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poliphiloBoris Johnson.
20th century Prime ministers have mostly regarded respectability- or the pretence of respectability- as part of the job description. The elevation of Johnson shows that this is no longer the case. I find this refreshing.
The recent PMs he most resembles are LLoyd George, Winston Churchill- and that crafty bugger Harold Wilson. They were all rogues- but they left behind a fairer name than many who weren't.
Johnson's trade- away from politics- is journalism. It's on the record that he got himself sacked from any early job for making things up. Still, I'd much rather be ruled by a journalist than a banker or a lawyer. None of these trades have any necessary connection to morality but at least journalists have wide experience of life and can turn a phrase.
He has written books- and all the signs are that he reads them too. He will be our most literate PM in decades.
I doubt he has any principles but this is not necessarily a bad thing in a politician. Leaders who think of themselves as instruments of God or Destiny are a menace. There are plenty of dodgy things on his CV but nothing as cold-bloodedly inhuman as Theresa May's "culture of hostility" at the Home Office.
I don't hate the man- or even dislike him- because what would be the point? I don't see he's a better or worse choice than any of the other people we might have had- because they're all politicians. The situation he inherits destroyed his predecessor; his party is in melt-down; he might not last long. If he can bring any sort of order out of all this chaos he'll deserve to survive.
20th century Prime ministers have mostly regarded respectability- or the pretence of respectability- as part of the job description. The elevation of Johnson shows that this is no longer the case. I find this refreshing.
The recent PMs he most resembles are LLoyd George, Winston Churchill- and that crafty bugger Harold Wilson. They were all rogues- but they left behind a fairer name than many who weren't.
Johnson's trade- away from politics- is journalism. It's on the record that he got himself sacked from any early job for making things up. Still, I'd much rather be ruled by a journalist than a banker or a lawyer. None of these trades have any necessary connection to morality but at least journalists have wide experience of life and can turn a phrase.
He has written books- and all the signs are that he reads them too. He will be our most literate PM in decades.
I doubt he has any principles but this is not necessarily a bad thing in a politician. Leaders who think of themselves as instruments of God or Destiny are a menace. There are plenty of dodgy things on his CV but nothing as cold-bloodedly inhuman as Theresa May's "culture of hostility" at the Home Office.
I don't hate the man- or even dislike him- because what would be the point? I don't see he's a better or worse choice than any of the other people we might have had- because they're all politicians. The situation he inherits destroyed his predecessor; his party is in melt-down; he might not last long. If he can bring any sort of order out of all this chaos he'll deserve to survive.
no subject
Date: 2019-07-24 12:29 pm (UTC)On the plus side, he's also utterly lazy and indecisive............
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Date: 2019-07-24 02:33 pm (UTC)I wouldn't have voted for him, but the I wouldn't have voted for Hunt either.
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Date: 2019-07-24 03:17 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2019-07-24 03:30 pm (UTC)Never mind. It looks quite likely that Johnson will lose his majority and have to call an early General Election.