BOJO FURIOUS!

In an article about a leaked memo warning about leaking (you could hardly make this up but it's HERE) BOJO is said to be "furious" about his comments to EU ambassadors being misrepresented. These were comments he is said to have made about his views that migration was a good thing (HERE). He has denied it.

There is a terrific irony here since Johnson has made an entire career out of misrepresenting the EU and everything it does. I hope he is beginning to learn how it feels to be on the receiving end.

BOJO "SUPPORTS FREE MOVEMENT"

BoJo, in yet another gaffe, has apparently told a number of EU ambassadors that he personally supports the free movement of people (HERE) in Europe. This will come as no surprise to anyone who listened to him before the vote but Mrs May might be a bit miffed since it is of course totally opposite to government policy and even a red line in the forthcoming negotiations.

But then again, who believes a word that comes out of Bojo's mouth?

He is also facing criticism over an official visit to Serbia where he spent time promoting his own book in a Belgade book store and signing copies of it (HERE). 

How long can the fool last?

BORIS - A FOOL FOR OUR TIMES

A journalist from the EU, Jean Quatremer, has a hard hitting piece in The Guardian about Boris Johnson (HERE) who is described as a buffoon and one that has damaged irreparably what little goodwill we had left in Europe and made the negotiations far more difficult.

BoJo is taken to task for being a political clown and the writer also refers to another article about Johnson (HERE) describing the lies he wrote as a Telegraph correspondent in Brussels. It is almost impossible to overstate what Johnson has done to us, making himself and the nation a laughing stock across Europe.

What an idiot this man is.

RYANAIR

Michael O'Leary, the colourful CEO of Ryanair (HERE) addressed the Airport Operator's Annual Conference and lambasted the government for having no idea how to exit the EU. He told the  conference: “Britain has no negotiation position whatsoever. You file the Article 50 in March, you walk off a cliff in two years’ time".

He particularly single out Johnson, Fox and Davis, saying “If their IQ was one point lower they’d be plants”.

How true!

BOJO EMBARRASSES AGAIN

After last week where Liam Fox was accused of threatening EU members that South Korea might sue them (not us) because the EU will be smaller after brexit, Boris Johnson is now accused of insulting Italians by telling them if trade barriers are put in place they will not sell as much Prosecco (HERE).

Carlo Calenda, former Italian envoy to Brussels says Britain was in "chaos" over its position ahead of Brexit negotiations and said it was unacceptable for the European Union to be held to ransom over "an internal UK debate". He went on: "Somebody needs to tell us something, and it needs to be something that makes sense.

"You can’t say that it’s sensible to say we want access to the single market but no free circulation of people. It’s obvious that doesn’t make any sense whatsoever"

The Guardian claim BoJo was "ridiculed" (HERE) by Dutch finance minister and Eurogroup president, Jeroen Dijsselbloem, who said Johnson’s aims of leaving the customs union at the same time as securing immigration controls and maintaining access to the single market were not achievable.

Dijsselbloem told the BBC’s Newsnight: “I think he’s offering to the British people options that are really not available. For example, to say we could be inside the internal market but be outside the customs union, this is impossible, it just doesn’t exist. The opposite does exist. We have a customs union with Turkey but Turkey is not part of the internal market.

“He’s saying things that are intellectually impossible, politically unavailable, so I think he’s not offering the British people a fair view of what is available and what can be achieved in these negotiations.”

BORIS'S TITANIC SUCCESS

Boris Johnson has accidentally (freudian perhaps) made a rather telling slip and declared we will make a "Titanic" success of Brexit (HERE), a phrase which saw the PM with her head in her hands.

I have used the same analogy myself several times on this blog so it was no surprise to hear a member of the government use it.  We have not yet struck the iceberg but we are steaming full speed at it and a collision is expected around March 2017.

There will then be a period where the economy takes on water.  Captain May will reassure everybody that it is only a temporary difficulty and not to worry. This will be true - in the sense that when the ship finally sinks her problems will be over.

BoJo HUMILIATES US - AGAIN

Boris Johnson's remarks this week about there being no connection between single market access and freedom of movement (in fact he said it was "baloney" - see HERE) has provoked a humiliating response from the French and Germans (HERE).

Wolfgang Schauble says he can send Her Majesty's Foreign Minister a copy of the Lisbon Treaty where he can read there is a link. He even offered to come over and explain it to Mr Johnson in English!

Each time Boris opens his mouth he demonstrates how stupid he is and how he simply cannot be bothered to read the details.

