I'm no fan of the two-faced self-serving muppet
BUT
His comments on Saudi Arabia were right on the money,
in exchange for oil we've supported a brutal repressive regime thats responsible for nurturing a brand of terrorism that caused so much of our international woes.
Our arms trade with them (and many other countries) is a sick joke.
It also bellies the hypocrisy of the right criticising comrade Corbyn for praising g Castro
Ri****d has now joined May in slapping down his statement for fear of jeopardising our desperate need to secure trade post brexit.
How long has he got before he's minister for social housing or even better ambassador to Trump ? 😉
I think that is the irony, he is widely ridiculed / despised by the left but he said exactly what they believe re: funding.
Pretty crazy statement to make though as Foreign Secretary particularly when May has been the first female leader ever to attend the GCC sumit. Too soon for him to be sacked but he was rightly "knee capped" as Liz Kendall put it on This Week.
Saudi may have more than a few rough edges but it's a key regional ally and one of the few relatively stable states there. It is particularly important in countering Iranian influence.
Worse, Sec of State for NI. I find it embarrassing having such an arse as Foreign Sec. Id like to see someone like Rory Stewart in that job.
Moggy agreed with bojo on hignfy !
Yep and general agreement on QT last night.
Not exactly presenting a unified front on anything are they.
I'm not sure why he's suddenly got the urge to 'say it like it is' on moral matters, it's not exactly his modus operandi is it?
The Saudis aren't the only one of our allies/partners he's been offensive to recently... his current run rate of offensive comments is about one a week...
I think he's trying to get sacked - to avoid the trap May set him by putting him in Cabinet in the first place - to ensure he takes some responsibility for the Brexit mess he helped to create and give herself a fall guy when it gets messy, which it will at some point.
I reckon he'll push things even further and try and force her to sack him but instead of letting him resign from government she'll move him to another Cabinet post to keep him in the crosshairs of Brexit....
All these games when we're in a massive crisis and we need some leadership 🙁
I think he's trying to get sacked - to avoid the trap May set him by putting him in Cabinet in the first place - t
thats a reasonable assumption tbf
He is right morally but not politically.
I actually applaud him for saying it but did he really think he would not be slapped down for it? Saudi put millions into tory party coffers indirectly
Confusion reigns; as for any comments from 'Rockets' Ri****d they should be discounted - his nickname explains why.
What happened to the promised enquiry into the Al-Yamama bribes paid by BAE Systems to a Saudi fixer with close links to the Saud family? Kicked into the long grass by successive govs.
Fully appreciate the strategic geographical location but the points made by kimbers re human rights and terrorism are spot on.
They have a single product economy and that's not in a great place - price instability, alternative fuel sources, environmental considerations.
Back to BoJo and the response from No 10 - I would be surprised if TM did not now control him very tightly; if he is moved on/out there will be significant fall-out. Being witty, educated and fond of quoting latin is no substitute for being a strong and effective politician; time will tell.
I'm waiting for the gov to take some clear policy decisions and then deliver; so far - nothing - other than squeezing the already disadvantaged in society.
As for Corbyn and his rag tag assembly - it will never happen.
So we're stuck with tories and a possible repeat of the lib-con coalition in the future.
Saudi may have more than a few rough edges but it's a key regional ally and one of the few relatively stable states there.
Rough edges? They are a bunch of cs. There isn't a redeeming feature in the whole *ing outfit. Shame on us for cosying up to them. One good aspect of making internal combustion redundant is that we wouldn't have to any more.
He's the equivalent of a child who serves a useful purpose in societies that are otherwise too polite to comment on the bleedin' obvious
"mummy" can scold him in public and then laugh her arse off in private at it
"Oh, silly old Borris" 🙄
Sadly, I agree about Labour; currently the nasty party can do what the **** it likes domestically - only risk is that ukip might win the next GE 😯
[quote=tjagain ]He is right morally but not politically.
I actually applaud him for saying it but did he really think he would not be slapped down for it? Saudi put millions into tory party coffers indirectly
this and what wrecker said
We support them ONLY because of strategic interest morally they are risible and a non democracy that exports terrorism, treats its citizens like crap, especially women, and does not deserve to sit or be heard by the world's communities nor plied with arms to murder , maim and torture the innocent.
