UK's May signals foreign minister Johnson could be sacked

[webfact]

UK's May signals foreign minister Johnson could be sacked

By Paul Sandle

 

Britain's Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson walks to the main hall on the final day of the Conservative Party Conference in Manchester, Britain October 4, 2017. REUTERS/Hannah McKay

 

LONDON (Reuters) - British Prime Minister Theresa May has signalled that she could sack Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson, a Sunday newspaper said, as she tries to reassert her authority after a series of political disasters.

 

The Sunday Times said it asked May about her plans for Johnson, who has professed loyalty but is accused by some of the prime minister's allies of undermining her by putting forward his own vision for Britain's exit from the European Union.

 

"It has never been my style to hide from a challenge and I'm not going to start now," it quoted May as replying, in what it called a signal that she was prepared to bring in new ministers to her cabinet and axe those who had caused her problems.

 

"I'm the PM, and part of my job is to make sure I always have the best people in my cabinet, to make the most of the wealth of talent available to me in the party."

 

May has seen her authority over her Conservative Party erode since she called a snap election in June in which she lost her majority in parliament.

 

Johnson, seen as a potential successor to May, said that Conservative lawmakers pushing to unseat her were "nutters", adding that a change would lead to demands for another election that could bring a resurgent Labour party back to power.

 

"Are we really going to be stampeded myopically over the edge of the gorge, with an election that no one wants?" he said in the Sunday Telegraph.

 

Johnson wrote a newspaper article last month outlining his vision of Brexit just days before May made a major speech on the subject.

 

While professing loyalty, his interventions have been seen as undermining May and causing unnecessary unrest ahead of the party's conference last week that culminated in a disastrous speech by the prime minister, marred by a coughing fit and letters falling off the slogan on the set behind her.

 

Johnson made a plea for loyalty with a typical rhetorical flourish on Sunday.

 

"'Quo quo scelesti ruitis?', as Horace put it at the beginning of a fresh bout of Rome's ghastly civil wars, and which roughly translates as: "What do you think you are doing you nutters?"

 

GONE BY CHRISTMAS?

 

On Friday, former Conservative Party chairman Grant Shapps said he had garnered the support of 30 lawmakers who wanted to remove May from the party leadership, short of the number needed to launch a formal challenge. [nL8N1MI06W]

 

Former Prime Minister John Major said he was increasingly dismayed by the plotting in the party by those driven by their own personal agenda.

 

"The country has had enough of the self-absorbed and, frankly, disloyal behaviour we have witnessed over recent weeks," he said in the Mail on Sunday.

 

The speculation about May's position comes ahead of crucial Brexit talks between Britain and the EU, and the political uncertainty has led to growing concern that no deal would be agreed by March 2019 when Britain leaves the bloc.

[nL8N1MI06W]

 

Britain's Sunday newspapers were brimming with briefings from unnamed Conservative figures suggesting May's days in Downing Street were numbered.

 

The Sunday Times said three cabinet ministers had discussed the need to replace May.

 

"It's a 'when' question now," one of the unnamed ministers told the paper. "It feels to me that this is over before Christmas."

 

A fourth minister was quoted as saying there needed to be an orderly transition to a new leader and there was no prospect of May being in charge for the next election due in 2022.

 

The Observer newspaper said unnamed senior Conservative figures said while May had no long-term future they were pressing her to shake up her team, hoping new blood would re-energise the party as well as frustrate Johnson's ambitions.

 

(Additional reporting by Michael Holden; Editing by Peter Graff and Keith Weir)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2017-10-09

 

[nausea]

I can do no better than quote the venerable Rooster59 to sum up my feelings on this continuing debacle, or fiasco, or whatever you want to call it:

 

" ...  the UK – yes, you’d need to be mad to want to live in that nuthouse where a PM’s sore throat and a few letters falling off a backdrop resulted in the beleaguered pound handing back most of its recent baht gains."

[terryw]

This is a Remoaner newspaper trying to get Boris sacked. Hammond is the Minister who should be sacked.

 

He is Remoaner in chief, a typical tax and spend Chancellor with no idea

how to use finance to devlop growth in the economy.