On the same day Martin Schultz, President of the EU Parliament says "under no circumstances" can we have access to the single market without accepting freedom of movement (HERE).  How long are we going to keep up the pretence that we can?

BORIS THINKS WE'LL GET A QUICKIE DIVORCE

The increasingly deluded BoJo has said he thinks we won't need two years to negotiate a withdrawal (HERE).

"You invoke Article 50 in the early part of next year. You have two years to pull it off. I don't actually think we will necessarily need to spend a full two years but let's see how we go." He is quoted as saying.

And he rejected the claims made by EU leaders that Britain cannot have access to the European single market unless it accepts free movement of migrants.  “Complete baloney, absolute baloney,” he said. “The two things have nothing to do with each other and we should go for a jumbo free trade deal and take back control of our immigration policy“.

In BoJo world you can opt to leave an organisation but still retain the right to tell them what to do. To EU leaders it must seem like they will be negotiation with the deaf and blind.

Some officials and politicians say that the unprecedented negotiations will take much longer than two years and I think they're right. He may be used to rattling off newspaper columns at the last minute but international treaties they are not.  

FOX AND JOHNSON IN POLICY DIFFERENCES ALREADY

Liam Fox wants foreign trade policy to be separated out of the foreign office and given to his newly formed International Trade Department (HERE), a suggestion that Johnson has presumably leaked to The Telegraph where he was formerly employed.  This sort of empire building does not go down well with Theresa May apparently and is not likely to be implemented.

In the letter written by Fox he makes the same mistake that other ministers and economists make. 

BOJO TELLS US FINANCIALS THEY "WILL" KEEP EU PASSPORTS AFTER BREXIT

Boris Johnson has apparently assured US financial organisations (HERE) that they will still be able to maintain access to the EU through the passporting arrangements that their London based subsidiaries enjoy at the moment.  The French finance minister says we can't.

What makes Boris think we can still set the rules after we leave he doesn't say. He simply thinks it wouldn't be in the EU's interest. In other words it would be irrational. But surely no more irrational than a vote to withdraw from the EU that he encouraged?  Since he has already been accused, in a press conference with John Kerry, of telling outright lies it is not clear if any of the financial organisations believed him.

BORIS SAYS UK WILL STILL PLAY LEADING ROLE

After attending his first meeting of EU foreign ministers Boris has claimed we will still play a leading role in Europe. InFacts dismantles the idea HERE if dismantling were needed, which it isn't.

The idea you can leave an organisation of which you have been a leading member for many years, and still continue to play a leading role is farcical. We may be consulted before a decision is reached but we will not be in the room to argue our case, more often than not we will be informed after a decision is made. Sometimes one wonders which audience BoJo's comments are directed at. The EU will I am sure be unimpressed.

BOJO SAYS EUROPEAN RELATIONS WILL INTENSIFY

In his first speech to foreign office staff Boris Johnson said we will play a greater role in Europe even though we voted to leave the EU (HERE). 

"There's a massive difference between leaving the EU and our relations with Europe, which if anything I think are going to be intensified," He said, adding that John Kerry the US Secretary of State agreed with this. I assume that's why they were urging us to stay in the EU!  BoJo takes us for fools.

BOJO FOREIGN SECRETARY - THE WORLD LAUGHS AT US

Boris Johnson's appointment as foreign secretary has made him appear like a latter day Lazarus and made Britain a laughing stock around the world.  The BBC (HERE) are running a piece today about international press reaction.  German television presenters and Obama's press spokesman were both apparently unable to stifle laughter on announcing the news of BoJo's elevation to one of the highest offices in the land.

The most telling comment came from Carl Bildt, former Swedish PM who tweeted "I wish it was a joke, but I fear it isn't".

Either it is Theresa May's masterstroke or a catastrophe in the making. Let us hope she has provided him with all the rope he needs.

BoJo's five point plan for Brexit

Boris Johnson has written his second column for The Telegraph (HERE) this morning and says Tory candidates (for PM) need a plan and he offers his and literally this is it:

• There is no risk whatever to the status of the EU nationals now resident and welcome in the UK, and indeed immigration will continue – but in a way that is controlled, thereby neutralising the extremists.
• It is overwhelmingly in the economic interests of the other EU countries to do a free-trade deal, with zero tariffs and quotas, while we extricate ourselves from the EU law-making system.
• We can do free-trade deals with economies round the world, many of which are already applying.
• We can supply leadership in Europe on security and other matters, but at an intergovernmental level.
• The future is very bright indeed. That’s what [Bob] Geldof should be chanting.

