To not believe Boris Johnson at all and think he's a ringer

[Lanark2]

I don't feel that Boris J is at all convincing in his new anti Europe stance. I think he's a ringer that will go down in the last round/ make the anti campaign seem weak to help DC win?

Can you imagine Prime Minister BoJo and President Trump!?

Dear oh Dear

The thought is horrific

Sometimes they can be truly infuriating – like the time I discovered, in 2013, that there was nothing we could do to bring in better-designed cab windows for trucks, to stop cyclists being crushed. It had to be done at a European level, and the French were opposed

^ interesting

and this

Above all, we will be told that whatever the democratic deficiencies, we would be better off remaining in because of the “influence” we have. This is less and less persuasive to me. Only 4 per cent of people running the Commission are UK nationals, when Britain contains 12 per cent of the EU population. It is not clear why the Commission should be best placed to know the needs of UK business and industry, rather than the myriad officials at UK Trade & Investment or the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

^ bizarre.

Op interesting thoughts here! Great thread.

I must admit I have never got the Boris thing, what is the child, was it conceived in a cupboard? I am not wowed by him at all, I don't understand the pull, however if we stay in Europe surely its political suicide for him?

Interesting thoughts on Cameron's stance too...I wouldn't be at all surprised if he votes OUT in the privacy of his voting station!

sorry above quotes from that article PP posted from Boris.

Boris is a lot cleverer than the buffoon act presents him to be.

But he's also a lot less clever than he quietly thinks he is.

That's the thing. He's used to exceeding people's expectations by lowering them first. If he weren't doing that... well, he'd just be bumping along the middle of the road for all to see, mystical powers rather mundane in the sunlight.

sea

I have just spat my tea out ( MN first for me) reading this

"And the media had it in for him and so positively jumped on that opportunity to publish the bacon sandwich photo. You would have hoped that the public could see past their manipulations [and realise that how a man ate a sandwich did not reflect in any way his leadership capabilities but hey ho]"

I think the voting public are far better than making a judgement on how a man eats his bacon sarnie, but this post shows the typical contempt Labour elite has for the masses....who dont know whats good for them.

The scariest press article I read about BJ was from his Mum, she claims to be from a Labour family and that her husband and children psychologically abused her. I believe her.

I read that this is part of Boris' big plan to become Leader of the Tories: by setting himself up as the de facto head of the "No" vote within the party he gains the support of the euro-sceptic party members. If they win it's brilliant for him, if they lose it's "Oh well at least he tried" and he's guaranteed their support when the leadership election takes place.

I think Boris has had a long hard look at the general attitude to Europe within the Tory party and has concluded that his best opportunity to become leader of the Conservatives and PM is by backing the OUT campaign.
Boris never does anything that isn't ultimately advantageous for Boris.

^^ This

David Cameron's position as leader of the Tory party will be untenable if he loses the referendum. Aside from the point that he has already stated an intent not to contest a 3rd election.
Boris is positioning himself now imo. Even if the UK remains within the EU, it won't count against him in the same way as disgruntled Conservatives will still cleave to him / others will perceive him as being hard on Europe so it's a win win scenario for him.

yy to this being about Boris, rather than about Europe

he has no hope of gradually working his way through increasingly more senior government posts, as he would never avoid being sacked for long enough (sacked by the Times, the Spectator, the front bench last time he made it that far)

so this is his best shot for PM

I am troubled my how many posters on this thread like Boris. You have no idea how much he hates you, and that's why he's so dangerous.

It's incredibly naive to think BJ is a ringer, or to regard him as anything other than a ruthless self-serving manipulator whose aim is to become PM and destroy DC in the process. The bumbling buffoon is a well-rehearsed act, designed to make people think he's harmless and likable. It also means things in his personal life which would destroy others' reputations and careers he will get away with, cos he's bumbly old Boris. It's very clever.

I think we shouldn't be distracted by personalities, and focus on the real reasons why we should leave or stay.

BJ is one of the canniest politicians I've ever seen in operation. The bumbling is all a very clever strategy, designed to deflect, distract and make him seem likeable and harmless. In reality he is very savvy, ruthless and ambitious and will do whatever he thinks will put him in the top spot. I hate how even die-hard Labour supporters go "ooh, but I have a soft spot for Boris" without thinking. Good to see so many people on here see through it!

thebiscuitindustry you are absolutely right. I wonder how this would be playing out had it been someone less - errrr - 'colourful' than Boris. Anyway - some great comments above.
Remember that old Chinese curse about 'May you live in interesting times.........'. Yeah. That.

Boris "Oh cripes, what really? Me? PM? Oh well, I suppose I could give it a go, for the good of the Nation of course"

There are European parliament elections at the same intervals as we have elections to the UK parliament.

boredofusername The European Parliament is directly elected, but the Commission is not.

The Commission propose legislation, enforce European law, set objectives and priorities for action, manage and implement EU policies and the budget, and represent the Union outside Europe (e.g. negotiating trade agreements between the EU and other countries).

Info from ec.europa.eu/about/index_en.htm

I think we shouldn't be distracted by personalities, and focus on the real reasons why we should leave or stay.

This.

Although the OP of this thread (among all the threads) was about Boris himself rather than the EU, so fair do-s to discuss him on it.

Boris is clever. He knows the EU vote will be very close and that he can potentially tip voters over to his side thus scoring a landmark victory and changing the course of modern history. We're watching history in the making.

We're watching history in the making.
We really are.
This is a major moment.

I think he's a twit. A clever twit. I believe he is ambitious and he may see this as a way to be PM.
But I believe he is sincere on his views on EU. And I agree with a reasonable amount of what he says on Europe. How can you not?

If you watch Boris outside his house yesterday, like many in the UK, his body language gave him away he nods his head when telling the truth and shakes it when telling lies, use that knowledge and decide.

The sun newspaper loves boris...

They will follow him/he will follow them...

I think Boris is a twat.

I read the Telegraph article someone linked to above and did the survey - 65% of people said that Boris's decision to join the Leave campaign influenced their decision to vote Leave. I was stunned - why does his decision make so much difference to people? Is he that popular?