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For the historians amongst us - has there ever been a PM or ruler of England/Britain who displayed Boris like levels of arrogance, incompetence, buffoonery etc? If so, what happened to them? Ta.
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Boris, an historical perspective. on 16:42 - Jan 14 with 768 views
Boris, an historical perspective. on 13:48 - Jan 14 by fab_lover
The "long view" is always an interesting one.
So, the punitive reparations applied to German as part of the Treaty of Versailles are generally seen as being responsible for the rise of fascism in that country. Hitler was therefore the symptom, and not the disease, and Germany could have just as likely gone communist in the 30s instead of fascist.
In the same way, I think it would be argued in 100 years time that Brexit was responsible for the appointment of Johnson as PM. The "blame" for Johnson would therefore go on Cameron's shoulders, for implementing an ill-thought out referendum with no planning beforehand of how a Brexit would be implemented if that's what was voted for.
It's also worth bearing in mind that historically, a certain respect for the position meant that the press did not make certain things public. Most Americans for example were unaware of FDR's disability. The French press never leaked the second family of Mitterand. Gladstone had some very ill-advised encounters with sex workers etc etc
Interesting. You've convinced me Cameron is worse than Johnson
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Boris, an historical perspective. on 14:09 - Jan 14 by Illinoisblue
Has there ever been any serious in-depth interviews with Johnson over the years? Surely some broadsheet hack must have tried to chip away to see if there’s anything of note behind the bluster and buffoonery. Prominent journalist, mayor of London, now PM… must be some profile pieces out there, right?
Virtually none as he is all to well aware of his limitations. Avoiding Andrew Neil in the last election, and even hiding in the fridge to avoid reporters.
Not only is he lazy, but is incompetent. In Feb 2020 as he set off to Cheques for another holiday, his parting words were 'don't send me any red boxes as I won't read them'.
That should have caused outrage. as it is the PMs job to read such material. Most so when the pandemic was then increasing. Any wonder he was way out of his depth as London Mayor and relied upon photo ops to bolster his popularity.
However, that is the sad reality of politics in the UK, and elsewhere. Something Johnson had grasped early on, to quote Groucho Marx "these are my principles, and if you don't like them I have others'. or to put it bluntly [l] the secret of success is sincerity, and if you can fake that, you have got it made .
Rather like letting a skink into your house then complaining it has stunk the place out. Johnson career has been built of lies. Lies that covered up his incompetence. What on earth possessed folk to believe that an habitual liar would do anything but lie. When May stalled over the impasse over the Irish border, along came this cnt who lied and said he would fix it. For fcks sake, did folk not examine why there was an impasse, and that it could not be fixed as this cnt claimed.
That has been his whole method when in any office, Lie, promise the impossible then worry about the consequences (or not) once you are elected .
Possibly the only rime he put himself up to be interviewed and you can see why he has been avoiding direct questions ever since.
(shortened version)
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Boris, an historical perspective. on 18:56 - Jan 14 with 653 views
Boris, an historical perspective. on 14:18 - Jan 14 by bluelagos
The last year of Thatcher her levels of arrogance did for her. The poll tax was universally hated. So much so that things culminated in the poll tax riots.
She started off by introducing it in Scotland a year earlier to "test it" and it was hated up there. Her response was to introduce it in England in pretty much exactly the same format.
It was clear to all and sundry it was unpopular but she thought she was immune to worrying about public opinion.
She wasn't one for u-turns (famously) and stood her ground it resulting her being dumped by her own party despite having delivered a huge majority for the third time.
Arrogance and an inability to listen to those around her did for her.
Thatcher's big error with the poll tax was in thinking that the people would blame profligate left wing councils for setting high community charges. They didn't - they blamed the Thatcher government for introducing the regressive tax in the first place. Her even bigger error was in not admitting this was a mistake.
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