Britain's Boris Johnson accused of Brexit "backseat driving"

[webfact]

Britain's Boris Johnson accused of Brexit "backseat driving"

By Paul Sandle

 

Britain's State Secretary for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs Boris Johnson speaks during a news conference at Lancaster house in London, September 14, 2017. REUTERS/Hannah McKay

 

LONDON (Reuters) - Britain's foreign minister Boris Johnson was accused by cabinet colleagues on Sunday of "backseat driving" on Brexit after setting out his own vision of the country's future outside the European Union.

 

Only days before Prime Minister Theresa May is due to speak in Italy about Britain's planned EU departure, Johnson on Saturday published a 4,300-word newspaper article that roamed well beyond his ministerial brief and, in some cases, the approach set out by the government.

 

Interior minister Amber Rudd said it was "absolutely fine" for the foreign secretary to intervene publicly but that she did not want him managing the Brexit process.

 

"What we've got is Theresa May managing that process, she's driving the car," Rudd told the BBC's Andrew Marr on Sunday.

 

Asked if Johnson was backseat driving, she replied: "Yes, you could call it backseat driving, absolutely."

Johnson's article re-ignited speculation that he would challenge May for the leadership of the Conservative Party.

 

Rudd, however, said she did not think Johnson was laying the groundwork to challenge May.

 

"I think that he, like I, supports the prime minister at this difficult time as we try to conclude the negotiations with the EU," she said.

 

May's deputy, Damian Green, said also weighed in on Sunday, saying that Johnson had written a "very exuberant" article but it is "absolutely clear to everyone that the driver of the car in this instance is the prime minister".

 

"It is the job of the rest of us in the Cabinet to agree on a set of proposals and get behind those proposals and get behind the prime minister," Green told BBC TV.

 

Johnson had written in the Daily Telegraph that Britain would not pay to access European markets in the future. Once out of the EU, the country should borrow to invest in infrastructure, reform the tax code and set immigration levels as it sees fit, he said.

 

A prominent Brexit campaigner in last year's referendum, Johnson also repeated the controversial claim that the government would be 350 million pounds ($476 million) a week better off outside the EU.

 

With some colleagues angered by the timing -- Johnson's article was published a day after a bomb injured 30 people on a train in London -- he later added on Twitter: "Looking forward to PM's Florence Speech. All behind Theresa for a glorious Brexit".

 

(Editing by David Goodman)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2017-09-18

[Jonnapat]

Britain's "face to the world' as Foreign Secretary. Would be a joke if not so embarrassing.

This idiot wants to succeed May and join Trump in the world of the 'living loonies'.

It would appear that the worst is yet to come 

[KKr]

Without opining on the essence of his writing, it seems Mr. Johnson forgets that being a Government Minister is not the same as being a Journalist.
As a Journalist, he can challenge or provoke whoever he wants based on facts he has received and verified.
But kickstarting the next election like this, neither a show of solidarity, nor a show of respect for the electorate, and certainly not a show of being a responsible politician.
Maybe, instead of a big leader, he wants to be a big follower of the overseas person with the same hairdresser.


 

[ujayujay]

Boris Johnson. Prototype of a Parasitic.

[Guest Jerry787]

let them brits get the kick of britexit, once they will savour it, thye will beg to be back

[gamini]

2 hours ago, Jonnapat said:

Britain's "face to the world' as Foreign Secretary. Would be a joke if not so embarrassing.

This idiot wants to succeed May and join Trump in the world of the 'living loonies'.

It would appear that the worst is yet to come 

If it had not been for him and his looney brexit camapign with all its false information. Britain would not be in the mess it is today

[Jip99]

5 minutes ago, gamini said:

If it had not been for him and his looney brexit camapign with all its false information. Britain would not be in the mess it is today

 

 

 

Is Britain in a mess today ?

 

 

If it is, it is because of decisions made before June 2016.

[Baerboxer]

3 hours ago, Jonnapat said:

Britain's "face to the world' as Foreign Secretary. Would be a joke if not so embarrassing.

This idiot wants to succeed May and join Trump in the world of the 'living loonies'.

It would appear that the worst is yet to come 

 

Yep. It's clear Barmy Boris thinks he's PM material - Eton, Oxbridge, London Mayor - bred for it!

