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AIBU?

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Original poster

Worst in Living Memory?

641 replies

ElephantWhaleRabbit · 21/12/2020 13:45

Maybe it’s because we’re all caught up in everything right now, but AIBU to think Boris Johnson the worst Prime Minister in living memory? I mean, which of the former PMs, wouldn’t you swap in for him? Or is he just a victim of a bad set of circumstances?

OP posts:
Kendodd · 23/12/2020 11:49

Knowing BJ as we do now I'm surprised he hasn't just lied and said he was at all the COBRA meeting. His followers would believe him even if he'd been sitting with them in their own house at the time.

DecemberDiana · 23/12/2020 11:50

He is more Bertie Wooster than Churchill isn't he.

WithGusto2 · 23/12/2020 11:52

@Kendodd read my post again....I said ‘wouldn’t have’ as in ‘who would not have’ not ‘who would have’ as in no one else could have done any better 🙄🙄🙄

Icebear99 · 23/12/2020 12:31

Boris isn't the worst, May was worse for trying to sell everyone a rubbish deal, Blair was worse with Iraq, Brown with the gold, really the list could go on. Brexit is rubbish but we're at the don't blink stage of it all as Macron is trying to look powerful whilst also being the most despised president since who knows when. Think it's all pants really as you can't compare them due to circumstances like the pandemic and politics is more global than it was even in Thatchers time.

nosswith · 23/12/2020 12:58

@jasjas1973 it concerns me that there are still 27% of people who think the government is OK or doing a good job. Other than Mr Johnson most of the cabinet have small families, not 27% of the population.

Kendodd · 23/12/2020 13:12

@Icebear99

What was so rubbish about May's deal?
I mean I know its rubbish compared to being in the EU, but other than that why so rubbish?

looseddaughter · 23/12/2020 13:16

Blair was worse with Iraq, Brown with the gold, really the list could go on. Brexit is rubbish but we're at the don't blink stage of it all

It's not a game and Brexit didn't just happen - Johnson is an architect of it dating from when he used to write lies about the EU when he was a journalist, all for a laugh as he really favoured it. The consequences of a hard or no deal Brexit will be real, appreciable and long-lasting for millions in this country. Comparing it to Brown and the gold, and even Iraq, is utterly ridiculous. And unlike Blair and Brown, there's nothing that Johnson can point to as a success to balance it out. Nothing.

Peregrina · 23/12/2020 13:22

You can imagine that if it was war Johnson, would actually be seen as Chamberlain - dithering and appeasing, and when things got serious be given the boot.

What is the point of a Government if they don't deal with the events which occur?

And let's not hear about how we couldn't do a better job - Johnson was desperate to be PM, so he needs to take the rough with the smooth.

Localocal · 23/12/2020 13:23

Tony Blair may be no more honest than BoJo the Clown, but he has triple BoJo's IQ. If he had been leader I am sure we would be in a better position right now. Give me a clever career politician over a posh celebrity any day.

OhWhyNot · 23/12/2020 13:37

Tony Blair also has the best spin doctor behind him

No one can quite match Alister Campbell’s pr he is a master at the job. Has even managed to somehow warm himself to the public in being honest and open about his mh issues. It’s not that I think he should not discuss this openly or that I disagree with him (I agree with him on many issues) it’s how he has managed to change people’s perceptions of him

ShatnersWig · 23/12/2020 13:44

As someone who has studied political history for 30 years, who has no allegiance to any party whatsoever, I believe Johnson to be the worst prime minister for at least 100 years.

VinylDetective · 23/12/2020 13:45

@OhWhyNot

Tony Blair also has the best spin doctor behind him

No one can quite match Alister Campbell’s pr he is a master at the job. Has even managed to somehow warm himself to the public in being honest and open about his mh issues. It’s not that I think he should not discuss this openly or that I disagree with him (I agree with him on many issues) it’s how he has managed to change people’s perceptions of him

Openness and honesty are sterling - and rare - qualities in a politician. It’s no surprise that a talented communications professional like Campbell knows this. This bloody awful government could do a lot worse than follow the excellent advice he’s offering them for nothing on his Twitter feed.
OhWhyNot · 23/12/2020 13:49

I agree they could

My point was not so much about his political stance but more how now the public’s perception of him is quite different that is his doing he has created this.

