Boris Johnson Finally Gets His Comeuppance
In the U.K., there’s a bit of an unwritten rule among politicians, one that says you should never call an election unless you’re certain that you can win it; otherwise, you risk losing power and giving your opponents the upper hand. Former Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson, however, decided to ignore this unspoken rule when he called an election in June 2017, despite polling showing that his Conservative Party was likely to lose seats to Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn’s opposition party.
The Problem with Boris
According to The Guardian, Boris’ former deputy mayor for policing and crime, Kit Malthouse, claims that London is a more dangerous city than New York. Earlier today he said There are very good reasons why overall New York has a lower crime rate – better policing methods, more effective use of stop and search. According to 2016 statistics from London Metropolitan Police, there were 19 homicides in New York City compared with 116 in London during 2016.
The Results
Following a week of drama that saw Boris Johnson’s two challengers strike deals with one another—both in a bid to challenge him for the Conservative Party leadership and, therefore, position themselves as his potential successor—it was time for Britons to cast their votes. The results were resounding: Johnson finished in third place behind Jeremy Hunt (42%) and Michael Gove (39%).
What Happens Next?
The Liberal Democrats have been resoundingly rejecting Boris Johnson’s Brexit plans, but what happens next? The prime minister has until October 19 to pass a new deal through parliament or face a general election.
A Man Without a Party
A few weeks ago, Boris Johnson resigned from Theresa May’s government and consequently from his position as foreign secretary. On Wednesday, in a move that surprised pretty much no one except perhaps Boris himself, he was kicked out of Parliament altogether. He’s now a backbencher—an MP without a party to call home, and definitely without anyone to run him home when he gets drunk at parties.
Forlorn Tories Start to Feel Cheated
The feckless Boris Johnson is back in office. But instead of making amends with those who voted him out, he’s trashing them and planning more projects to destabilize his own party. It seems Tories have only just begun to feel cheated.
The PM Who Never Was
This time last year, Boris Johnson’s cabinet career was hanging by a thread. But an unexpected Conservative election victory has given him a reprieve – and potentially set Britain on course for Brexit catastrophe. It’s not just that he is currently keeping Theresa May in office: his erratic leadership style risks derailing Brexit altogether. If there is any hope of preventing such calamity, our political leaders must stand up to Boris at once. For years, Boris Johnson has been seen as untouchable.