Has anyone worked with Boris? What’s he really like?

[Fleetheart]

Surely he can’t be that bad??? Everyone seems to think he’s a complete tosser (me included), so how is he so popular? Does anyone know the truth?

[TheSpottedZebra]

Nope. But I worked with Priti Patel, and she lies as easily as she breathes. She's also utterly incompetent.
Incredibly self-serving.

Am dismayed to see her wheedling back closer to power.

[WorkingItOutAsIGo]

My friend did and I think liked him but did note he tried to push in the front of the lunch queue in the canteen. That’s all the information I need to know he’s a bad ‘un.

[MummyBogle]

Me. Great fun if you're of near equal status. If you're of the 'lower orders', he wouldn't spit on you if you were on fire. I'm really frightened about the prospect of him as PM.

[Fleetheart]

@mummybogle; that’s exactly how he comes across! One of the Eton posh boys - great fun and irreverent if you’re in the club; look down on you if you’re an oik. Not a good omen for most of us oiks in the UK

[Ohyesiam]

He’s popular because liars with big blond hair are what people seem to want from country leaders at the moment.

[Helpmyfamily101]

Behind closed doors he's actually really grumpy. Clever, not the buffoon he makes out to be. Arrogant, the comment about only caring for his equals is spot on. Problem is, he doesn't view anyone else as his equal. I couldn't stand him. The best thing about him not being London's mayor was not having to be nice about him anymore and the prospect of him as PM terrifies me. (ex employee of one the GLA's functional bodies)

[flingingmelon]

DH used to work with him occasionally. Apparently he has a short attention span and isn't interested in the details.

BUT he is excellent at delegating to experts that will work through all that on his behalf and he will listen to people who know more than he does.

This was MoL days so who knows now 🤷🏻‍♀️

[cardibach]

He didn’t listen to the people who (presumably) advised him that water cannon would be illegal though, did he?

[VenusClapTrap]

Friend of mine worked for him. Said he was very charming but caused massive problems for everybody in their office through total incompetency.

[longwayoff]

Anyone seen a £34m bridge lying around.? Can't seem to find it although the money was spent.

[easterholidays]

I worked for him for about two years when he was mayor of London. He had zero interest in the actual work, which honestly suited us quite well because it meant that the people with actual competence and experience could get on with doing their jobs, but I wouldn't put him in charge of a parish council, let alone a country. His focus is 100% on Boris.

[StoneofDestiny]

He is out for himself - his interest in you is only about how much you can do for him. He is not a grafter, he leaves the work to others. Sees himself as a born leader, it's really not a joke about comparing himself to Churchill. Wouldn't trust him as far as I could throw him and Trump combined - he really knows he can get away with anything as the public are 'clueless plebs'.

[AndNoneForGretchenWieners]

Not Boris, but I worked with Michael Gove. He has beautiful manners and a brilliant memory for faces and names, but a zealot's view of public policy - his way is right and he doesn't like facts that get in the way of his opinions. He also has a disappointingly weak and clammy handshake.

[Fleetheart]

It’s a funny old world but I would almost rather Michael Gove than Boris; at least he’s a hard worker who has proved himself through merit rather than through upper class birth and upbringing. Everything people are saying about Boris is just as expected and so not feeling reassured ☹️

[pineapplebryanbrown]

Do his dark roots ever show?

[KatherineJaneway]

My friend worked for him, very clever and astute apparently. Not the bumbling buffon he portrays.

[pineapplebryanbrown]

My father once rather cryptically said to me "never trust a man with blonde eyebrows" clearly very prescient of him.

[SuePerbly]

My DP has worked quite closely with him when he was MoL.

In short, he says Boris is a dangerous sociopath. He is incredibly clever, the "harmless buffoon" act is just that. He starts projects and gets bored so everyone else has to do the work. He is crap with details. I think the word "cunt" may have been used.

[TinselTimes]

He’s very clever, but not interested in details, doesn’t check his facts before he speaks and is casually disdainful of people who aren’t “in the club”.

That’s a dangerous combination in a prime minister, where he could say something off the top of his head that is actually very controversial/offensive. I can imagine him tweeting something stupid and starting a small war by accident.

In person he’s charming and funny, at least if he thinks you’re posh like him or that you can be useful to him or might shag him. I’d say he has no genuine interest in people at all, just in Boris.

[TinselTimes]

Yes I’d agree with the poster above - he’s a charming sociopath, who believes he is destined to rule.

[travellinglighter]

It’s terrifying. I thought this country could never elect our own Donald trump and we didn’t but we got one anyway.

[supermodel]

Know someone who did who said he is not very bright at all.

[pineapplebryanbrown]

But the hair?! Is it dyed?

[RandomlyChosenName]

I don't understand why there are so many Conservative MPs who either have no awareness of what he's like or don't care.

[Fleetheart]

Neither do I, Randomly, I think the Westminster bubble is really closing in on itself; they see him as the celebrity who is well known enough to win the next election and hence they are feathering their own nests.