The Tragedy of Boris

Jonty Bloom, ‘What could have been…’:

Meanwhile the PM of the UK, is boasting of being ahead of the world and leading the way. Utter tosh of course but what do you expect?

He could have been leading Europe by now, if he had picked that other article.

He could have been somebody.

For those who don’t get the reference, Boris Johnson is claimed to have written two newspaper articles back in 2016 at the start of the EU Referendum campaign, one in favour of Remain, the other supporting Leave. Johnson went with the Leave article, in the process breaking ranks with David Cameron (then Prime Minister) and becoming a leading light in the Leave campaign.

The rest is history, or rather it’s the present reality here in the UK, no matter how Johnson and the Conservative Party try to spin it.

If comedy is tragedy plus timing, then we are in a tragedy because we are led by a comic with very bad timing indeed, not to mention poor judgement and focus.

There’s a bitter irony in Jonty’s final sentence. Imagine if Boris Johnson has spearheaded Remain instead? Despite his shortcomings, he has the knack for getting people behind him. He could be using those talents to lead the way on climate change, global taxation, building a better EU and more.

But he chose short-term political advancement over long-term opportunity. And we are all suffering the consequences of that choice.