For this drivel he is paid £5000.  Amazing. The last point has the sort of intellectual input of a fly.

Boris stands down - doesn't mention Gove

Boris has ruled himself out of the race to become PM.  It looks like Gove 's earlier statement that Boris cannot provide the leadership is enough to finish BoJo's chances for ever.

However, since Gove has said many times before, he himself isn't equipped to be prime minister I don't know why he's bothering to stand either.

BoJo is turning us into a laughing stock.

Newspapers are taking comfort from comments by the French finance minister Michel Sapin that everything including freedom of movement (FoM) will be on the table for discussion in the Brexit negotiations (HERE). This is ignoring the very explicit statement yesterday by Donald Tusk, president of the European Council, that the four freedoms are NOT negotiable. Discussing FoM is of course allowed but only if we give up tariff free access to the single market, at huge cost to our economy.

Leaving this aside, many newspapers ignore other comments he made including, “What surprised me is that those who argued for Brexit, and whom the people backed, were prepared for absolutely none of the consequences of this Brexit. They suddenly discovered difficulties and problems. We are discovering them with them. 

"But for the UK of course it’s much more serious. When you take a position you should analyse all the aspects and all the consequences. Perhaps therefore if the people of Britain had known the consequences they wouldn’t have voted the way they did. But the vote is there and we have to deal with the consequences.”

He was echoing comments by John Kerry, US Secretary of State, earlier this week saying the prime minister felt powerless "to start negotiating a thing that he doesn’t believe in” and “has no idea how he would do it”.  Apparently referring to Boris Johnson, one of the front runners to replace Cameron, Kerry added: “And by the way, nor do most of the people who voted to do it.”

They're laughing at us and this is what hurts.

The EU confirmed today the freedom of movement of people was non negotiable

One may be able to see why David Cameron resigned last week, He is experienced in Brussels and probably knew that the other leaders on the Council of Europe would not compromise on the four freedoms of movement (Good, Services, Capital and finally - the difficult one, People). see HERE.

If BoJo thought he might get a better deal he may be in for a shock.  It looks like he will have to make a choice between an Australian points style system (which will only reduce numbers by about 100,000) or the economy and the potential loss of a million jobs.

BoJo is like an impatient driver following you down a narrow road in fog. He overtakes you only to find he cannot manage any more speed and is in fact slower than you were.

Boris distances himself from the truth - again

Boris Johnson, the twice sacked liar and potential PM, wrote a column in The Telegraph on Monday in which he claimed that the German employers organisation the BDI had "very sensibly reminded us there will continue to be free trade and access to the single market".

The BBC checked with the BDI later on Monday and they were a bit surprised apparently (see HERE). It was apparently untrue.  The BDI may have been surprised but we weren't.

The BDI told the BBC they had never and would never say such a thing.

Bear in mind that The Times sacked Boris for making things up when he worked as their Brussels correspondent and he wrote a letter to David Cameron during the campaign about exaggerated claims being corrosive to public trust. Outright lies are of course, OK.  Pity those MPs in the house who have to call him honourable.

Who is to blame for Brexit? It was Boris wot' done it.

There is a kind of odd symmetry about where the blame lies for the tragedy unfolding before our eyes.  A journalist, Martin Fletcher, has written a piece for the New York Times (HERE) suggesting that one man above all others is responsible and he is none other than Boris Johnson.

It was he, as Brussels correspondent for The Times, who began the trend for writing humorous pieces about the EU's love of what he thought were petty regulation.  No matter that it was actually needed to harmonise things across Europe, Boris found it amusing to write stuff that Mr Fletcher says was grotesquely exaggerated or totally wrong.  

He was sacked for making stuff up but The Telegraph loved it and took him on. More and more newspapers demanded the same until the British Press was feeding it's readers a daily diet of anti-EU nonsense that is not replicated anywhere else in Europe and why we have a uniquely distorted view of the EU.   Boris looks set to lead the battle against a wholly fictional "monster" that he was largely responsible for creating.  We will all be the worse for it. His reputation has reached a high point, from now on it will be all downhill.

The markets contradict BoJo or is it the other way round?

BoJo appeared on television this morning doing an impression of Jim Callaghan during the Sterling crisis of 1976.  As the pound plunged to a new post 1985 low of $1.316 he said it was "stable". Stocks on the FTSE100, especially banks and housebuilders suffered huge falls.

Shares in RBS were briefly suspended following frenzied trading.

The word "stable" has been hijacked by Johnson and it's widely understood meaning altered to be defined as extremely volatile and completely unpredictable.  The OED were unavailable for comment.