UK General Discussion:The Rt. Hon Alex Boris de Pfeffel Johnson, Populist Hero

[Geoffrey Howe]

Could someone explain the details of the Owen Paterson case? All I've read is Charles Moore's article in the Torygraph, which naturally makes Paterson look sympathetic and the whole affair absurd, but I imagine it's a little more nuanced than that.

[Geoffrey Howe]

Even The Times was scathing today. It's a long time since I've seen The Times scathing of the Conservative Party.

[Geoffrey Howe]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-59188972

John Major scathing - the Johnson government is "perhaps politically corrupt." He also says that he tried to tackle the 1990s cash-for-questions/"sleaze" where Johnson is trying to defend this.

[Geoffrey Howe]

In the 1990s, Labour was in a much better position though to capitalise on all this.

The strongest way to capitalise now is to keep saying ‘11 years in government… instead of fixing x they’re protecting their rich mates’.

I agree about the first part, but the second...when has Labour not been saying that?

[Geoffrey Howe]

Can't you just imagine Trump saying these lines in that strange intonation of his?

"Peppa Pig World is very much my kind of place: It has very safe streets, discipline in schools..."

[Geoffrey Howe]

For the amusement of all, below is the Sunday Telegraph's 1997 endorsement and accompanying article from one Dominic Lawson. They stayed very loyal - hardly a hint of dissatisfaction; it does not read like a reluctant endorsement. Who knows what they'll say next time.

The newspaper was clearly of a higher quality back then; but there was the slightly desperate ranting tone and somewhat overwrought moral anger which so characterises it today. (I can well imagine the grumpy retiree in the shires nodding along with almost indignant approval.)



_{Sourced from the Telegraph archive. I don't think there are any copyright issues, but please point out if so.}

[Geoffrey Howe]

As someone who has not paid attention, can someone give me a run down of how and why Boris Johnson became so unpopular so fast?

The things which made him inexplicably endearing to many - his incompetence, his buffoonery, his disrespect for Parliament and the electorate - have finally become an unquestionable hindrance. Plus lots of COVID scandals (ministers breaking rules at Christmas and so on), the botched attempt to rescue Owen Paterson (former MP for North Shropshire) by changing House of Commons procedures, stalling economy, anger on the Right and in the Tory press, a sense that the Tories have outlived their stay; corrupt, no confidence in their leader etc. etc.