The Cabinet of Britain’s new Prime Minister Theresa May will be tasked with negotiating the country’s withdrawal from the European Union.
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And official reaction from the United States was restrained, considering that Mr Johnson has in the past described Barak Obama as “part-Kenyan”, Hillary Clinton as having “a steely blue stare, like a sadistic nurse in a mental hospital”, Donald Trump of showing “stupifying ignorance”, and George Bush as “a cross-eyed Texan warmonger, unelected, inarticulate, who epitomises the arrogance of American foreign policy”.
White House spokesman Josh Earnest says Obama isn’t seeking an apology from Johnson.
“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”.
U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry called Johnson, and both “agreed that the U.S. -U.K. special relationship is as essential as ever”, said the State Department.
Jean-Marc Ayrault, the French foreign minister, said he was concerned that he would be able to negotiate with Mr Johnson.
Ayrault said: “I am not at all anxious about Boris Johnson, but you know his style, his method during the campaign – he lied a lot to the British people”.
“(He has) his back against the wall to defend his country but also with his back against the wall the relationship with Europe should be clear”, Mr Ayrault said.
In an article from London, Der Spiegel said Johnson “himself seemed surprised”, having been widely regarded as “Britain’s greatest bogeyman” after the vote.
Kerry “stressed US support for a sensible and measured approach to the Brexit process and offered to stay engaged as the United Kingdom government develops its plans”, added spokesman John Kirby.
The State Department said Kerry told Johnson that the US would stay engaged with Britain as it moves ahead in the process of leaving the 28-nation bloc, and the two men agreed to meet next week in Brussels.
Johnson seems to understand the difference between being the British foreign secretary and a foreign affairs columnist. In another seemingly political disaster, Johnson then announced he supported May’s challenger to become the next prime minister, not the home secretary herself. I don’t at this time don’t know any read across or implications for the UK.
Schaeuble is influential in Germany’s government and in Chancellor Angela Merkel’s party.
European Union foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini had invited ministers to an informal night-before dinner to discuss the foreign policy impact of Brexit, but diplomats said that date was now in doubt following Johnson’s nomination.
Now, presumably because she heard it’s my last day and wanted to gift me some truly dank content to help speed me on my way, she’s had a crack at former Prime Minister Tony Abbott.
This is unlikely to happen, however, with Johnson’s comments on recolonising Africa in the past it is quite likely that they he will be heading to Britain’s former colonies on the continent to see what he might be able to salvage for Her Majesty’s broken empire.
May, Britain’s second female prime minister, is undertaking a sweeping Cabinet shuffle on her first full day in office.
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If it seems mildly unusual that the voice behind hits like “Turn Back Time” has such strong opinions on Australian federal politics, that’s because she doesn’t.
