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13 July 2016
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UK Politics
Boris Johnson made foreign secretary by Theresa May
Boris Johnson made foreign secretary by Theresa May
He replaces Philip Hammond, who becomes chancellor. Ex-Energy Secretary Amber Rudd is home secretary and Eurosceptic David Davis is the Brexit secretary.
Ex-chancellor George Osborne was fired, the BBC's Laura Kuenssberg said.
On arriving at Downing Street, Mrs May vowed to lead a government that works for all, not just the "privileged few".
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The UK's second female prime minister promised to give people who were "just managing" and "working around the clock" more control over their lives.
Downing Street said she took a number of "congratulatory phone calls" from other European leaders on Wednesday evening, where she told them "some time" would be needed to prepare for EU exit talks.
In her appointments announced so far, Michael Fallon continues as defence secretary, and Liam Fox, who resigned as defence secretary in 2011, has a new role as secretary of state for international trade.
Theresa May's new cabinet appointments
Chancellor - Philip Hammond
Home Secretary - Amber Rudd
Foreign Secretary - Boris Johnson
Defence Secretary - Michael Fallon
Secretary of State for exiting the European Union - David Davis
International Trade Secretary - Liam Fox
Mrs May has spoken of the need to reunite the Conservative Party after the EU referendum, in which she backed a Remain vote.
Her new line-up includes big jobs for prominent Leave campaigners Mr Johnson - who was initially tipped as the next prime minister after the Brexit vote - Mr Fox, and Mr Davis, whose job title is "secretary of state for exiting the European Union".
What's on Theresa May's to-do list?
Meet Mr May: The UK's first husband
UKIP leader Nigel Farage tweeted that the appointments of Mr Fox and Mr Davis were "inspired choices", adding: "I feel more optimistic now."
On Twitter , Mr Osborne, who was chancellor throughout Mr Cameron's tenure, said the job had been a "privilege", adding: "Others will judge - I hope I've left the economy in a better state than I found it."
The BBC's political editor Laura Kuenssberg said Mr Osborne had been "told his services were no longer required" because his "brand" was seen as "too tarnished".
Mr Johnson said he was "very humbled" to be appointed foreign secretary.
He said Mrs May had made a "wonderful speech" earlier, saying there was a "massive opportunity in this country to make a great success of our new relationship with Europe and with the world".
But Lib Dem leader Tim Farron predicted Mr Johnson would "spend more time apologising to nations he's offended" than working as foreign secretary.
Theresa May was applauded as she entered 10 Downing Street for the first time as PM
The new prime minister had spoken by phone to German Chancellor Angela Merkel, French President Francois Hollande and Irish Taoiseach Enda Kenny, Downing Street said late on Wednesday.
A Number 10 spokeswoman said the PM had "emphasised her commitment to delivering the will of the British people to leave the European Union".
She added: "The prime minister explained that we would need some time to prepare for these negotiations and spoke of her hope that these could be conducted in a constructive and positive spirit."
The biggest surprise is the appointment of Boris Johnson, the Tory members' darling, as the foreign secretary - one of the greatest offices of state, with a hugely different role as the UK contemplates life outside the EU.
There will be arguments in the coming days of course about how that role will compare and possibly pull against the newly-created "minister for Brexit", a role that's been filled by arch Eurosceptic David Davis, a serial campaigner for civil liberties who is difficult to placate. The Eurosceptic Liam Fox is in charge of drumming up trade.
But the decision that marks the clearest break with the past is the sacking of George Osborne, David Cameron's fixer and political friend for so long.
Earlier, after returning from Buckingham Palace, where she was formally appointed as prime minister by the Queen, Mrs May made a speech from outside 10 Downing Street.
Her husband Philip was standing behind her as she highlighted the "precious bond" between England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland and between "every one of us".
"That means fighting against the burning injustice that if you're born poor you will die on average nine years earlier than others," Mrs May said.
For an "ordinary working class family", she added, "life is much harder than many people in Westminster realise".
"When it comes to opportunity, we won't entrench the advantages of the fortunate few, we will do everything we can to help anybody, whatever your background, to go as far as your talents will take you," Mrs May said.
Mrs May also paid tribute to her predecessor, David Cameron, saying he had been "a great modern prime minister".
Mr Cameron earlier gave his final speech as prime minister, saying it had been "the greatest honour" of his life and that the UK was "much stronger" than when he took over.
http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-36789972
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The world is going crazy
She seems very impressive, much better than the weasel Cameron. I like everything I've read about her and she's off to a good start.
maybe we could draft her for president. Or even Boris Johnson, he's used to be an American.
You think Boris is a good choice after how he has spoken so divisive and attacked every foreign diplomat. How he is suppose to encourage partnerships and relationships with the very people he has belittled?
Is he the guy that John Oliver said looked like an orangutan? I would think he could have a problem, as you say, fairly treating all those countries that he has spoken badly of.
