“Boris Johnson’s opinion that countries like Uganda would be better off as a colonies is inconsequential”, he said. As leader of Brexit, Johnson has a sour relationship with European Union officials and lawmakers as EC President Jean-Claude Juncker stated that Johnson “should not be trusted”. “The lead and the tone will be set by the prime minister”.
Advertisement
Mr Johnson also revealed that US Secretary of State John Kerry called him.
The shuffle signals that May values social mobility and self-made successes.
A day after replacing David Cameron, May moved to impose her authority by axing a handful of prominent ministers including Justice Secretary Michael Gove, a leading “Brexit” campaigner who had staged his own bid for prime minister. “God willing, he will not make such mistakes from now on and he will endeavor to win the hearts of Turks”, he said when asked about the former London mayor’s references to Turkey during the Brexit campaign. While Osborne’s exit came as less of a surprise, being a close Cameron aide, Johnson’s appointment as foreign secretary was more unexpected.
The French Foreign Minister called Jean-Marc Ayrault a liar, saying, “I am not anxious about Boris Johnson but you know very well what his style is like, his method”.
Johnson is famous for distinctly undiplomatic, and at times racist, gaffes.
These include the recent suggestion Barack Obama might hold a grudge against Britain because of his “part-Kenyan” heritage.
“They’re making their views known in a frank and clear way”, he told reporters in London, before adding that Ayrault has “sent me a charming little letter just a few hours ago saying he looks forward to working together and to deepening Anglo-French cooperation in all sorts of areas”.
The appointment of a man who in the run-up to the referendum compared the goals of the EU with those of Adolf Hitler and Napoleon is likely to cause consternation in European capitals.
The former London mayor led the campaign to take Britain out of the EU. “There may be some mishaps”.
“Dear world. sorry”, read the headline of the UK’s Daily Mirror in the wake of Johnson’s appointment, while U.S. State Department spokesman Mark Toner seemed to smile with disbelief when he was given the news at a press conference (before hurriedly restoring his expression to a more diplomatic neutrality).
Johnson is not a popular figure among European foreign ministers.
“This is something frankly that goes beyond a relationship, that goes beyond personalities and it is an absolutely critical moment in certainly England’s history, but also in the U.S. -U.K. relationship”.
As the Tories prepares to trigger Article 50, political commentators expect much coverage to be placed on the actions of Brexit secretary David Davis (third favourite at 3/1).
Both had supported dealing with Russian Federation with a firm hand, within the framework of the European Union and the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation, she said.
“She can placate those who have voted for Leave by saying that the United Kingdom will not accept European Union regulations, will not pay into the budget, and crucially will impose limits on the free movement of labor”.
Juergen Hardt said that “free access to the common market means, among other things, accepting other fundamental freedoms such as the freedom of movement”.
Still, Hardt suggests: “Britain remaining in the European Union should also be an option for the new government – it would be better for Great Britain and the rest of the European Union”. But he accused May of putting a desire to unite her deeply divided Conservative party ahead of concerns about Britain’s future.
Advertisement
The other two Great Offices are Chancellor of the Exchequer – now Philip Hammond, who was previously Foreign Secretary – and Home Secretary, named by Ms May as Amber Rudd.
