An Inverted Pyramid of Piffle
Trying to pin down the character of Boris Johnson is a foolish business and has driven many a political commentator to despair. The news that he has been kicked off the front bench for "misleading Michael Howard" over his four-year affair with Petronella Wyatt is another example of how difficult it is to predict the man, but there are certain patterns that are unavoidable.
The "buffoon" element is a useful armour, and can protect him against all sorts of crimes… ordinary men weep at his ability to shrug off mistakes for which other people would be vilified. He is undiplomatic and politically unaware, but it is the extent to which he shines in certain ways that solidifies his foundation.
Undoubtedly he has the qualities required to edit the Spectator, despite his massive error in allowing the Liverpool article through. And he has long since discovered that public school charm is worth a hundred talents, bearing in mind how much this is likely to resonate with most similarly public school educated establishment figures. Hell, it opens doors. It is a freemasonry of body language and words; and if a few Liverpudlians are incensed, it hardly matters…there are plenty of people in the media ready to come out in his favour and write off Liverpool as a sentimental city of idiots. It hardly matters if they have never even been north of Watford, because after all Boris is so charming that he can't possibly be in the wrong…
The most worryingly parts of this story are these defences of Boris. Many reports and comments over the weekend explained why he should not be sacked. They said that Boris is an honest man who speaks his mind and doesn't care whether people will agree with what he says…making a change from all those politicians who only say what he thinks people want him to say. But we must face an important fact. If what he is saying -- no matter how honestly -- is gibberish, he should not be applauded.
This deference to character and "charm" over anything else, including political deeds, is astonishing. He is there as the representative of the people who elected him, not as a damn sideshow. To remove the leash and let him roam around the field, doing exactly what the hell he wants, pissing on lampposts and foaming at the mouth every time somebody comes near… Jesus.
Whether he likes it or not he is mired in the heart of politics and cannot get away with being a bad politician. Of course his private life is his own, but his character is a flawed and baffling one, and his affair was a manifestation of these flaws. The one question to be asked is not why did Michael Howard sack him over the affair issue…but why the hell was he there to be sacked in the first place?
Boris Johnson is not a loveable buffoon. He is a rotten politician who has, by accident or design, the ability to bamboozle millions of people into seeing him as a "character". Bollocks to him, and for the love of god please keep him off the damn television.
The "buffoon" element is a useful armour, and can protect him against all sorts of crimes… ordinary men weep at his ability to shrug off mistakes for which other people would be vilified. He is undiplomatic and politically unaware, but it is the extent to which he shines in certain ways that solidifies his foundation.
Undoubtedly he has the qualities required to edit the Spectator, despite his massive error in allowing the Liverpool article through. And he has long since discovered that public school charm is worth a hundred talents, bearing in mind how much this is likely to resonate with most similarly public school educated establishment figures. Hell, it opens doors. It is a freemasonry of body language and words; and if a few Liverpudlians are incensed, it hardly matters…there are plenty of people in the media ready to come out in his favour and write off Liverpool as a sentimental city of idiots. It hardly matters if they have never even been north of Watford, because after all Boris is so charming that he can't possibly be in the wrong…
The most worryingly parts of this story are these defences of Boris. Many reports and comments over the weekend explained why he should not be sacked. They said that Boris is an honest man who speaks his mind and doesn't care whether people will agree with what he says…making a change from all those politicians who only say what he thinks people want him to say. But we must face an important fact. If what he is saying -- no matter how honestly -- is gibberish, he should not be applauded.
This deference to character and "charm" over anything else, including political deeds, is astonishing. He is there as the representative of the people who elected him, not as a damn sideshow. To remove the leash and let him roam around the field, doing exactly what the hell he wants, pissing on lampposts and foaming at the mouth every time somebody comes near… Jesus.
Whether he likes it or not he is mired in the heart of politics and cannot get away with being a bad politician. Of course his private life is his own, but his character is a flawed and baffling one, and his affair was a manifestation of these flaws. The one question to be asked is not why did Michael Howard sack him over the affair issue…but why the hell was he there to be sacked in the first place?
Boris Johnson is not a loveable buffoon. He is a rotten politician who has, by accident or design, the ability to bamboozle millions of people into seeing him as a "character". Bollocks to him, and for the love of god please keep him off the damn television.
posted by Jamie at 9:48 AM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home