You guys miss the whole point of what he accomplished. The goal was to break free from kissing their rumps. They wouldn't be where they are if not for his help and leadership.
Dean- seriously? The guy is a pos and an embarrassment. There is a better approach. One with intelligence and decorum. He has neither.
I noticed it's the same people that were upset two weeks ago that he wasn't seeking the top spot are now upset that he is playing a major role in government.
I wanted the other lady initially for PM. She did get a good position, I'm more impressed by her than I'd thought I'd be. I love the Davis and Fox appointments but the Johnson pick and especially for that job was a very pleasant surprise and a perfect appointment. Well done!
XXJefferson#51 you never seem to disappoint me with your answers. The good news for you is I'll probably be reducing my time here. But I'll wish you good luck promoting your agenda.
Hope you don't go, you're a great asset to the membership !
Hope you don't go, you're a great asset to the membership !
I agree. A vacation helps. Take some time off, but please don't go completely.
Why would you spending less time here be good news for me? I don't think like that. You had to know that my opinion on the topic would be what I actually said. It's not like a shocking revelation or something.
XXJefferson#51 as I mentioned above, you don't disappoint me with your responses. I'm far from shocked and thanks for the thumbs down. :o)
Look. I wasn't even sure who he was. So what do I know? N-o-t-h-i-n-g.
My point was that a secretary of state cannot be too critical of other countries--- their job is diplomacy and tact, while negotiating for their country.
I hope he does a good job.
I'm not sure about the John Oliver reference but he is the guy that has attacked foreign heads. The Brits are going to lose their standing in the world with this type of leadership. I love our distant cousins and am sad to see this happening.
With the commonwealth of nations and North America around, the standing of the UK among the nations will grow, not shrink.
Have you seen what the ministers of France and Germany have said about him? Calling him monstrous and a liar is worse than anything he's said.
The Brits are going to lose their standing in the world with this type of leadership
I hope you apply that to the Germans and French as well.
The French had standing? The difference between who is alleging and who is name calling is one is an accurate portrayal and the other is a liar and monstrous. (See how I worked in who the bad guy is. :0p)
It's hardly surprising that Boris has the same fans as Trump. I googled to find his famous "Kenya" quote, and quickly found a nice little list of whoppers, from CNBC:
1. Hillary Clinton the 'Sadistic Nurse'
As well as his $180,000 government salary, Johnson also bags a cool $365,000 per year to write a weekly column in Britain's Daily Telegraph.
In Nov. 2007, he used his column to endorse Hillary Clinton during her first presidential bid. Except he had a rather strange way of showing his support.
"She's got dyed blonde hair and pouty lips, and a steely blue stare, like a sadistic nurse in a mental hospital," he wrote of the Democratic candidate.
Clinton, he said, had carried out the job of First Lady like "Lady Macbeth, stamping her heel, bawling out subordinates and frisbeeing ashtrays at her erring husband."
In fact, Johnson's only reason for supporting Clinton was because he wanted her husband back in the White House.
"For all who love America, it is time to think of supporting Hillary, not because we necessarily want her for herself but because we want Bill in the role of First Husband," he said.
2. Obama the 'Part-Kenyan President'
During the Brexit referendum, Johnson was one of the leading voices of the successful campaign for Britain to leave the European Union.
This put him on the opposite side of the argument to President Barack Obama, and Johnson — the New York-born former London mayor — didn't pull any punches.
Writing in The Sun tabloid, Johnson called Obama a "part-Kenyan president" — referring to the birth country of Obama's father — and said the president had an "ancestral dislike of the British empire."
Johnson said Obama's views on the EU were "incoherent ... inconsistent and ... downright hypocritical."
Lawmakers from Britain's opposition Labour Party reacted furiously, calling the comments "dog-whistle racism," saying Johnson was a "moron" and accusing him of espousing "the worst Tea Party rhetoric."
Although Obama didn't react directly to Johnson's jibe, the White House had previously dismissed the former London mayor's "well-established reputation for rhetorical flourishes."
3. Trump's 'Stupefying Ignorance'
It's not just Democrats that Johnson has been busy offending. After Republican presumptive nominee Donald Trump called for a "total and complete shutdown of Muslims entering the United States," the U.K.'s new foreign secretary took aim.
He said Trump was "clearly out of his mind" and that his "ill-informed comments are complete and utter nonsense."
He accused the Republican of "stupefying ignorance" for suggesting immigration had created "no-go" areas of London.
"I would invite him to come and see the whole of London … except that I wouldn't want to expose Londoners to any risk of meeting Donald Trump," he said. "The only reason I wouldn't go to some parts of New York is the real risk of meeting Donald Trump."
4. Putin as 'Dobby the House Elf'
Johnson provided one of his typically humorous assessments on Russian President Vladimir Putin in Dec. 2015, comparing the leader to a character from the "Harry Potter" franchise.