Its basically Iran but it will be our poodle when we ask
I think that is the irony, he is widely ridiculed / despised by the [s]left[/s] most people but he said exactly what they believe re: funding.
ftfy
What the hell has it got to do with the left or irony? Even an idiot is right some of the time.
Its basically Iran but it will be our bitch
Iran is quite an open and tolerant society in comparison to any of the Sunni/Wahhabist Gulf States.
Indeed but it does not want to be the west play poodle- I though Bitch a poor choice of expression so edited.
@egb He likes to test that theory to breaking point though occasionally even jamby gets something correct.
I think that is the irony, he is widely ridiculed / despised by the left but he said exactly what they believe re: funding.
Boris in shock telling the truth scandal...........
STOP THE PRESS!!
He's still a ****ing idiot.
Saudi may have more than a few rough edges
WHO SAID THIS??
Oh I should have bloody known.....
You have no shame.
[url= https://www.amnesty.org/en/countries/middle-east-and-north-africa/saudi-arabia/report-saudi-arabia/ ]Saudi "Human rights...'?![/url]
What happened to the promised enquiry into the Al-Yamama bribes paid by BAE Systems to a Saudi fixer with close links to the Saud family?
You mean this guy?
Same guy who was thanked by Osama Bin Laden for getting the Americans involved in Afghanistan, leading to the creation of Al-Qaeda and the Taliban...
[url= http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/911-report-secret-28-pages-al-qaeda-suspect-saudi-royal-family-prince-bandar-abu-zubaydah-a7176011.html ]
And also closely involved with the 9/11 hijackers, as revealed in the release of the 28 pages earlier this year...[/url]
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Surely he can't have any involvement with funding and directing the Syrian rebels which became ISIS?
Oh...
[url= http://en.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13920825000693 ]
Prince Bandar to Lead Saudi Extraterritorial Military Force for War in Syria, Yemen[/url]
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Wonder what happened to the billions that went missing from Al-Yamamah...
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Perhaps Prince Charles could've asked him when he was one of the few foreign dignitaries invited to Charles and Camilla's wedding...
(not a shot from the wedding, but puts things in context)
After all, they have been mates since the 70s...
Probably just a coincidence though, not like Charles has had any other dodgy mates
Funny old world
😆He likes to test that theory to breaking point though occasionally even jamby gets something correct.
@jive: yes, that's the kiddy........
Nahh ... no big deal ... say it to their face (to whoever they wish).
What's the fuss? Politicians should say it as it is.
Say it from the heart say it straight.
Let the people judge.
If they like him (politicians) he stays otherwise the people can kick (vote) him out. Simple.
Indeed but it does not want to be the west play poodle-
No, it's Russia's play poodle. SA is [i]our[/i] Iran. I reckon one of the main reasons we keep SA sweet is so that it doesn't become another Russian ally, and it would.
I genuinely don't think Iran is anyone's play poodle.
I thought maybe Boris is laying the ground for Trumping May
wrecker - Member
Rough edges? They are a bunch of cs. There isn't a redeeming feature in the whole *ing outfit. Shame on us for cosying up to them. One good aspect of making internal combustion redundant is that we wouldn't have to any more.
Well said.
He's got a sort of political tourettes doesn't he. When he ought to be honest he compulsively lies, when his job is to keep quiet he tells the truth. And it is the truth. But it doesn't make any difference- if he's going to go into number 10 and say "Let's stop cozying up to the saudis, they're awful ****s", that'd be great, but he's not going to- he's going to be part of a government that'd suck them off for 10p, and go on actual honest-to-god sales trips to convince them to buy our weapons to terrorise their own citizens (and not just theirs)...
So, forgive me for not cheering Boris's 5 seconds of random honesty. It won't last and it won't make the slightest difference.
basically Iran but it will be our poodle when we ask
It's a bit more the other way round really.
Rough edges? They are a bunch of cs. There isn't a redeeming feature in the whole *ing outfit. Shame on us for cosying up to them. One good aspect of making internal combustion redundant is that we wouldn't have to any more
I like your style. The Western world lost its moral compass a while ago but no reason we can't fix it. It's the fact that we don't take a hard stance against countries like these and try to intellectualise our relationship with them.
A great example of why everything is so confusing as Adam Curtis would say. But it doesn't need to be. We lack any sort of progress with our fellow humans at the expense of cosying up to the evils of capitalism.
The silver lining of all this 2016 madness is we may get a few moments of honesty.
