.

And, for God's sake, he'll be in charge of GCHQ and MI6! Johnny English reborn indeed.

At least Larry will keep his job. Larry, probably the only one honest creature living at Downing Street 10.

Larry's being investigated for involvement in the Whiskerpedia leaks scandal.

[Pista]

At least Larry will keep his job. Larry, probably the only one honest creature living at Downing Street 10.

Larry's being investigated for involvement in the Whiskerpedia leaks scandal.

[markfiend]

Comparisons with Tim Nice-But-Dim are not appropriate; Boris is neither nice nor dim. He's a hardline rightwinger and quite frighteningly intelligent. The bumbling buffoon act is precisely that - an act. He relies on people underestimating him.

I do think his appointment is a bit of clever politicking by Ms May actually, together with putting Davis in as "Secretary of State for Exiting the EU", saying to the Tory Brexit campaigners in effect "you created this mess, you sort it out".

[EvilBastard]

Comparisons with Tim Nice-But-Dim are not appropriate; Boris is neither nice nor dim. He's a hardline rightwinger and quite frighteningly intelligent. The bumbling buffoon act is precisely that - an act. He relies on people underestimating him.

I do think his appointment is a bit of clever politicking by Ms May actually, together with putting Davis in as "Secretary of State for Exiting the EU", saying to the Tory Brexit campaigners in effect "you created this mess, you sort it out".

I think I've worked out her plan: put Wurzel in charge, he'll alienate everyone he hasn't already, we'll start negotiating trade deals and they'll be along the lines of "Sure, you can export to us without tariff barriers, but with every shipment you'll need to include a video of Boris Johnson shoving a lighted Catherine Wheel up his arse, with a picture of that day's newspaper so we know it's current." At which point May will say "Look, it's clear that we can't negotiate new deals, which basically means we have to stay in the EU. Let's not be hasty, we'll work within the Union to improve the things that people are worried about, and make real efforts to heal some of the divisions that Britain has that are nothing to do with Europe."

[stufarq]

Comparisons with Tim Nice-But-Dim are not appropriate; Boris is neither nice nor dim. He's a hardline rightwinger and quite frighteningly intelligent. The bumbling buffoon act is precisely that - an act. He relies on people underestimating him.

I know. I just couldn't think of anyone better. My point was he's perceived as a total shambles, and that's not a great image to send to the international community, as evidenced by US State Dept spokesman Mark Toner suppressing a laugh when he heard during a press conference. And he's not exactly popular among European politicians. He won't help international relations.

[markfiend]

Ah right I see what you're getting at stu yeah I agree.

Also I think you might be onto something there Evil.

[Bartek]

Comparisons with Tim Nice-But-Dim are not appropriate; Boris is neither nice nor dim. He's a hardline rightwinger and quite frighteningly intelligent. The bumbling buffoon act is precisely that - an act. He relies on people underestimating him.

I know. I just couldn't think of anyone better. My point was he's perceived as a total shambles, and that's not a great image to send to the international community, as evidenced by US State Dept spokesman Mark Toner suppressing a laugh when he heard during a press conference. And he's not exactly popular among European politicians. He won't help international relations.

So, he'll be the one who shatter what's left from UK-EU diplomatic relations; then anyone after him could negotiatate pretty much anything. So, what Mr. Bastard wrote seems possible.

[stufarq]

Possibly. Andrew Marr reckons the foreign Office doesn't do as much as it used to because Downing Street has taken over so many of its functions. On top of that, May has appointed Cabinet Ministers for foreign trade and leaving Europe, so Boris won't have much of significance to do. Marr thinks Boris will therefore spend his time on foreign jaunts, ie out of the way, not doing much of significance, rather than being at home scheming.

While I can see his logic, I still think it's a pretty dangerous strategy. During those foreign jaunts Boris will still spend most of his time damaging international relations. If she didn't give him a job at all, being at home scheming wouldn't have much of an effect because he'd have no power or influence. If you don't want Boris to be dangerous, don't give him anything to do!

[Bartek]

That's interesting. Let Boris rides his bike. Curbs can be very dangerous.

[Pista]

Did Theresa take the whole of her new cabinet to meet the queen?

[markfiend]

"Keep your friends close... but your enemies closer"

[eastmidswhizzkid]

i think boris' inclusion is because (frighteningly) he's a very popular politician. despite everything we may think/ know/ expect from him he was very hotly tipped as the next tory leader and after cameron's resignation the front-runner for prime minister. we're none of us conservatives anyway, but among those who are he is considered acceptable. he was a popular mayor of london -no less so than ken livingstone anyway- and as has been said by others, the shambling buffoon act is exactly that. (albeit a very good act.) presumably that means he has skills to offer a government.

[Pista]

From the news thread

Well we're still EU citizens and England isn't! But we're exiting the EU the same as the rest of the UK. Except we're not because Scotland, England or Wales can't continue to be EU citizens. And we're still in the Single Market except we're not. Except when we are. I give it a couple of years before it all goes to hell...

It's all a bit clusterfcuky isn't it?
& as for the Maybot having to bend over backwards for the DUP, well that's not coming across as "strong & stable".

[hellboy69]

Just read the Tories are ahead in the polls by 1% due to the Brexit "announcements" ?!??!???

I just signed this, FWIW:
https://action.labour.org.uk/page/s/childrens-campaign

[markfiend]

The Tories negotiating strategy seems to me very like this:

http://youtu.be/Z_JOGmXpe5I

(content warning: "N"-word)

[emilystrange]

All I want for Brexit is EU
Last Brexit I gave you my bus
We wish you a Merry Brexit

etc etc etc

[Pista]

(content warning: "N"-word)

Norfolk?

[emilystrange]

yes?

[markfiend]

(content warning: "N"-word)

Norfolk?

:sadtrombone:

[abridged]

It's quite mad (well even more than usual) over here. Most people here voted to stay, which presumably included quite a few DUP supporters but only the DUP are being listened to. Obviously Teresa May has either bought them off, lied to them or she as David Davis suggested believes that the whole agreement thing doesn't mean anything anyway. Meanwhile the Irish government and the EU are saying yes, yes it does. The whole thing will fall apart I reckon really quickly...

[emilystrange]

the govt got defeated by their own MPs. i am doing a lot of laughing