‘Is Boris off his head’ asks Europe

[Zandathepanda]

From the BBC news website:
^Today, Europe is hosting a virtual conference for world leaders and philanthropists in an effort to raise €7.5bn (£6.6bn; $8.3bn) to drive vaccine research.
UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who is co-hosting the event, is expected to ask countries to pull together.^

So Boris is asking European countries to pull together. Whilst negotiating Brexit. Or not. Oh the irony.

[CherryValanc]

"U.K. isn't in Europe any more, did you miss the vote."
@MissHoskins - what continent is it now in? I remember the vote about the UK leaving the EU, but I can't lie I do not recall such major geographical-based vote as UK leaving Europe!

[Zandathepanda]

Not sure why I have stirred a hornets nest up here. Thank goodness I didn’t post on AIBU .
Last year I travelled to various European countries via train. People were genuinely asking why do we want Brexit. The overwhelming feeling was that Boris was like a British Trump. I don’t think the hair helps tbh .
They saw the EU as a ‘strength together’ and a symbol of peace/ togetherness. A lot of it was about trade. People were keen to know why we wanted to split. Boris was seen as the figurehead. He is very well known and his face was on the front of newspapers.
Whatever you voted, surely people can see that Boris talking about countries ‘coming together’ would be seen as odd to Germans, French etc.

[JayAlfredPrufrock]

Bless.

[HannahStern]

MissHoskins Mon 04-May-20 18:13:59
U.K. isn't in Europe any more, did you miss the vote.

Boris isn't the only one.

[IcedPurple]

Whatever you voted, surely people can see that Boris talking about countries ‘coming together’ would be seen as odd to Germans, French etc.

Unless they're dumb enough to believe that it's impossible for countries to cooperate in a crisis without being part of a formal union then they shouldn't see it as odd. And if they do, who cares? There are lots of things about France and Germany that others see as 'odd'.

[thegcatsmother]

fact is OP was pointing out the irony of Johnson and co trumpeting about working together with other countries. Yet we manage with NATO and the UN, without being in a political union with them. Same with the Five Eyes.

Not everyone thinks the EU is 'strength together' OP. I came back from living in Europe last year, and many could understand exactly why the UK had voted for Brexit, and wished their countries could do the same but couldn't see that happening any time soon.

[B0bbin]

Fizzy, I agree.

[Zandathepanda]

thegcatsmother that’s interesting. I never saw that point of view from the people that chatted to us on the train. They were genuinely perplexed.

[flyingbuttress43]

Whatever you voted, surely people can see that Boris talking about countries ‘coming together’ would be seen as odd to Germans, French etc.

Err no. Zanda, please engage brain before thumping keyboard.

[BigChocFrenzy]

"wished their countries could do the same "

People tend to make friends with those who have similar views.
In all countries

However, in opinion polls, support for remaining in the EU has increased in all member countries since Brexit

[BigChocFrenzy]

However, as for thinking "Boris is off his head" ...

Everyone else is far too worried about the Maniac-In-Chief at the White House, firing off his bleach balls

Boris looks nice & safe compared to him

[deydododatdodontdeydo]

The real challenge is manufacturing at scale. Something the UK does not have much capacity for.

What makes you think that?
UK biotech is actually pretty strong.

With respect to the views of people in Europe, I have also spoken to French, German and Spanish people who are jealous of us leaving and want to do the same. Not in the majority, but these people exist.
I don't think it's fair to say the "UK is a laughing stock" is a universal view.

[Borntobeamum]

Move along please......

[RainMustFall]

I shouldn't have to explain this but I will. The UK will shortly no longer be a member of the EU. However we are still in Europe, classed as a European country and as far as I'm aware we haven't been cast away from the Continental Shelf to sail the seas for eternity.

If you wan't to bitch about Boris and Brexit do it, don't wrap it up in what is obviously a non-story. It must be getting more difficult for Labour bots to find a new angle but this isn't it - 0/10.

[loobyloo1234]

Whatever you voted, surely people can see that Boris talking about countries ‘coming together’ would be seen as odd to Germans, French etc.

Seriously? In the middle it a worldwide pandemic you think other countries would think this is odd? The only odd one around here isn’t Johnson OP. Try looking a bit closer to home

[thegcatsmother]

However, in opinion polls, support for remaining in the EU has increased in all member countries since Brexit So? That doesn't mean that every individual in every single member state wants to stay in the EU does it? Some of my friends wanted their countries to stay in because of the money they received from the EU, not because they thunk it's the greatest thing since sliced bread, and not being from net contributor nations; but could see, were their nations in the position of the UK, that they would want to leave. My Polish cleaning lady was vociferously anti EU, apart from the money. She was a douanier, degree educated, but with Poland joining Schengen, she was out of a job, so she and her family moved to Brussels for him to be a carpenter, and she to clean. Jobs in her part of Poland are still few and far between for the money she can earn in Brussels, especially when she was on the black, but she hopes to move back one day.

[IcedPurple]

They saw the EU as a ‘strength together’ and a symbol of peace/ togetherness

Who speaks like that in real life?

And I take it that this cozy 'strangers on a train' conversation didn't take place in Greece?

[Devlesko]

Weird thread though - it's like OP posted this in Conservative Home by mistake

This made me laugh.
"They love you Boris"

[oneteen]

I travelled by train through Europe before the Brexit poll and everyone I spoke to in Italy and France wanted out of Europe... So it depends on who you talk too...

[TheMagiciansMewTwo]

What about the European countries that aren't in the EU OP ?
There are many reasons for world leaders to be looking askance at Boris atm but your poor understanding of the difference between alliances and geography isn't one of them.

[FizzyGreenWater]

'Bless'?!

Razor sharp, that told 'er!

[Mythologies]

All this Boris love done up as reason (like a dog's dinner - bless

[Zandathepanda]

hello

OP here - I have never come across such vitriol before. Let me try and get my point across again.

I’ll say this in a different way. It’s not about whether Brexit is right/wrong but the fact that Boris was the ‘face’ of Brexit on international news. Brexit is causing uncertainty for research/scientists/universities/healthcare. Have a google at what universities are saying about how Brexit will affect research. And now, according to the BBC headline, Boris is asking European countries to pull together.

Surely everyone can see that eyebrows maybe raised? Boris is the front man who has campaigned and won an election on splitting the UK from a union of European countries.

Ah well. I tried to have a bit of a laugh about the irony. Though of course there is a serious point that the world does need to work together on the vaccine. Perhaps the countries could set up some sort of freedom of movement/trade union to enable collaborative working and distribution of a vaccine....

[Noextremes2017]

OP - I am with you on this one.

I can't figure out how Johnson has any credibility in the UK - let alone on the wider stage.

His constant (dis) honesty and (lack of) integrity shine through but still some people think he has a personal charisma.

Amazing.

[Noextremes2017]

But probably best to let the Johnson lovers persist with their delusions...