To think that a personality cult has developed around Boris Johnson?

[Applejaxx]

I know this sounds completley ridiculous but have a quick look around social media and in particular Twitter, and you will see a disturbing number of people with lots of union flags in their twitter handle name who effectively think that the sun shines out of his arse, that he can do no wrong and that any justifiable criticism of his or his governments handling of the current crisis is part of a massive 'leftie' conspiracy against him.

They are terrified of 'lefties's and 'liberals' and think all of the media are out to get Boris and his government, it is just bat shit. Its not just Twitter either, I had to unfriend someone on Facebook after they told me that I should 'show Boris some fucking respect' a few weeks ago. This was after I'd shared something criticising his handling of the pandemic. Thankfully it was somone I don't really know that well and never have to see again, but still!

If im honest it all a bit disturbing. Its reminscent of a personality cult IMO, 'how dare you disrespect our glorious leader'.

Noris Johnson

Sadiq Khan doesn’t have anything to do with it.

I have a friend, a dyed-in-the-wool Tory, who has a fair bit to do with the London Mayor as part of his job. As time went on he lost more and more respect for Boris Johnson. He thinks Sadiq Khan is better in every way. Just an anecdote, but quite interesting.

I know this sounds completley ridiculous but have a quick look around social media and in particular Twitter...
@Applejaxx If you are taking Twitter as representative of the country at large then you are very much misguided.

As far as I'm aware there hasn't yet been a fan club singing "Oh, Boris Johnson" at the party conference, let alone at music festivals so suggestions that there is some kind of cult are rather wide of the mark.

Oh dear, have I hit a raw nerve derxa and koshkat?

Its true and most intelligent people know it.

DdraigGoch ahh there you go, once again a another mention of Corbyn. Its like Tory Top Trumps isnt it? He's gone, get the fuck over it!

And quite frankly its embarassing seeing a Welsh person fawning over Bojo.

Oh dear, have I hit a raw nerve derxa and koshkat?
Its true and most intelligent people know it

Pathetic.

It’s astounding that people don’t realise how much they’re being manipulated and lied to, and how much of Johnson’s good natured, cheeky chappy buffoon image is faked.

I’ve seen comments from people saying they’ve liked him since he got stuck on a zipline “oh Boris!! That kind of thing could only happen to good old Boris!” Do people really not realise the zipline incident was deliberately staged as a PR stunt purely to get press and emphasise the loveable buffoon image?

The real Johnson is a furious abusive tyrant. If any of you ever saw him having a screaming meltdown at his staff you wouldn’t think he was a loveable buffoon.

And you wonder why people deserted the left in droves? Your superiority and condescension is asolutely appalling. And it does you no favours whatsoever.

absolutely

Yep raw nerve Koshkat

Koshkat ahh 'the left' once again, another much parroted phrase from you lot. Maybe try and think for yourself instead of just reading from the Tory/right wing nutter script? You are all like stuck records, 'Corbyn, momentum, the left, lefties Labour' the same nonsense over and over again.

Everyone famous has a cult. Even murderers. I just don’t get people who turn to public forums to discuss stuff like this. There’s no question, it’s just your rambling thoughts. I gave these conversations with people I work with or my friends or family. Why would you be interested in what a load of strangers think.

StoneofDestiny
What has Sadiq Khan have to do with any of this?

Your copy and paste quite clearly says;

"Earlier this year Johnson successor, Sadiq Khan, brought to an end another of Johnson’s failed projects" ...

Plus Sadiq Khan has some responsibility for the Garden Bridge - the article in the Architects' Journal says he backed the project for a year;

"Khan claimed shortly after his election that while cancelling the bridge would cost taxpayers £37.7 million ‘for no benefit at all’, completing it would mean ‘our loan is repaid in full then the ultimate cost to taxpayers will be under half that cost at £18 million."

"Khan continued to make this financial argument for 11 months in the face of the project’s spiralling budget as well as strong political opposition to the Garden Bridge from many in his own party." "Eventually Margaret Hodge’s excoriating report prompted the mayor to withdraw his support in April 2017."

The real Johnson is a furious abusive tyrant. If any of you ever saw him having a screaming meltdown at his staff you wouldn’t think he was a loveable buffoon.

I remember during the Brexit crisis seeing him rant at Jeremy Corbyn across the house and it was pure narcissistic rage. The mask well and truely slipped then.

Of course most of his fanboys and fangirls probably never watch PMQ's, and even if they did it would probably be all Corbyn's fault like it always was and continues to be if this thread is anything to by.

Can anyone here who supports Boris Johnson list the qualities that, in your view, make him a good Prime Minister?

He's good at winning elections.

He needs to win another one before he claims to being good at winning elections. Thatcher was, Blair was.

He needs to win another one before he claims to being good at winning elections.Thatcher was, Blair was.

Although he did win a second election as London Mayor.
Economic recession after Coronavirus might be a problem for him though.

Ken Livingstone also won two elections as Mayor. So the default option probably.

Economic recession - that's just tough - Johnson has to take the rough with the smooth. If he can't be bothered, he can always stand down.

What’s the betting the Tories have a new leader before the next election?

@Alsohuman

Yes it's very possible that could happen, especially if the UK does turn out to have the highest death rate in Europe. Jeremy Hunt has certainly been openly critical of the failure to ramp up testing. And the Tory party are ruthless when it comes to deposing leaders that are seen as likely to be a liability at the poles. Thatcher's downfall shows this.

However, it's hard to see which Tory politician might be in a position to stand against him in the near future. Hunt would be a possibility, as he hasn't been in the Cabinet during the COVID-19 fiasco.

As a Londoner I have no time for either Johnson or Khan. Both appalling Mayors. We're unfortunately now stuck with Khan for another year.

The Jeremy Hunt who ignored and buried the findings of Exercise Cygnus Mittens? If I had to place a bet on the next leader now my money would be on Sunak, but a lot can change in four years.

When Maggie Thatcher was defenestrated, who thought that Major rather than Heseltine would win?

Yes I know he actually has done a lot wrong too, I'm not a Tory myself and am not supporting him. I'm talking about who Tory party members might vote for. It isn't a general election, after all, sadly.
Sunak is a possibility, but he's too new at the moment.

Actually it was always likely that either Major or Hurd would overtake Heseltine in the second ballot when second preferences were taken into account. The general public just didn't know Major well, as he had only been in the Cabinet for a short period of time.

@Applejaxx where exactly was I "fawning"? I simply pointed out that Twitter is not representative of the population at large.

Posters have made comparisons with Tony Blair and Margaret Thatcher, why can't a comparison be made with someone who had a more of an adulating fan club than any leader of a major party in recent history?

A previous poster was right, you're just after an echo chamber.