# Prime Minister Boris Johnson tries to lead the UK but has resigned on July 7, 2022 **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [July 30, 2019, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prime-minister-boris-johnson-tries-to-lead-the-uk-but-has-resigned-on-july-7-2022/837872 "2019-07-30T14:24:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 70
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2022, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prime-minister-boris-johnson-tries-to-lead-the-uk-but-has-resigned-on-july-7-2022/837872/1382 "2022-07-07T18:17:51Z")
(It’s always Walpole) …and Teresa tells Alexa to play “Dancing Queen”. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2022, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prime-minister-boris-johnson-tries-to-lead-the-uk-but-has-resigned-on-july-7-2022/837872/1383 "2022-07-07T18:21:50Z")
> [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](#): > > While Teresa May, in her home, chortles and breaks out the champagne. Frankly, if the party is now looking for a dedicated, hard-working MP to be caretaker PM, May is probably looking pretty good. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2022, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prime-minister-boris-johnson-tries-to-lead-the-uk-but-has-resigned-on-july-7-2022/837872/1384 "2022-07-07T18:23:04Z")
A CNN commentator, I forget who, this morning suggested just that. I like the idea myself. ---
**Author:** ![flurb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/51bf81/32.png) [@flurb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flurb)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2022, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prime-minister-boris-johnson-tries-to-lead-the-uk-but-has-resigned-on-july-7-2022/837872/1385 "2022-07-07T18:37:01Z")
> [@SwissMan](#): > > I’m envisioning David Cameron somewhere tonight, sitting in an arm chair, stroking a white cat while sipping a glass of brandy and muttering “Excellent” a la Mr. Burns. Ironic given that it was his Homer Simpson-esque bumbling that helped make Johnson PM In the first place. ---
**Author:** ![Princhester](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3e96dc/32.png) [@Princhester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Princhester)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2022, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prime-minister-boris-johnson-tries-to-lead-the-uk-but-has-resigned-on-july-7-2022/837872/1386 "2022-07-07T20:11:57Z")
It’s sad in a sense, but typical of a narcissistic bully boy leader. His ego made it all but impossible to admit to himself he was fucking up, and he demanded complete personal loyalty no matter what, so he ended up surrounded by yes-people who wouldn’t impress upon him that he was fucking up. So when the hammer finally fell he was left bewildered and only able to assume he’d been pushed out by the vicissitudes of herd whimsy. I feel so sorry for him. ---
**Author:** ![APB](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8e8cbc/32.png) [@APB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/APB)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2022, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prime-minister-boris-johnson-tries-to-lead-the-uk-but-has-resigned-on-july-7-2022/837872/1387 "2022-07-07T20:53:45Z")
> [@Northern\_Piper](#): > > Frankly, if the party is now looking for a dedicated, hard-working MP to be caretaker PM, May is probably looking pretty good. This idea was suggested to her earlier today. She laughed it off, making it clear that she was horrified by the thought. But it’s a measure of the state of the parliamentary party that, apart from her, there is a distinct lack of credible elder-statesmen figures. It doesn’t help that Boris purged quite a few of them in 2019 over Brexit. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2022, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prime-minister-boris-johnson-tries-to-lead-the-uk-but-has-resigned-on-july-7-2022/837872/1388 "2022-07-07T21:08:48Z")
Fascinating. He really has been wrecking the Tory party. ---
**Author:** ![Princhester](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3e96dc/32.png) [@Princhester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Princhester)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2022, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prime-minister-boris-johnson-tries-to-lead-the-uk-but-has-resigned-on-july-7-2022/837872/1389 "2022-07-07T21:54:00Z")
> [@APB](#): > > She laughed it off, making it clear that she was horrified by the thought. _“So you gave me the impossible task of trying to implement a sensible Brexit, sabotaged me in that task at every turn, then kicked me in the teeth when I failed._ _And you want me to step in again now that everything has gone to hell, and get my teeth kicked in again?_ _Fool me once…”_ ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2022, 11:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prime-minister-boris-johnson-tries-to-lead-the-uk-but-has-resigned-on-july-7-2022/837872/1390 "2022-07-07T23:25:51Z")