The BBC correspondent on the news (Laura Davies?) looked brainwashed when she was calling him wrong, misguided etc
Wot northwind said is right.
Until we crack on with electric vehicles and renewables we are stuck with politicians selling them arms, Boris or whoever replaces him
All this is why we should invest every penny in renewables.
The very reason we don't makes me believe there are some truly evil people pulling our government's strings.
I think that is the irony, he is widely ridiculed / despised by the left but he said exactly what they believe re: funding.
He isn't ridiculed for telling the truth. He's ridiculed for acting like there's nothing he can do about it and it's all someone else's problem.
I think he's vastly cleverer than you or I. He's just not slick at being a slick politician. He makes gaffs. In a sea of snakes and self serving cold suits I like that. Sorry.
Are we choosing jobs for BorisBrexshite?
He acts like a Clown, why not just promote him into the role..
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Nice speech. The Saudi Prince he sat next to didn't think it was an issue.
Media types should sssshhhhhh.
He's telling the truth. Should he keep quiet and lie?
I think he's vastly cleverer than you or I. He's just not slick at being a slick politician. He makes gaffs. In a sea of snakes and self serving cold suits I like that. Sorry.
He has been a politician for 17 years and before that a Journalist if he can't work out how not to make gaffs he is doing it on purpose. He may be acting like that to deflect opinion or to cover some stuff (like being in conflict with the PM on many things) The clever but is to make you think it's endearing
It'd be easier to not say such things.
He could have be sacked if Saudi Arabia had kicked off.
Where then? He'd never get a top seat again.
He chose to wear his heart on his sleeve.
Johnsons buffon act is just that - an act. He is a clever ( if lacking in common sense) man
He does however have a habit of opening his mouth before putting his brain in gear
Very true Hora but in much the same way that whenever Trump opens his mouth I wonder what he is really after from the occasion. It's not the people he is being concearned about though
So you think he's clever do you..
Let's compare him to you or I then.
He's just very good at getting his school mates to agree with him. And guess where his school mates work.
The mans a self serving nob of the highest order.
He's not clever, a dumb bloke act can be performed by someone regardless of actual intelligence. What has he actually contributed to the world that has value? A load of snidey articles in newspapers, badly received biographies, no real achievements as London mayor, no real value in the brexit debate, and now just going along with current Tory policy.
Well I like him, reckon he'd be a good laugh on a night out down the pub. Having said that my views is formed from the media, I don't have the expertise of those on here who seem to know him. He's good value for the media though it seems.
What he said about Iran (the BBC seem to have forgotten that bit) and Saudi is pretty much what many have been trying to get a senior politician to say for years, pity it was Boris. The media are lost in the personality rather than the truth of his comments. He's going to be tarred with the idiot brush all his career so anything that he says will not be taken at face value. Given his past antic's, he only has himself to blame if people don't take him seriously.
and now just going along with current Tory policy.
Why the slap downs then?
The slap down is for opening mouth without engaging brain and accidentally telling the truth; the words aren't the policy though, the policy us to buy oil, sell arms and let them carry on. This will continue and Boris will join in rather than challenge the status quo
Well I like him, reckon he'd be a good laugh on a night out down the pub.
Obviously a key qualification for the post of Foreign Secretary.
So his mis-times words were not a challenge - odd way of "going along with policy" but politics is full of odd things these days
I wish they had given Johnson health. A guaranteed loser as a position - the worst job in government - and one in which his inadequacies would have been clearly exposed.
anyway enough of Borris, how about his twin brother Boris?
DrJ, sorry I was'nt clearer on the irony meter there. You could try putting the comment in the context of the rest of the post wot I wrote.
Interesting comments from Fallon today on the Andrew Marr show. As per prior poster here said the Saudis sat next to Boris didn't seem offended and I listen to the actual speech extract ans it was pretty uncontroversial. Fallon says the PM's office simply repeated the Govt's official position, no slap down at all. As Fallon says this seems to be a case of misreporting.
http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-38281143
What did you expect Fallon to say? Of course he is going to try and play down the whole thing.
This is the whole problem with politics, people lap up what they want and the cold hard truth is very unpopular.
If we had a pm or a foreign Secretary that spoke frankly and truthfully at all times, they'd last about 3.2 seconds before they got fired. It's a very unsatisfactory place to be in as a tax paying voter. You just can't trust anyone on face value.