Close

Results 1 to 6 of 6
  1. #1
    DF Founder Raptor's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 1999
    Location
    USA
    Posts
    95,487
    Thanks
    477
    Thanked:        1,885
    Karma Level
    4957

    BBC News Boris Johnson: It is not too late to save Brexit

    Media playback is unsupported on your device

    Boris Johnson has said it is "not too late to save Brexit" as he accused Theresa May of "dithering" over the UK's strategy for leaving the EU.
    In a resignation speech in the Commons, the ex-foreign secretary said a "needless fog of self-doubt" had descended over the past 18 months.
    While praising the PM's "courage and resilience", he said her Chequers plan would see the UK in "miserable limbo".
    He quit ten days ago, saying he could not support the PM's EU blueprint.
    The BBC's chief political correspondent Vicki Young said Mr Johnson's friends were insisting he was not trying to emulate Sir Geoffrey Howe, whose caustic resignation speech in 1990 is widely seen as having paved the way for Margaret Thatcher's downfall weeks later.
    But by setting a deadline for Mrs May to change her approach, she said he appeared to be telling MPs that it would be "in their hands" if she didn't.
    Addressing MPs, Mr Johnson said the "bright certainties" that followed the 2016 Brexit vote had dissipated and the UK risked ending up in "economic vassalage" if it agreed to follow EU regulations on trade, the environment and social affairs.
    He said the vision set out by Mrs May in her Lancaster House speech in January 2017 for a "strong independent, self-governing Britain" had never been turned into a firm negotiating position.

    Joke-free and pretty savage

    By Laura Kuenssberg, the BBC's political editor
    It's the first Boris Johnson speech that I can remember watching that didn't have any jokes. For his allies, that was the point. It wasn't designed, they say, to make a personal attack on Theresa May.
    But my goodness, it made a pretty savage attack on her policies - a "fog of self-doubt", "pretending to the electorate", "a fantastical Heath Robinson" proposal on customs, "miserable permanent limbo".
    For someone who less than a fortnight ago celebrated collective cabinet responsibility at Chequers, that's quite some feat.



    The government, he claimed, had simply not tried to make the case for a loose arrangement with the EU based on a wide-ranging free trade deal.
    Instead, he said the UK had conceded ground over the divorce bill, the role of the European Court of Justice and the Northern Ireland border, which he said had needlessly become "politically charged" and resulted in a "fantastical, Heath Robinson" customs arrangement being put forward.
    Ministers, he warned, were "saying one thing to the EU about what we are really doing, and pretending another to the electorate" - a situation which voters would see through.
    "Given that in important ways this is Brexit in name only, I am of course unable to support it, as I said in cabinet at Chequers, and am happy to be able now to speak out against it.
    "It is not too late to save Brexit. We have time in these negotiations. We have changed tack once and we can change again...
    "We need to take one decision now before all others - and that is to believe in this country and what it can do because the UK's admirers across the world are fully expecting us to take back control."
    Mr Johnson's speech was re-tweeted by a host of prominent Brexiteer Tories, among them Jacob Rees-Mogg, chair of the influential European Research Group of MPs.
    Earlier during Prime Minister's Questions, Mrs May said the final Brexit deal must honour the 2016 referendum result but also be "workable" in terms of protecting jobs and livelihoods.
    Mr Johnson's intervention came as tempers are running high in the Commons over planning for the UK's March 2019 exit.
    In the past 48 hours, the government has narrowly won a series of votes on trade and customs arrangements despite substantial rebellions by pro-European Tories.
    Would-be rebels were reportedly warned on Tuesday that opposing the government in a vote on a customs union would lead to a vote of confidence and potentially a general election.
    The government ultimately won the vote by a margin of six. Theresa May will be questioned by MPs on the liaison committee about Brexit later before speaking at a meeting of Tory backbenchers.
    Some critics of Theresa May regard the ex-London mayor as a possible successor, should she be forced out over Brexit.


    He pulled out of the 2016 leadership race won by Mrs May after his campaign manager Michael Gove decided to run himself.
    It is a long-standing parliamentary convention that ministers who quit the cabinet are given the opportunity to address the House to explain their reasons for doing so.
    Such speeches can be dramatic and sometimes politically explosive.
    Memorable examples include Sir Geoffrey Howe's barbed criticism of Margaret Thatcher's leadership and negotiating style and Robin Cook's denunciation of the Blair's government support for Iraq War in 2003.
    Let's block ads! (Why?)


    BBC News

  2. #2
    DF Super Moderator piggzy's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2014
    Location
    UK
    Posts
    3,540
    Thanks
    3,063
    Thanked:        1,553
    Karma Level
    371

    Default Re: Boris Johnson: It is not too late to save Brexit

    I was hoping he would tear May to pieces but sadly he did his usual bumbling buffoon approach and didn't really inspire anything.
    What a chance to stick the knife but like most Cuntservatives it was half arsed and kind of achieved nothing :-(

  3. #3
    DF VIP Member MHP's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2013
    Location
    The Clock End
    Posts
    552
    Thanks
    395
    Thanked:        323
    Karma Level
    162

    Default Re: Boris Johnson: It is not too late to save Brexit

    At the end of his speech one of the Tory MP's shouted "is that it?" Boris has been a stalking horse in the whole Brexit fiasco since day one. The bumbling buffoon approach is just an act. He's just another calculated career politician, just like the rest of them.

    Thanks to MHP

    piggzy (18th July 2018)  


  4. #4
    DF Super Moderator piggzy's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2014
    Location
    UK
    Posts
    3,540
    Thanks
    3,063
    Thanked:        1,553
    Karma Level
    371

    Default Re: Boris Johnson: It is not too late to save Brexit

    Oh I know the buffoon thing is an act but I thought this speech was more important than that.
    Guess not. At times I liked him but it wore thin quite fast.

  5. #5
    DF VIP Member flumperino's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2004
    Location
    Isle of flumps
    Posts
    9,612
    Thanks
    521
    Thanked:        679
    Karma Level
    881

    Default Re: Boris Johnson: It is not too late to save Brexit

    The timing is so calculated from Johnson, as usual.

    Resign now, and stay out of the limelight long enough for people to forget him....then come Brexit day next year, when May is ousted, he will no doubt plan to swoop in and save the day.

    Just got to hope that his detractors are strong enough to keep him from the top job.

    Thanks to flumperino

    piggzy (19th July 2018)  


  6. #6
    DF VIP Member rusty's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2001
    Location
    notts
    Posts
    188
    Thanks
    152
    Thanked:        21
    Karma Level
    291

    Default Re: Boris Johnson: It is not too late to save Brexit

    why did he and the others sign up to the deal at Chequers ? if they had said "NO, that's a poor deal" then they would be in a stronger position

Similar Threads

  1. gta3 save file 4 u all (pc)
    By neilmachin in forum PC Gaming
    Replies: 6
    Last Post: 14th January 2003, 01:52 PM
  2. 256mbit F2L Advance Save Help !!
    By 2die4 in forum Old Skool Gaming & Retro
    Replies: 17
    Last Post: 13th December 2002, 02:51 AM
  3. ITV Digital.... i know, late aren't I?!
    By Schoey in forum Digital Satellite TV
    Replies: 5
    Last Post: 7th October 2002, 06:22 PM
  4. blackpool trip late sep
    By HELPERS in forum The Dog and Duck
    Replies: 2
    Last Post: 3rd September 2002, 11:32 PM
  5. why can i only save jpegs as bitmaps?
    By sanjuro in forum PC Problems
    Replies: 4
    Last Post: 30th August 2002, 03:13 PM

Social Networking Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •