I wrote quite a number of tweets yesterday whilst watching the various press conferences that closed the G7 summit. The most popular was this:
I am ashamed to live in a country that has Boris Johnson as its prime minister
— Richard Murphy (@RichardJMurphy) June 13, 2021
It took seconds, but it summed up a moment in history. The reason it succeeded was that it reflected a dire weekend that a reasonably competent UK prime minister could so easily have turned into a diplomatic success.
Instead there were disasters. Johnson failed to avert the vaccine disaster, which I wrote about when I first heard the plan, saying:
I can’t help but wonder how a billion vaccine doses are meant to vaccinate 6 billion or so people at two each. Has someone invented some new firm of long division I haven’t heard about?
— Richard Murphy (@RichardJMurphy) June 11, 2021
Gordon Brown was right to pick up on this. As visions for the world go this one fell very far short. In the Democratic Republic of the Congo this morning there are reports of hospitals being overwhelmed by delta variant Covid cases. This was preventable. It could have been avoided if Johnson had permitted the Oxford Universty vaccine to have been open source, as those who developed it wanted. But he refused that. It because the AZ vaccine instead, and now millions, if not billions, will not get vaccines on time as a result. The consequence will be an untold number of deaths. Johnson failed to avert tens of millions of deaths this weekend by not throwing all his effort at this.
The summit also failed on climate change. Nothing of consequence happened on coal.
And it failed on human rights. Nothing of consequence happened on China.
But it could reasonably be said that much of this was down to Johnson because what he quite deliberately put on the table was Brexit. Or rather, he put his own refusal to comply with Brexit on the table.
The Brexit row is easily summarised. The former Treasury solicitor, Sir Jonathan Jones, who resigned over Brexit, summarised the issue in one tweet, saying:
Can even our politicians and supposedly serious journalists not understand that both these things are true: 1. GB & NI are part of the same state. 2. NI is subject to different trading rules from GB because of a binding international agreement freely entered into between UK & EU?
— Jonathan Jones (@SirJJQC) June 13, 2021
That is what is in dispute, in summary. Johnson says he refuses to recognise part 2 of this. But he signed up to such an arrangement in the Brexit Northern Ireland protocol, and the world and the EU (not unreasonably) want him to abide by his word.
Johnson does not abide by his word. That is not what he thinks is required of him. He is wrong. Quite literally, the world only works when people abide by their word. That is why we place a lot of importance on people doing so. The expectation that they will is the basis of which almost all human behaviour is based, with the knowledge that the hurt resulting from people's failure to do so is high.
That hurt will, in this case, be very high. Not only does it make it virtually impossible to deal with the UK in a diplomatic sense, which is, I am quite sure, the sentiment the remaining six within the G7 will have taken away from the summit this weekend, but there are invariably other consequences.
In the current case that failure undermines the Good Friday Agreement, which so vitally removed the border in Ireland, which in turn delivered the longest peace that island has enjoyed for a very long time.
There is no one who can doubt the consequences of this. President Biden knows it all too well. But I suspect Johnson is willing to breach that deal. And to provide cover for doing so I am quite sure he will happily watch Unionist paramilitaries create violent situations, believing, incorrectly, that this will precipitate the EU caving in.
It won't. It's will just show the world the sort of man we have in Downing Street.
I live in fear on this issue.
Fear for Ireland, as a whole.
Fear for the integrity of UK politics, where Johnson is so willing to lie about what was agreed, and where there will be a willingness to hear his view amongst some.
Fear for the UK as it becomes an outcast in international communities, and rightly so, which some will, however, welcome.
Fear too for the social consequences within the UK as the stress from this escalates, or rather is deliberately escalated.
Fear too that the reasons for all this remain incomprehensible, because no one has ever as yet explained what Brexit is all about, unless its only and sole purpose is the generation of pointless division, of which this crisis is but one example.
Fear too as to where this will lead.
I am ashamed of Johnson. But that does not mean that I am not fearful of what he might do. The worst, by far, is yet come.
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So right! The world must be wondering, too, as to how an old, supposedly democratic country, can ever elect such a charlatan as their leader. It reflects so badly on us, the British!
While the world may well have started to wonder about the UK, a relatively small player in global power games, electing a grossly incompetent individual like Boris as PM, I suspect it’s still more concerned about the USA electing Trump as its president and wondering what can be done to prevent him ever getting back into high office again.
Johnson is keeping his flame alive
“The worst, by far, is yet come.” I agree.
NI should be something of a “side show” – sort the paperwork out and the goods will flow (UK – NI) . That this has not happened is probably a combo of incompetence and bad faith on the part of the Uk “government”. Last night our political group discussed Scotland. This will be the “big one” and it is possible that Mendacious Fat will pull out all the stops to prevent breakup. The consensus was: civil disorder.
I fear that
“I am ashamed to live in a country that has Boris Johnson as its prime minister”
So leave then.
The standard fascist reply
Usually with a boot attached after a while
Or an internment camp to prevent it
We are both great readers of history in this household. Without wanting to sound alarmist , we constantly watch in horror (from Spain) as UK is looking increasingly like Germany in the 1930’s and the rise of nazi rule . And always remember, Hitler was duly elected and welcomed in by the masses.
Deborah Booth, I agree with you.
When Hitler came to power in 1933 he had a fully worked out and implemented strategy to replace all professionals in public institutions by his Nazi supporters; the opposition media were closed down; anyone who expressed any opposition was punished; the Social Democratic Party leader was tortured and killed as were the Communists who didn’t manage to flee…etc. All this happened simultaneously as The Jews were systematically attacked, even school children were singled out and made into monsters by their teachers.
We have not reached these levels of Evil. However, the English press shows a dangerous lack of criticism of the creeping change in attitudes towards immigrants, EU member states, environmental issues and many others. Thus a Democratic society is capable of being hoodwinked by an ideology which really only benefits a small minority and is evil in its intent. That is both the similarity and difference between The UK, or perhaps mainly England, now and Germany in the early 1930s.
To be fair, there are quite a lot of people working hard to achieve what you propose, as a generally viable rule for all; by taking Scotland with them when they leave. So think of it this way; you may well achieve your ambition, at least as a general option in Britain, open to all. You have what you want, and everyone who doesn’t agree with your politics and wishes has the option to move to Scotland; most people in Scotland and rUK can thus be happy – what could be better?
To see how absurd your suggestion is, Dom, let’s suppose it was a generally accepted rule that those who are ashamed to live in the same country as that country’s leaders should leave the country.
Well then, I have relatives in China who are ashamed to live in the same country as President Xi Jinping. I don’t know how many other Chinese would agree with them but suppose it was only 0.1% of the population, i.e. over 1.4 million people.
If they were all to leave China, assuming they could get exit visas, where do you suppose they ought to go? Would you welcome them coming to the UK? If not, why not?
Or maybe you only think the rule applies to UK citizens. If so, then, perhaps, you could explain why.
No, you leave. Take your moronic attitude and politics with you. When you and others like you have gone the rest of us can sort out the mess you’ve made and get a decent country.
‘Fear for the UK as it becomes an outcast in international communities, and rightly so’
I’ve read your blog for many years as an antidote to my right wing views but this one made me choke on my cereal.
How you can write the above after the Uk hosted the G7 & had meetings with Modi and Ramaphosa? Australian and South Korean leaders also accepted invitations to show up and they aren’t even in the G7.
Outcast? Just no.
They came to the G7, not to the U.K. as such
Seriously, can’t you work that out?
“no one has ever as yet explained what Brexit is all about, unless its only and sole purpose is the generation of pointless division”
Isn’t Brexit also about financial opportunity for the few, including, for example, trading opportunities free from EU safety regulations, and evading the EU’s new stronger rules on tax havens?
Also, by taking us into an emotional rather than rational political discourse, it makes possible the Orwellian politics you describe so well, in which the rich few can continue to rule us with the support of the majority in England who have fallen for their slogan-based politics. This is the point of “pointless division”.
This current Government and Johnson in particular highlights the total inadequacy of the British Public School system and the Oxbridge nexus which provides the majority of our so called leaders. There can be little doubt that without Johnson’s access to these webs of privilege someone with so little ability apart from to be the pub joker would have achieved such a position.
You are not alone in being ashamed of having a representative such as Boris Johnson. There are many of us. We are frustrated, silenced and feel powerless while we watch this pantomine with a servile press in attendance. Amongst my associates are those looking for a movement to oust these pretenders brought up with the arrogance that they are supposed to lead and be endowed with all the advantages this world can provide them. We will not be silent for ever. Covid has been a challenge for us all but we are now like “coiled springs”. I hope that leads to an enlightenment as to what is the critical issue on the table (climate change) but we have not looked after our youth and their anger may lead to a more violent and directionless thrashing at all authority.
@ Dom
Mr Murphy stated that, “I am ashamed to live in a country that has Boris Johnson as its prime minister.” You replied, “So,leave then.”
I’m 99.9999999% certain that if Mr Murphy had written a blog critical of this government regarding their treatment of assylum seekers and migrants in general, you’d probably repy along the lines of,”Why don’t they stay in their country and fight to make it better then?”
Bit of a contradiction there, as according to the logic you displayed above, all Jews living in Isreal who are critical of their government’s response to the Palastinians should just pack up and leave. Thank god past generations took no heed of your kind of non-critical thinking or we’d still be living with surfdom and no universal suffrage.
Johnson is a proven lazy, shape-shifting lier & fake, with a vicious streak to boot, who possesses the self-critical facility of a squashed hedgehog on the M6. If he were a bog standard member of the public then no one but his immediate circle would give a toss about his considerable and extensive short comings. But as a PM he is the face the UK presents to the world. As such, I too am ashamed of him, and I for one have no intention of leaving my country of birth I’ve lived in for decades simply because of that delusional toss-pot we currently have as a so-called prime minister. Why on earth should I? He will be history one day, and good riddence; history will not be kind to the “King of the World” carpet bagger.
Thanks
That’s the way Sandra! Dom, or whatever stupid ‘oh I’m so witty thinking of this username named after Dominic Cummings’ you really are, read and learn. And try growing up.
P.S.
The spell checker appears to not be working on this blog.
Yours or mine
If you are suggesting I make typos, yes, I do. And I do not always see them in my own work.
My suggestion is that they may, overall, be seen as the compromise required to get three blogs out before breakfast
Mr Murphy
I should’ve been more clear regarding the spellchecker. I didn’t mean your typos (which are legendary and I enjoy), I meant that when replying to your blog the spellchecker isn’t working. Normally a spelling mistake is highlighted when I reply on your blogs; it didn’t today, so I thought maybe there had been admin changes on this blog given that my spellchecker works fine on Word docs and my emails.
However, I last replied to your blogs a while back and have since changed my computer. So I’ve experimented by replying (without sending) on other blogs. No highlighting of my deliberate spelling mistakes happened on these other blogs either. So the fault must lie with my new computer…. bummer! I shall have to hunt out my pocket dictonary until I get my spellchecking function back in full.
Sandra
Sorry but you have to understand I do not ever see the blog in the way you do, so I do not have the use experience of it
I certainly would not turn the option off
Actually, it’s hit and miss in WordPress, which is where I comment
Best
Richard
I expected nothing of humanity or environmental or economic fairness from this gathering – I hope the era of G7’s is OVER and confined to the rubbish bin of history.
When they should have been acknowledging Merkels last such appearance- the most senior elected politician there – they were lining up to usher her out so that they can get on with the fascistic sloganeering
‘Build Back Better’
A PR construct shared by the US and U.K. – The Atlantic hagemons , the Brittannia Unhinged monsters, EU destroyers and Russia/China baiters.
Bozo used it first last year, ahead of Biden.
That BBB slogan needs deconstruction.
Starting with ‘Back’ – from what? From when? Why?
Better – than what? When? Why? How?