[Jack Mountain]

A longread for a rainy day from a Dutch guy (freelance journalist) about Brexit. https://www.prospectmagazine.co.uk/magazine/how-i-learnt-to-loathe-england

[DoctorG]

I doubt Boris could be worse than her.

[RuamRudy]

1 hour ago, DoctorG said:

I doubt Boris could be worse than her.

Not just Johnson, there are so many unpalatable creatures lurking in the background, sharpening their knives and waiting for the right moment to strike a blow.

[Gandtee]

Et tu Brutus?

 

[Grouse]

3 minutes ago, Gandtee said:

Et tu Brutus?

 

Brute!

[dunroaming]

I think if May was going to sack Boris it would have happened by now.  She is walking a tightrope with little real support.  The question is who would want to pick up the baton at the moment?  Any replacement for May still faces the same nightmare scenario.  Johnson is much too cavalier and I suspect the others see the premiership as a poisoned challenge.

 

The problems with trying to negotiate with a hostile EU remain and if the PM (whoever that might be) tries the  hard ball route and the UK leaves with no deal that would cause an economic meltdown.  That is a view held by the economists, businesses and banks.  If the PM accepts that there will still be free movement of people and that the UK will continue paying into the EU without a voice at the table then they will be seen to have failed the Brexit voters and be a weak leader.

 

There needs to be some sort of middle ground that would soften the wounds that are inevitable with this chaotic Brexit.  Johnson can't do that and nor, it appears, can May.  Isn't it time to consider a new cross party team of negotiators and kick Davis into touch?

[aright]

52 minutes ago, Grouse said:

Brute!

Great After-Shave

[citybiker]

I’d be very surprised if Boris was sacked, much in the same way of dealing with trouble maker Hammond.

Internal turmoil, from either a remainer or leaver must be kept to the absolute minimum & not be allowed to distract from the primary Brexit Talks focus.

More media hot air than anything else.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[aright]

1 hour ago, dunroaming said:

 

 

There needs to be some sort of middle ground that would soften the wounds that are inevitable with this chaotic Brexit.  Johnson can't do that and nor, it appears, can May.  Isn't it time to consider a new cross party team of negotiators and kick Davis into touch?

We have tried the reasonable, middle ground approach and Barnier has ignored it. When people act in bad faith it is time to adopt a more aggressive approach. Bulldog spirit...no more appeasement.

I agree a new team of negotiators are needed. IMO Davis should be moved to Foreign secretary, a role to which he is more suited, and Boris Johnson, Jacob Rees -Mogg, and John Redwood should lead a new Negotiation Team. May should leave them with strict instructions that any sign of bad faith or prevarication will be met with us walking away from the table without paying the tab.

I would have Ben Stokes sitting on the bench 

 

Edited October 9, 2017 by aright

[nauseus]

1 hour ago, dunroaming said:

I think if May was going to sack Boris it would have happened by now.  She is walking a tightrope with little real support.  The question is who would want to pick up the baton at the moment?  Any replacement for May still faces the same nightmare scenario.  Johnson is much too cavalier and I suspect the others see the premiership as a poisoned challenge.

 

The problems with trying to negotiate with a hostile EU remain and if the PM (whoever that might be) tries the  hard ball route and the UK leaves with no deal that would cause an economic meltdown.  That is a view held by the economists, businesses and banks.  If the PM accepts that there will still be free movement of people and that the UK will continue paying into the EU without a voice at the table then they will be seen to have failed the Brexit voters and be a weak leader.

 

There needs to be some sort of middle ground that would soften the wounds that are inevitable with this chaotic Brexit.  Johnson can't do that and nor, it appears, can May.  Isn't it time to consider a new cross party team of negotiators and kick Davis into touch?

Kick Davis into touch and then what? We cannot know that he is not doing as well as anyone could be. From what DD says, it seems that he knows that any deal that might be struck will be at the last minute and only come about if the EU decides to finally stop with their ongoing and ever-evolving pre-conditions. How can there be real negotiations in this smelly atmosphere? The EU aim seems to be to punish the UK after all; it seems that they want to cow the naughty boy into giving over a whole bunch of cash or just giving up on leaving altogether.  