Ya gotta wonder. ---
**Author:** ![zbuzz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/e19b73/32.png) [@zbuzz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zbuzz)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2022, 2:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prime-minister-boris-johnson-tries-to-lead-the-uk-but-has-resigned-on-july-7-2022/837872/1391 "2022-07-08T02:26:52Z")
> ---
**Author:** ![Shalmanese](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shalmanese](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shalmanese)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2022, 1:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prime-minister-boris-johnson-tries-to-lead-the-uk-but-has-resigned-on-july-7-2022/837872/1392 "2022-07-09T13:29:18Z")
One thing I’ve found curious is that I haven’t seen even a whiff of homophobia around the entire scandal, even digging into some of the more unsavory parts of the internet. There’s like a weird, admirable progressivism at play where the whole of society, regardless of political persuasion, is treating the final straw that broke Boris’s back as a scandal involving a person groping two other people instead of a man who groped two other men. It’s nice to see how far we’ve advanced as a society that this isn’t even worthy of comment any more. ---
**Author:** ![filmstar-en](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/50afbb/32.png) [@filmstar-en](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/filmstar-en)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2022, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prime-minister-boris-johnson-tries-to-lead-the-uk-but-has-resigned-on-july-7-2022/837872/1393 "2022-07-09T15:21:32Z")
There is a strong libertarian streak in the Parliamentary Conservative party, most are social liberals. Sadly, there is also no shortage of libertines who seem to know no limits. I am sure the Eton boys were quite familiar with sex pests of every persuasion. Johnson was clearly rather too tolerant with respect to Pinchers activities and protecting him caused many of his problems. Not the fact that he was protecting a drunken sex pest, but more that Johnson made such a pigs ear of it and had his ministers repeat his lies to the press….until he was found out. Then he claimed he just forgot. The Tories are desperate for a leader that is efficient and well organised and does the job rather than a flamboyant party animal who is not fond of detail and expects everyone else to pick up the pieces. British culture generally is quite tolerant. Not much of a problem with ethnicity, sexuality, gender. There is no religious right to speak of. Abortion is a health issue. Intolerance is mainly directed at illegal refugees and bogus asylum seekers and how to discourage them from taking to boats to cross the channel from France. Dealing with that issue is Pritti Patel who wants to deport them all to Rwanda. The UK is an island nation and it really shows sometimes. Intolerance within the Conservative party is reserved for anything connected to the EU. It is still a party riven by Leavers versus Remainers. A winner would be a candidate that justified leaving the EU by realising some of the wonderous benefits that were promised. That is going to be a tall order with the economy teetering on edge of a precipice. It will be intresting to see how the candidates differentiate themselves from each other. Those with unblemished records that show competence at ministerial level will be favoured. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2022, 1:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prime-minister-boris-johnson-tries-to-lead-the-uk-but-has-resigned-on-july-7-2022/837872/1394 "2022-07-10T01:53:06Z")
Some of the early coverage I saw didn’t even mention that the gropees were dudes. ---
**Author:** ![PatrickLondon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/patricklondon/32/4422_2.png) [@PatrickLondon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PatrickLondon)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2022, 6:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prime-minister-boris-johnson-tries-to-lead-the-uk-but-has-resigned-on-july-7-2022/837872/1395 "2022-07-10T06:39:13Z")
> [@filmstar-en](#): > > Those with unblemished records that show competence at ministerial level will be favoured. With the electorates they need to appeal to at this stage, I wouldn’t bank on it. ---