"Despite looking a bit like Dobby the House Elf, he is a ruthless and manipulative tyrant," Johnson said, writing in his Telegraph column.
Like with his comments on Clinton, Johnson's insult was soon followed by something resembling a support of the Russian leader, arguing that the West should do a deal with Putin over the Syrian civil war.
5. A Very Rude Poem About Erdogan
In March, British politics magazine The Spectator ran a competition to see who could write the most offensive poem about Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
This was in response to a lawsuit brought by Erdogan against a German comedian who went on television and recited an insulting poem about the Turkish leader.
The Spectator's competition was won by Boris Johnson, who edited the magazine until 2005.
His entry involved Erdogan and references to masturbation and sexual intercourse with a goat.
6. Allegations of Racism
Johnson was forced to apologize for a 2002 newspaper column in which he used several racist words to describe the then-Prime Minister Tony Blair's visits to other countries.
He suggested Blair would be greeted "with crowds of flag-waving piccaninnies" — an offensive term for a black child. He added that when the prime minister touched down in the Congo, the "tribal warriors will all break out in watermelon smiles."
It was not until 2008 that Johnson apologized for the words. He said they were taken out of context and was "very sad that people have been so offended."
He added: "I'm absolutely 100 per cent anti-racist, I despise and loathe racism," and urged black Londoners who were outraged by the comments to "move on" and focus on other issues.
Mr Johnson is not an uneducated buffoon. He is pure upper-class Eton/Oxbridge... pretending to be an uneducated buffoon. A demagogue. So he'll please the Usual Suspects.
Hey Bob,
Nice to see you.
Boris Johnson was the mayor of London, elected by majority vote of Londoners, and as I understand it, some suburbs. Prime Ministers are selected by the majority party of Parliament, which consists of all of the elected officials of same. They represent their individual districts, which I understand to be rather small, in comparison to London.
Therefore, Boris Johnson received far more votes than anyone in the country in order to become mayor.
Adding your post and mine together, what does this say about London? What does it say about the UK?
It says that demagogues always destroy the democracies that produce them. We are currently watching the fall of America, in real-time. When a significant portion of the political world is perfectly happy to damage democratic institutions if doing so will advance their personal agenda... there is little hope.
Are you saying that the people of London had a personal agenda in electing Johnson?
May has an agenda in appointing him Foreign Secretary?
Johnson will damage his country in carrying out his duties?
It's hard to understand your vision from 30,000 feet.
If I may, although I'm sure you'd probably prefer I didn't:
Are you saying that the people of London had a personal agenda in electing Johnson? I think the people of London are dissatisfied with their government and so they voted in someone that was completely opposite of what a real leader should be.
May has an agenda in appointing him Foreign Secretary? I would say May's agenda falls along the lines of "keep you friends close and your enemies closer". The Brexit will need the vision of the village idiot that thought it up to see it through. Have the idiot coordinate it and should it go bad then it was all his fault.It is actually brilliant on her part.
Johnson will damage his country in carrying out his duties? Johnson will fall in line and do what every other politician before him has done - the obvious that will keep him in the spot light while adding to his coffers.
I'm am very much pro Brexit and very much anti Trump.
He is pure upper-class Eton/Oxbridge... pretending to be an uneducated buffoon. A demagogue. So he'll please the Usual Suspects.
In other words, except for the particular schools, he is Trump.
🇬🇧🇬🇧🇬🇧❤️👍
Are you saying that...
No, not at all. I'm saying that Johnson is an unprincipled megalo, who would take either side of any debate, as long as it gets him votes. I am saying that his behavior is transparent, and that the voters who elect him are destroying what little power British institutions give them.
And of course, I was implying that the same thing is occurring in the US, with the Tea Party and Donald Trump.
May stood on the "stay" side, and appointed a "Brexit" supporter to be Foreign Minister. As an aside, her "cabinet" consists of people on both sides of the aisle. As another aside, I think that America can learn from this. His appointment says to me that he is going to communicate frankly with the representatives and the EU in regard to the separation. UK is the #1 in commerce in Europe. Everyone still has to deal with them, and will not cut their noses off to spite their faces. Johnson will not allow his country to take a hit on this.
I don't think this is the catastrophe that many are predicting, and as far as the US is concerned, the jury's out. The election isn't for another 4 months.
I think many of our progressives were opposed to Brexit because they didn't want it to succeed in giving domestic opponents a morale boosting victory and because they see themselves as being the imposers of an EU like superstate upon us here. They will likely give aid and comfort to the EU in any issues they have with the UK while we will certainly stand with our historic best friend and ally.
On arriving at Downing Street, Mrs May vowed to lead a government that works for all, not just the "privileged few".
That has been a recurring theme in British politics since the days of Oliver Cromwell ...