Edited October 9, 2017 by nauseus

[citybiker]

All were seeing is EU playing the political hardball.
Not prepared to compromise anywhere so in real terms unless the EU get a grip then it's not really called negotiations but take it or leave it attitude.

Hardly reasonable, constructive or progressive which is why I've zero sympathy for Brussels in the current climate.

Sent from my SM-A500FU using Tapatalk

[aright]

When are we going to wake up?

Our strongest hand is our fall back option "No Deal"

[oxo1947]

9 minutes ago, aright said:

Our strongest hand is our fall back option "No Deal"

 

[nauseus]

7 minutes ago, aright said:

When are we going to wake up?

Our strongest hand is our fall back option "No Deal"

Well they have to go through the motions of trying to get a deal. If not then the moaners will have a new moan to moan about! 

[citybiker]

The business world is terrified of a clean (hard) Brexit.

Some maybe Poorly prepared, complacent or they're continue model needs a realistic review either way all options need and must be exploited.

Lastly, it's be coming increasingly clear the EU is adamant on calling PMTM'S bluff on walking away.

Sent from my SM-A500FU using Tapatalk

[aright]

21 minutes ago, nauseus said:

Well they have to go through the motions of trying to get a deal. If not then the moaners will have a new moan to moan about! 

I agree we need to try and get a deal however we need to keep reminding them of our fall back option.

The European Commission have just announced "the ball is entirely in the UK court" when it comes to the next phase of Brexit.

That is a strong statement that we cannot ignore or sweep under the carpet. It needs an aggressive response  otherwise we are just supplicants.

[dunroaming]

I get it.  You guys all feel that the EU is being evasive and making it as hard as they can for the UK to leave with any up-sides.  And yes they are and they have never made a secret of their position. At the time of the referendum this was put down as scare mongering by the remain camp but in fact was accurate and that is what is happening now.  The Brexit boys said no way and that the EU needed us more than we needed them.  Seems a bit off the mark.

 

So here we are (again) with no progress, even though Davis said a week or two ago that the negotiations were progressing well.  The EU are waiting on the three things that need to be agreed before the real negotiations can start. May today will say that the ball is in the EU's court even though the EU have already said that the ball is in the UK's court.

 

It does seem that quite a few Brexiteers are happy to throw in the towel and walk away with no deal.  Maybe they can tell us how that will bring about an up-side?  Especially those ex-pats who will suffer a pound that will head seriously southwards.

[aright]

9 minutes ago, dunroaming said:

 

It does seem that quite a few Brexiteers are happy to throw in the towel and walk away with no deal.  Maybe they can tell us how that will bring about an up-side?  Especially those ex-pats who will suffer a pound that will head seriously southwards.

The upside and execution for Brexiteers has been discussed ad nauseam on this forum so no need to repeat ourselves.

You seem convinced the pound will head south and I am sure as a sensible man you will be exchanging your sterling savings into another currency now so you don't suffer any pain. its crucial when buying or selling the pound to analyse both the currencies, as the second currency will have an impact on your decision.

AS a matter of interest with or without savings what currency would you convert Sterling to, with reasons. 

[Briggsy]

12 hours ago, nausea said:

I can do no better than quote the venerable Rooster59 to sum up my feelings on this continuing debacle, or fiasco, or whatever you want to call it:

 

" ...  the UK – yes, you’d need to be mad to want to live in that nuthouse where a PM’s sore throat and a few letters falling off a backdrop resulted in the beleaguered pound handing back most of its recent baht gains."

I agree with Rooster59's sentiment but I must disagree with his facts. The drop in the pound was caused by poor productivity figures after poor growth figures strengthening the view any interest rate rise will be delayed.

 

Back on topic. May should go. May will not have the courage to fire Johnson. Maybe Boris will resign and mount another challenge for the leadership.  And yes, the papers are completely absorbed with the power dynamics and who said what within the Tory party. It is very superficial.

[dunroaming]

4 minutes ago, aright said:

The upside and execution for Brexiteers has been discussed ad nauseam on this forum so no need to repeat ourselves.

You seem convinced the pound will head south and I am sure as a sensible man you will be exchanging your sterling savings into another currency now so you don't suffer any pain. its crucial when buying or selling the pound to analyse both the currencies, as the second currency will have an impact on your decision.

