Boris Johnson bringing the country together

[Arkadas]

Johnson has said: "... our job as the government – my job – is to bring this country together now"

How do people think he will be able to achieve this? I've been racking my brains ever since he said it. IMO, he lacks the necessary personal and diplomatic skills, as he would rather go for a quick laugh/off the cuff remark/than take any kind of thoughtful, reasoned, inclusive position.

I've struggled - and failed - to forgive him for his stupidity in the Nazanin Zagari Ratcliffe case, or his remarks about bum boys and piccaninny smiles, and don't believe he's fit to be PM for those things alone. Nevertheless, he is. So, how can he achieve his promise to bring the country together. What would you like him to do to achieve this?

but if they bring prosperity around the country, strike trade deals that keep (and improve) the quality of our food, and start a green revolution then I will forgive them for Brexit

What timeframe is a fair crack?

Secondary
Chances are pretty slim though

MysteryTrip I would like my free electric car delivered sometime this weekend!

yes ListeningQuietly I know

He doesn't want to bring us together though, those were just words. Watch what he does, not what he says.
Sadly, I agree with this. The country has elected a liar and a charlatan and I find it very sad that he will, in all likelihood, not be held to account in any way. There is even less chance of accountability if he is allowed to decide which journalists may or may not attend briefings. Was glad to see the other journalists acting in solidarity over this.

MysteryTrip I would like my free electric car delivered sometime this weekend

Lost me on that one

Of course a rethink is possible

I don't think so, well not inside 20 years, it would be portrayed as a national humiliation by the MSM/Brexitiers for the UK to go to the EU and say "Oops we made a mistake"

Far better to try and make sure we get a closer relationship with the EU but that will require a sea change in Johnsons thinking and as he shows no sign of doing so, the division will continue.

Lets see what happens in local elections between now and next GE, Labour will have a new leader by May, opinion polls will also influence Johnson's decision making, certainly did with Cameron.

One of the things I would like to add to Secondary's list, which is more general than Brexit-related, is for income inequality to be addressed. I'm a fan of Wilkinson and Pickett's 'Spirit Level' and think we would all be much happier if the gulf between extreme wealth and poverty was addressed.
Secondary mentions 'prosperity' above, but I think the sharing of any prosperity would really help to heal divisions.
(The last time I mentioned Wilkinson & Pickett on MN, someone likened it to communism )

The press decision was out of Trumps play book and shows he couldn't give a Fxxx about bring the country together.
Who the hell does he think he is?

Glad it backfired and i hope the journalists employers back their staff.

Excellent pointArkadas - Secondary mentions 'prosperity' above, but I think the sharing of any prosperity would really help to heal divisions.

MysteryTrip you mentioned a timeframe, so I said by this weekend - I was joking albeit not very obviously.

People under 46 did not vote for Brexit, won't be 20 years until they are the voting majority. The Tory vote is literally dying, even the red wall was delivered by baby boomers as so many of us who are younger (and I am retirement age / tail end baby boomer ) left those towns to seek better prospects. Cumming's cunning plan will only work as long as they need it to stoke egos and bank accounts. He has no plan B to deal with the backlash from all those who feel their futures have been stolen .

I'll judge him by results. When we are consistently outperforming Germany for per capita GDP growth, life expectancy and health outcomes, have a more fair & equal society, lead the world on environmental protection and have an NHS that is the envy of all....then I'll feel Brexit was worth it and start supporting it. Then I'll feel proud to be British.

How can anyone believe a word the lying twat says!

People age 70 in 2016 were age 29 in 1975, when 70% or whatever % voted to join EEC. I hate to say it, but the young of today we can't predict how they'll vote in 20 or 30 yrs time.

plus I have a young adult son who strongly supports Brexit. Such things aren't impossible. There's a fervent Brexit supporter at work who I would guess is about... age 29?

People under 46 did not vote for Brexit, won't be 20 years until they are the voting majority

Where has that data come from?

People under 46 did not vote for Brexit
Some data here - Brexit votes by age:

18-24 27% voted leave
25-34 38%
35-44 48%
45-54 56%
55-64 57%
65 + 60%
www.statista.com/statistics/520954/brexit-votes-by-age/

Tom Peck of the Independent unpicks Boris Johnson's speech on Twitter:
twitter.com/tompeck/status/1224289321823408129

There's no hope.

Lets see what happens in local elections between now and next GE, Labour will have a new leader by May, opinion polls will also influence Johnson's decision making, certainly did with Cameron.

This could be important - if Johnson suspects that the mood in the country has changed, he will do an about turn, while swearing that he has not changed his opinion.

Exactly as the Leavers are doing not - I don't know how many 'We knew it wouldn't be easy' type statements I have read since the weekend. What happened to the 'easiest deals in history' and 'We hold all the cards'? Forgotten in days it appears.

All you moaners. Brexit has happened. I am staggered that some are cutting out family members because they don’t share your view. My DH and are were leave and remain. We accepted we had different views.

What other issues would make it feasible to fall out with someone close to you?

Private v state education?
Immunisation or not for your children?
Termination v keeping a baby?
Getting married or not?

And of course the alternative to Boris was SO compelling. A party that couldn’t manage their way out of a paper bag!

@Bathroom12345

What's the point of your anecdote?

Boris's best bet at this stage would be to go for the softest Brexit possible, because even though nobody would really be happy with that, it would at least be a compromise that reflects how evenly the country is split. That's what May should have done in the first place. It won't happen though. It seems that Boris and his cronies are hell-bent on a hard Brexit
He doesn’t want a soft brexit - he doesn’t want a deal at all. It would be inconsistent with a us trade deal.
He has told us today to stop being hysterical about us food standards, he has said today there will be no alignment with the eu despite that being in the WA. He has said today that Brexit is done and he has overseen a walkout of journalists when some were not allowed to attend a press conference.
He is a skanky liar.
There can be no reconciliation.

Don’t think at this point there is anything that the Lie Minister could say or do to bring me on board with this. I will never ever forget having to even think about the possibility of there being an issue with insulin supply for DH.

Down to him now and other Leavers to make a success of it whatever that looks like.

Absolutely - it's Boris's Brexit and he needs to own it, and we need to make sure that he does. If it's successful then he can take the credit.

Firms which wish to continue to trade with the EU will need to comply with their standards, whatever Johnson thinks, and however wonderful it might be in 10 years time to trade with the USA to provide goods that they don't want because they make them themselves.

Absolutely - it's Boris's Brexit and he needs to own it, and we need to make sure that he does

He does own it and he can be voted out if he fails.

Would that bring the Country together? Well it might, I suppose. In the end Maggie Thatcher was detested and no one admitted to voting for her, but given how long she was in power, someone must have done!

Ditto with Blair, for those who always like to drag Labour in.