Build – ? Makes no sense – what? Lego models? Houses? Democracy??? Don’t make me laugh.
BBB? More like KKK.
Exactly: build what? Why “build back” – has something been demolished? Better than what?
It is a vacuous slogan, like the passive “lessons will be learned”, which always begs the questions “what lessons?” and “who is learning them?”. And indeed “will there be a test to check?”
🙂
It is in the same category as “Grandma sucks eggs”
Mmm, just one of the empty passive platitudes, like thoughts and prayers, mistakes were made, lessons will be learned. What positive actions will be taken and by whom, and how will we check what difference it makes (we are really awful at post-implementation review).
“Build back better” seems to be taken from the UN’s approach to disaster management. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Building_Back_Better
Itself taken from earlier labels for reconstruction after the 2004 tsunami. https://www.preventionweb.net/news/view/71110
Or disasters in Haiti. https://medium.com/climate-conscious/the-policy-slogan-build-back-better-has-an-interesting-backstory-c41731e8282
Situations when real infrastructure has been destroyed, and there is a pressing need to reconstruct. Not a sticking plaster over a self-inflicted wound like post-2010 austerity, or Brexit.
Actually, I’ve got a three word slogan/acronym that I think you might all like. Its BAB, i.e ‘bullshit and bluster’. A good description of the contemptible UK ‘government’, I think?
Pick any three: Boris’s bluster, blather, bullshit, babble, bombast, bloviation.
It just struck me that “build back better” is one of those phrases that no sensible person could oppose and so carries no meaning: who would propose to build back worse?
Your fears are shared by so many justifiably. This is about a “libertarian”, fascist cabal that plan to set up industrial zones where the rule of law is dictated by those that “own” that area and not the national government. They want to attract the disaster capitalists who reject any idea of taxation or social responsibility.
By creating conflict to cover while they get on with it, the population will be distracted and divided with dangerous xenophobic rhetoric.
Farage might have gone quiet but those that use him as their public mouthpiece are directing the whole debacle.
I do fear 000’s of innocent lives will be lost while he has no conscience nor will have.
What worries me also is what Putin and Co are up to while Europe is distracted. As Macron implied, the EU have spent more than enough time debating British sovereignty. They may accept their losses and implement a No Deal.
Ironically the generation that fought the Nazi’s for freedom are the critical group voting to have even worse going forward.
Those who fought the Nazis are almost entirely dead now – you have to be in your 90s and there are not that many left
True, those that fought have mostly died. I should have referred to those that grew up during the aftermath and into the 50’s.
The ONS data confirms that the over 55 age group was the only age group that had a majority that voted Tory.
Agreed
But they did not fight the Nazis, although they like to think they did because they watched The Battle of Britain and The Dambusters as kids and bought the propaganda
Agree entirely with your blog and many others here.
We are in the grip of some sort of ‘hyper- Englishness’ – a reaction to the reality of our position in that rather than rationally accepting that we were in fact inter-dependent rather than independent in the modern age, Johnson and Co have gone back to some sort of short period from our history when we were top dog and think in terms of pretending to be totally independent.
Its exceptionalism gone mad. But also, Johnson and his crew know that there are others out there that think the same, otherwise they would not even hold this position. They are banking on Trump coming back and on other States beginning to think this way enduring. That is scary and an ever present danger.
So that is why you are right to fear what he does next. He’s gambling I think on Biden being in for one term. Johnson is thinking long term – no doubt about it.
PSR, whilst I agree with you on a lot of things, including your first two paragraphs, the idea of Johnson thinking long term, with a cohesive, thought through plan? No, that’s beyond him. He’s a lazy, narcissistic egoist who lies at the drop of a hat, signs internationally binding treaties without reading them in order to get his next political ‘win’, then threatens to renege on them when it all goes wrong.
His big idea or grand plan is nothing more than his indulging himself. And unfortunately, far too many people who should know better have indulged him in the past, and (some) are doing so now. Its about time they (especially his own MPs and party members) turned on him and shoved the knife in.