AS a matter of interest with or without savings what currency would you convert Sterling to, with reasons. 

As soon as the results of Brexit were released I started to make plans to leave money in the currencies I am paid in rather than exchange them to sterling.  I am usually paid in three currencies, Euros, US dollars or pounds sterling.  I don't have any sterling savings or any other currency savings.  As far as money I use for payments, they are usually in US dollars or HK dollars.

 

Sometime in the future I hope to retire to a country in Europe so for now I will try to keep the Euros on one side.  Thanks to Trump and Brexit my business has suffered quite a lot.  Between you and me if I were into currency dealings I would be looking at the BRL.  How about you? 

[dunroaming]

11 minutes ago, Briggsy said:

And yes, the papers are completely absorbed with the power dynamics and who said what within the Tory party. It is very superficial.

Yes it is superficial but also very disruptive.  At a time when focus and unity is badly needed these distractions are making the UK look like a laughing stock.

[dunroaming]

25 minutes ago, aright said:

The upside and execution for Brexiteers has been discussed ad nauseam on this forum so no need to repeat ourselves.

I'll take that as a no response then 

[aright]

47 minutes ago, dunroaming said:

I'll take that as a no response then 

Correct! It's all been said before. Don't be lazy.

[aright]

55 minutes ago, dunroaming said:

 

 

Sometime in the future I hope to retire to a country in Europe so for now I will try to keep the Euros on one side.  Thanks to Trump and Brexit my business has suffered quite a lot.  Between you and me if I were into currency dealings I would be looking at the BRL.  How about you? 

I own two businesses in the UK, both run by my children. I have no day to day responsibilities for them anymore but constantly let my feelings be known as to how they should be run.  Both businesses  export to Germany and France and one exports to the USA as well. I take income in US$, British£ and Euros so have a choice as to what currency to use. I am in LOS next month and will likely use green backs to buy baht.

[nauseus]

2 hours ago, dunroaming said:

I get it.  You guys all feel that the EU is being evasive and making it as hard as they can for the UK to leave with any up-sides.  And yes they are and they have never made a secret of their position. At the time of the referendum this was put down as scare mongering by the remain camp but in fact was accurate and that is what is happening now.  The Brexit boys said no way and that the EU needed us more than we needed them.  Seems a bit off the mark.

 

So here we are (again) with no progress, even though Davis said a week or two ago that the negotiations were progressing well.  The EU are waiting on the three things that need to be agreed before the real negotiations can start. May today will say that the ball is in the EU's court even though the EU have already said that the ball is in the UK's court.

 

It does seem that quite a few Brexiteers are happy to throw in the towel and walk away with no deal.  Maybe they can tell us how that will bring about an up-side?  Especially those ex-pats who will suffer a pound that will head seriously southwards.

A50 only mentions negotiations - not just one side setting demands at the outset - this attitude can't produce a good result. A sensible agreement is preferable and practically best for both sides. The prospect of a zero or bad deal does not make me happy. The plight of expat finances is a small inset of the whole picture.

Edited October 9, 2017 by nauseus

[dunroaming]

1 hour ago, aright said:

I own two businesses in the UK, both run by my children. I have no day to day responsibilities for them anymore but constantly let my feelings be known as to how they should be run.  Both businesses  export to Germany and France and one exports to the USA as well. I take income in US$, British£ and Euros so have a choice as to what currency to use. I am in LOS next month and will likely use green backs to buy baht.

We clearly have similarities in business.  Historically I have always used US  dollars in countries in South East Asia (apart from China and Thailand).   

[dunroaming]

1 hour ago, nauseus said:

A50 only mentions negotiations - not just one side setting demands at the outset - this attitude can't produce a good result. A sensible agreement is preferable and practically best for both sides.

I agree but what each side feels is preferable is not reciprocated.  Yes the EU set down their demands and it is up to the UK to respond to those demands. That is the way negotiations usually start.  Britain will want concessions to those demands and the EU will want something in return for those concessions. Before that the EU want three issues resolving and the UK wants them to be negotiated along side trade deals.  The UK says that the ball is in the EU's court and the EU say the opposite.  I think that is called stale mate.