The Economist (May 23)
Have we reached “peak capital?” It seems London may be entering “a covid-accelerated decline,” in a shift that “could reverse three decades of ascendancy.” The UK may be “levelled up” as Boris Johnson promised, but primarily by levelling down London.
Tags: Accelerated, Ascendancy, Covid, Decline, Johnson, London, Peak capital, UK
Economist (January 11)
“The industries that will suffer most from new regulatory barriers to frictionless trade are those like aerospace, cars, chemicals, food and drink, and pharmaceuticals that rely on uninterrupted supply chains across Europe. They are concentrated in the midlands and north—exactly where Mr Johnson won his new Tory majority. If his weakness in the negotiations causes him to lose favour in those areas, his new domestic strength will be at risk.”
Tags: Aerospace, Brexit, Cars, Chemicals, Drink, Europe, Food, Frictionless trade, Johnson, Pharmaceuticals, Regulatory barriers, Supply chains, Tory, Weakness
Newsweek (December 13)
In calling an election, Prime Minister Boris Johnson “hit the jackpot. The Conservative government, which promised to ‘get Brexit done’ and lavish cash on public services, was returned triumphantly with 365 seats, its largest Westminster majority since 1987.” The result “bears many of the signs of a once-in-a-lifetime phenomena—a critical realignment redefining the basis of British politics.”
Tags: Brexit, Conservative, Election, Jackpot, Johnson, Majority, Once-in-a-lifetime, Public services, Realignment, Westminster
The Economist (December 7)
British voters are facing a “nightmare before Christmas.” They “keep being called to the polls—and each time the options before them are worse…. Next week voters face their starkest choice yet, between Boris Johnson, whose Tories promise a hard Brexit, and Jeremy Corbyn, whose Labour Party plans to “rewrite the rules of the economy” along radical socialist lines.” Both leaders are unpopular and on Friday, December 13th, “unlucky Britons will wake to find one of these horrors in charge.”
Tags: Brexit, Christmas, Corbyn, Johnson, Labour, Nightmare, Options, Polls, Radical, Starkest, Tories, UK, Unlucky, Unpopular, Voters, Worse
The Guardian (November 3)
To top off Brexit uncertainties, there’s also the chance that a 25-year old could unseat Boris Johnson in the upcoming election. Labour’s Ali Milani “may not have Johnson’s recognition factor,” but “he is well known” and well-equipped to mobilise the crucial student vote. Johnson only won by 5,034 votes in 2017, “the smallest of any prime minister since 1924.” That means “Milani requires a swing of just over 5%” to win and displace the current Prime Minister.
Tags: Brexit, Election, Johnson, Labour, Milani, Mobilize, Recognition, Student vote, Uncertainties
Washington Post (October 21)
“Brexit has consistently proved to be unpredictable. After more than three years, there does appear to be one certainty, however: Whatever happens, Brexit won’t just be ‘done,’ as Johnson is suggesting.” The potential departure of Northern Ireland or Scotland from the UK and other “concerns that have been on Britons’ minds in recent years” will “remain a risk.”
Tags: Brexit, Certainty, Concerns, Johnson, Northern Ireland, Scotland, UK, Unpredictable
Reuters (October 3)
“Boris Johnson has launched a long-shot Brexit plan with a very short timetable.” The new “blueprint for leaving the European Union has several major flaws…. Even if Brussels is willing to negotiate a deal in time for a summit due to be held in two weeks, it’s far from clear that the UK parliament would pass it.”
Tags: Blueprint, Brexit plan, Brussels, Deal, EU, Flaws, Johnson, Negotiate, Parliament, Summit, Timetable, UK
The Economist (September 28)
“This was the worst week in Mr Johnson’s extraordinarily bad two months in office. The unelected prime minister has lost every vote he has faced, squandered his majority and fired a score of MPs from his Conservative Party. Following the court’s ruling, he was dragged back from a UN summit in New York to face the music in Westminster, where MPs now have ample time to grill him”
Tags: Bad, Conservative Party, Court, Johnson, Majority, MPs, PM, Squandered, UN summit, Unelected, Vote, Westminster, Worst
Washington Post (September 27)
“In the case of Ukraine, the president is accused of using the awesome power of the United States…to serve his personal political gain. Sadly, this is part of a pattern of violations of democratic norms.” While “Trump is a particularly egregious example” he fits a “global trend” of misbehavior that extends to British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte, Turkey’s Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Hungary’s Viktor Orban.
Tags: Democratic, Duterte, Egregious, Erdogan, Hungary, India, Johnson, Misbehavior, Modi, Norms, Orbán, Philippines, PM, Political gain, Power, Trump, Turkey, U.S., UK, Ukraine, Violations
The Guardian (September 24)
“The supreme court has delivered a comprehensive demolition of Boris Johnson’s government and its handling of Brexit. The unanimous judgment of the 11 justices…amounts to a root and branch rejection of the prime minister’s attempts to rule without parliament, to take Britain out of the European Union by 31 October without a deal, and to contrive a premature general election…. The immediate effect of the judgment is devastating for Johnson. It is expressed so cogently and unambiguously that it will be difficult for him to wriggle out of it – even though he is certainly foolish enough to try.”
Tags: Brexit, Devastating, EU, Foolish, Johnson, Judgment, Parliament, Rejection, Supreme Court, UK, Unanimous