 

What a choice that would be. Barmy Boris or Comrade Corbyn. Do you want to go back to the 70's sick man of Europe economy or the 19th century Victorian "values"

 

Vince Cable is beginning to look sensible!

[champers]

The Boris problem is all of Teresa May's own making. With a majority now dependant on the UDP, her opponents in the Tory party are lining up behind her with knives sharpened. Jacob Rees Mogg has become a dark horse as the next leader. Hammond is the boy wonder on the left of the party.

It's the Tory party conference soon and there will be much plotting and scheming against her.

[dunroaming]

2 minutes ago, champers said:

The Boris problem is all of Teresa May's own making. With a majority now dependant on the UDP, her opponents in the Tory party are lining up behind her with knives sharpened. Jacob Rees Mogg has become a dark horse as the next leader. Hammond is the boy wonder on the left of the party.

It's the Tory party conference soon and there will be much plotting and scheming against her.

I think that is right, it was bizarre and stupid for May to make Johnson foreign secretary.  Her whole Prime Ministership has been one cock-up after another.  The referendum was all about political power play with the public as the pawns.  Since then it has been a series of meltdowns and embarrassments for all sides.  This must be the most chaotic mess in British politics on record with no silver linings in sight.

[tryasimight]

12 hours ago, KKr said:

Without opining on the essence of his writing, it seems Mr. Johnson forgets that being a Government Minister is not the same as being a Journalist.
As a Journalist, he can challenge or provoke whoever he wants based on facts he has received and verified.
But kickstarting the next election like this, neither a show of solidarity, nor a show of respect for the electorate, and certainly not a show of being a responsible politician.
Maybe, instead of a big leader, he wants to be a big follower of the overseas person with the same hairdresser.


 

Kim Jong Il?

[ilostmypassword]

12 hours ago, KKr said:

Without opining on the essence of his writing, it seems Mr. Johnson forgets that being a Government Minister is not the same as being a Journalist.
As a Journalist, he can challenge or provoke whoever he wants based on facts he has received and verified.
But kickstarting the next election like this, neither a show of solidarity, nor a show of respect for the electorate, and certainly not a show of being a responsible politician.
Maybe, instead of a big leader, he wants to be a big follower of the overseas person with the same hairdresser.


 

2 minutes ago, tryasimight said:

Kim Jong Il?

 

He wants to be a zombie?

[tryasimight]

10 minutes ago, ilostmypassword said:

 

He wants to be a zombie?

Boris or Il?

[baboon]

13 hours ago, Jonnapat said:

Britain's "face to the world' as Foreign Secretary. Would be a joke if not so embarrassing.

This idiot wants to succeed May and join Trump in the world of the 'living loonies'.

It would appear that the worst is yet to come 

Indeed. Boris Johnson is all about looking after Boris Johnson. The man is filth and why more people do not recognise him for the scoundrel that he is is beyond me.

That said he has some serious competition...

[ilostmypassword]

7 hours ago, tryasimight said:

Boris or Il?

To use the data supplied by your post, it would have to Boris Johnson since Kim Jong Il would already be a dead man walking.

[Scott]

Inflammatory post reported and removed along with reply.  

[chrissables]

19 hours ago, gamini said:

If it had not been for him and his looney brexit camapign with all its false information. Britain would not be in the mess it is today

all its false information

 

Please elaborate. 

[Bundooman]

On ‎9‎/‎18‎/‎2017 at 12:38 PM, Jerry787 said:

let them brits get the kick of britexit, once they will savour it, thye will beg to be back

So you aren't a "Brit" then. Therefore we "Brits" can thank our lucky stars that you are not one of us in your sneeringly immature anti-British comment. And no, we won't be begging to get back in, thank you very much!

 

We've had enough of European corruption and power grabbing, self important non-elected 'officials' telling us what to do. We are fed up with the begging bowl Italians and Greeks. We see that there will be another round of handouts to them very soon. Spain is in turmoil and will soon also be begging for handouts.  Germany and France want everything their own way. Well, we've sorted their mess out twice. In fact, we've been sorting France out for a thousand years. They never learn. 

We want out. Get the drift Pal? 

[KKr]

19 hours ago, tryasimight said:

Kim Jong Il?

 

19 hours ago, ilostmypassword said:

 

He wants to be a zombie?

Leader Kim has a different hairdresser for sure
image courtesy: cyberboris.wordpress.com/