Boris has been very good at his own pr this persona that he presents has always won people over. I’m not sure if people are tired of it but come next election I think the public will want a change in the style of leadership

CaptainSandy · 23/12/2020 13:51

@Kendodd Rory Stewart was such a missed opportunity. Oh to have someone like him in charge instead of this clown.

emilybrontescorsett · 23/12/2020 13:52

Well at least Thatcher was decisive.
I can’t think of anyone worse in my lifetime.
He is just so crap. In all honesty can anyone seriously believe that he has gotten where he is in Merritt?
If he hadn’t been born into extreme privilege I cannot believe he would be PM. He doesn’t do anything decisive at all.
He fumbles around trying to appear all ‘man of the people’ with his deliberately ruffled hair but he isn’t.
The cabinet he has chosen are shit.
Hancock cannot even bloody pretend to cry convincingly.
Not one of them seems to have any knowledge at all about the area they are in charge of, not one.
When ever someone is appointed dh immediately finds out what connections they gave and how much money they will make out of the deals they are given by government. The entire lot of them are corrupt.
If I was negotiating with him at this stage my honest thoughts would be ‘You know what, I’m no longer listening to you, or rather the idiots you send to speak with me.’
At least May made efforts to actually negotiate rather than stand there smirking about bloody fish. Who gives a fuck about fish?
It’s worth a tiny amount to the Uk.

emilybrontescorsett · 23/12/2020 13:54

I much preferred Blair. I was financially better off under his government.

RhodaDendron · 23/12/2020 13:55

I blame Cameron for everything! He was so cavalier in calling a referendum that served no ones interests but his own. Everything stems from that horrendous error of judgement to my mind. Leaver or remainer, the government should not have put something that complex to popular vote when they were in no position to make it happen. And it’s been a messy distraction ever since. Boris Johnson is commandeering a circus.

emilybrontescorsett · 23/12/2020 14:00

Yes Cameron was at fault. He was desperate to win the election so offered leaving the EU as a vote winner.
Boris wanted to be PM though, he knew what it entailed.

IntermittentParps · 23/12/2020 14:02

No need for Boris bashing. This would be a complete nightmare for any political party. He is being guided by health professionals he isn't sat at home with a yes/no/perhaps dice.

If he'd listened to the experts in the first place he wouldn't have done the 23rd–27th 'Christmas exemption' but would have imposed Tier 4 immediately. He has had to have his arm twisted at every stage to do the responsible thing according to the science rather than what he thinks will be the least unpopular thing. He cares only for votes and for his own skin.

Peregrina · 23/12/2020 14:03

Rory Stewart was such a missed opportunity. Oh to have someone like him in charge instead of this clown.

Quite - and you can't blame Labour for him being driven out of Parliament. Wholly a Tory party action.

Kendodd · 23/12/2020 14:13

Leaver or remainer, the government should not have put something that complex to popular vote when they were in no position to make it happen.
I agree.
Leave voters don't though, we've had four years of them telling us that they understand exactly what leaving the EU entails. I remember one Leaver on here telling me how changing the electoral system so voters listed candidates in order of preference on a ballot form was far to complicated and voters wouldn't understand how to do it, while simultaneously arguing that those same voters understood completely all the complexities of our EU membership and how Leaving would affect us. She said Brexit would be great btw, sunlit uplands and all that and was clearly stupid enough to believe what Johnson said.

OhWhyNot · 23/12/2020 14:23

I agree to. We should never have had a referendum MP’s had the chance to stop this they choose not to (and few engaged in discussions on the implications of a referendum in parliament and so little ground work- this is their role this is what they are paid and have been voted in to do look after our interests)

Icebear99 · 23/12/2020 14:29

@Kendodd the issue was in the "backstop" the customs union that realistically tied us to EU rules\trade agreements could only be ended by mutual agreement, this meant that if there was never an agreement between us and all the other EU members we could never leave.

VinylDetective · 23/12/2020 14:31

@emilybrontescorsett

Yes Cameron was at fault. He was desperate to win the election so offered leaving the EU as a vote winner. Boris wanted to be PM though, he knew what it entailed.
That simply isn’t true. He’d just won an election, he was safe for the next five years. He caved in to the anti EU wing of his party instead of putting them back in their box. He really overestimated the intelligence of the electorate, it never occurred to him any more than a tiny minority would vote leave.
RoSEbuds6 · 23/12/2020 14:34

I love Rory Stewart too. Principled, sensible, and he actually seems to care about 'the common man'. I would vote Tory for him. It's such a shame he's out of the running now.