**Author:** ![filmstar-en](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/50afbb/32.png) [@filmstar-en](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/filmstar-en)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2022, 8:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prime-minister-boris-johnson-tries-to-lead-the-uk-but-has-resigned-on-july-7-2022/837872/1396 "2022-07-10T08:07:59Z")
Yes, I have noticed the same in previous incidents where there was clearly a homosexual dimension to an incident. The reporting simply ignores this context and concentrates the issue of concern. There is a steady normalisation and acceptance of differences in sexuality, ethnicity and gender in British culture. Given that many of the senior Conservative politicians went to fee paying single sex schools which for the past generation or so have become very diverse as ambitious parents, and now many from immigrant backgrounds, send their kids there to connect with the elite networks. It kind of adds up. Contrast this with the traditional Labour Party, with its working class roots….The Conservatives are clearly ahead if you are measuring diversity. The news reporting also reflects this. It is rude to mention race and sexuality if it is not relevant. Gender and age always seem to referred to. So there are limits. I am looking forward to ageist attitudes becoming considered ignorant and rude. ---
**Author:** ![Fiendish\_Astronaut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fiendish_astronaut/32/3295_2.png) [@Fiendish\_Astronaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiendish_Astronaut)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2022, 11:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prime-minister-boris-johnson-tries-to-lead-the-uk-but-has-resigned-on-july-7-2022/837872/1397 "2022-07-10T11:10:18Z")
You couldn’t make it up [Chancellor Nadhim Zahawi’s tax affairs under investigation by HMRC | The Independent](https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/chancellor-nadhim-zahawi-tax-investigation-hmrc-b2119590.html) So Boris appointed him when he knew Nadhim was under investigation, but put him in a job where is the boss of the people investigating him. This is now one of the candidates for leader. ---
**Author:** ![pjd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pjd/32/3009_2.png) [@pjd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pjd)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2022, 11:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prime-minister-boris-johnson-tries-to-lead-the-uk-but-has-resigned-on-july-7-2022/837872/1398 "2022-07-10T11:40:35Z")
nm ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2022, 11:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prime-minister-boris-johnson-tries-to-lead-the-uk-but-has-resigned-on-july-7-2022/837872/1399 "2022-07-11T11:02:19Z")
By the way, [this tweet from Four Seasons Total Landscaping (yes, the actual company’s Twitter feed) happened](https://twitter.com/therealfstl1992/status/1545047564222771200?cxt=HHwWgMClqdukjvEqAAAA): > [@](#): > > .[@BorisJohnson](https://twitter.com/BorisJohnson) come through. We have the site prepped. Noice. ---
**Author:** ![PastTense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pasttense/32/14550_2.png) [@PastTense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PastTense)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2023, 4:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prime-minister-boris-johnson-tries-to-lead-the-uk-but-has-resigned-on-july-7-2022/837872/1400 "2023-05-25T04:19:44Z")
He is still in the news: > **[Undisclosed Covid-era Johnson events occurred at both Chequers and Downing...](https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2023/may/24/undisclosed-covid-era-johnson-events-occurred-at-both-chequers-and-downing-street)** > > As Johnson allies allege politically motivated stitch up, government sources say approximately 12 potentially illegal events were reported to police > **[Rishi Sunak under pressure to cancel Boris Johnson’s honours list](https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2023/may/24/rishi-sunak-under-pressure-to-cancel-boris-johnsons-honours-list)** > > Critics say it is wrong for former PM to send friends to Lords while he is still under police investigation over Partygate ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2023, 10:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prime-minister-boris-johnson-tries-to-lead-the-uk-but-has-resigned-on-july-7-2022/837872/1401 "2023-05-25T10:01:34Z")
A peerage for Nadine Dorries? JFC, burn the whole system down if this is what it’s come to. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prime-minister-boris-johnson-tries-to-lead-the-uk-but-has-resigned-on-july-7-2022/837872.md?page=69) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prime-minister-boris-johnson-tries-to-lead-the-uk-but-has-resigned-on-july-7-2022/837872.md?page=71)