UK - United Kingdom - England, Wales, Scotland, N. Ireland

[Sterngard Friegen]

Boris Johnson is stepping away from a catastrophe of his own making.

[Mikedunford]

Boris Johnson is stepping away from a catastrophe of his own making.

"Stepping away" might not be entirely accurate. Saw something go by on Twitter from a political reporter a few minutes ago to the effect that Downing St announced his resignation before he finished writing his resignation letter.

Edit: Looking for link now

[Mikedunford]

Friends of @BorisJohnson claim he was writing his resignation letter when No 10 announced his departure. Ouch. They say he's NOT currently planning to do a Geoffrey Howe in the Commons.

Tweet is from a Deputy Political Editor for The Grauniad.

[Notorial Dissent]

Boris was gone after he mouthed off at Checkers at the summit, he just didn't know it. I do think he is egotistical enough to think he wouldn't get fired. He very was wrong!! I don't know if May can hang on but if she doesn't change her approach she won't.

[Till Eulenspiegel]

Sounds to me like there's an increasingly leaderless ship of state drifting inexorably toward the rocks, which it is scheduled to hit in less than nine month's time.

And a lot of people waiting on the beaches for the cargo to be plundered.

[Suranis]

[tek]

I guess a lack of oxygen might partially explain Brexit

[Addie]

Guardian - Live: Theresa May would fight any no-confidence vote, says No 10 – politics live

Follow live updates after Boris Johnson follows David Davis in resigning from government; Dominic Raab replaces Davis as Brexit secretary

Independent: Boris Johnson resignation: EU frustration at 'mess' caused by Theresa May's political meltdown

[Mikedunford]

She may have to.

The only thing that might save her is a lack of other volunteers to take on responsibility for the ongoing slow-motion train wreck.

[fierceredpanda]

Actual picture of 10 Downing Street this morning.

[much ado]

Actual picture of 10 Downing Street this morning.

I really had no idea how closely the interior of 10 Downing Street resembled the interior of 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue!

[fierceredpanda]

In seriousness, I cannot believe that a presumably intelligent politician like Theresa May could have been so thoroughly bamboozled by the sentient, mop-topped assemblage of raw ambition and opportunism disguised as a human being named "Boris Johnson." The fact that that she ever thought for one moment he would be anything other than a disloyal, self-interested backstabber who would gleefully publish long-form essays on the wrongness of her position (which he was obligated as a cabinet minister to support, or resign) for months while simultaneously pissing off Britain's counterparties in the Brexit negotiations before resigning in protest at a time that must have been chosen to cause maximum damage to May's ability to lead the Tory party is absolutely beyond me. It was entirely predictable to anyone who has followed Johnson's career and understands that Boris Johnson only cares about how Boris Johnson can become PM. David Cameron, for all his flaws, grasped this fundamental truth.

Then again, Labour still has Jeremy Corbyn hanging around their necks.

[Suranis]

Ah, Yes Minister was such a wonderful series.



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[Notorial Dissent]

Ah, Yes Minister was such a wonderful series.



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I always thought that pretty well summed things up. And yes.

[Mr Brolin]

The UK data regulator, the ICO, has just levied the maximum fine it is legally permitted to against Facebook. Whist, in real terms not even a minor expense account line tem for Zuckerberg, at £500,000 (circa $650,000), the implications are rather more significant

The ICO fine regime has NOW adjusted to the EU's GDPR set so, a theoretical fine of up to 4% of Facebooks global revenue could have been applied if the Cambridge Analytica et-al unpleasantness had occurred after 25th May 2018, a rather tasty $1.6 billion......

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2018/07/11 ... analytica/

One wonders what the Great Sandworm would have twatted if that had occurred.....

[Sam the Centipede]

In seriousness, I cannot believe that a presumably intelligent politician like Theresa May could have been so thoroughly bamboozled by the sentient, mop-topped assemblage of raw ambition and opportunism disguised as a human being named "Boris Johnson."

I think the reason is that in their system, the prime minister leads by consent and consensus. A prime minister who tried to put only her preferred people into top jobs wouldn't survive as other factions of the party wouldn't permit it. In her weak position, May probably saw little option to giving Johnson a job, and it would need to be a relatively big job, as Minister for Paperclips would have been perceived as a worse insult than being frozen out.

The old adage about better having them (Johnson and Davis) inside the tent pissing out than outside the tent pissing in applies ... except that those two were pissing everywhere, splashing everybody.

There is also the principle of "you wanted Brexit, you make it happen."

The Brits certainly have made themselves a mess. But the US is not really in a position to offer advice about runnia democracy and dealing with international partners at this moment!

[TollandRCR]

May is ineffective as a leader. Is there another Tory to take her place? How would a snap election turn out?

[Volkonski]

Ring of steel goes up outside US ambassador's residence in Regent's Park to shield president from protesters

https://www.standard.co.uk/news/london/ ... 82671.html

A plea to British people to take Donald Trump’s outrageous utterances “with a grain of salt” was made today by the head of the US Republican party’s supporters in the UK.

Sarah Elliott said she herself had been embarrassed by some of President Trump’s comments, including sexist remarks about crotch-grabbing, but appealed to people not to take his words too seriously.

As new fences and counter-terrorist concrete bollards were installed at the US ambassador’s residence in Regent’s Park ahead of his visit, Ms Elliott admitted: “There are a lot of things I wish he hadn’t said.”

[Kendra]

Can't wait for Friday's protests

[Suranis]

Running that Ambassadors statement through my transation software, I come up with "I'm scared shitless, and I'd rather be in a fire ant nest than here right now. Fuck Trump for this."

[Notorial Dissent]

Too bad, so sad. He bought and paid for the job, wonder if he thinks it was such a bargain now?

[HST's Ghost]

...with a grain of salt... embarrassed...sexist remarks about crotch-grabbing....not to take his words too seriously.
...I wish he hadn’t...

Ah the wondrous backflips through hoops a British Republican must perform!

Running that Ambassadors statement through my transation software, I come up with "I'm scared shitless, and I'd rather be in a fire ant nest than here right now. Fuck Trump for this."

Right. Or, just, "The MFer tells lies, bald-faced shithead lies..."

[Gregg]

So, the betting pool for totday..

Trump's first outrageous behavior in Britain.

I'm thinking he slaps the Queen and then tells her she needs to make sure all the protesters who make it impossible for him to make a speech in Westminster should be locked up in the Tower of London.

At his meeting with the PM, he demands Britain "build a wall" across the English Channel, to keep all the foreigners out (I dunno, the HM Government might go along with that one).

Somewhere he'll say something to offend Soccer fans, always a dangerous thing in England, but now especially.

[Suranis]

Fantasy - that Lizzie turns on the ball of her foot when seeing the DICKTUS and walks out.

Her corpse could sit on the throne for 300 years after that.

[Kendra]

Military marching band awaits Pres and Mrs Trump upon arrival at @BlenheimPalace.