“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”.
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Johnson, a leading figure in the campaign for Brexit, has a history of using undiplomatic language about global figures including US President Barack Obama and Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, whom he once likened to “a sadistic nurse in a mental hospital”.
Some said Johnson might surprise his many critics. He says Obama is confident the US will keep working to strengthen relations “irrespective of specific personalities”.
A “map of all the countries Boris Johnson has offended” that went viral on social networks shows how that could prove hard.
Philip Hammond arrives at 10 Downing Street to meet with new Prime Minister Theresa May, in London, Wednesday, July 13, 2016.
Branding him a liar, a coward or a joker, Europe’s political class, the general public and newspapers greeted Euros-ceptic Boris Johnson’s appointment as Britain’s foreign secretary with a chorus of dismay, criticism and mockery.
Mogherini, who chairs European Union foreign ministers’ meetings, had planned a dinner with all 28 ministers to discuss foreign policy before a breakfast on Monday with U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry.
When she was running for the Conservative leadership, May promised that “Brexit means Brexit”, and her appointments of Johnson, Davis and arch-euroskeptic Trade Secretary Liam Fox signal to European Union leaders that, no matter what her own feelings, she will not be watering down Britain’s commitment to leaving the EU.
Others took a more conciliatory view with the belief that Johnson as foreign secretary would be more temperate than his previous incarnations as Johnson the journalist, Johnson the legislator or Johnson the London mayor. “So I don’t know what you’re talking about”.
In May, Mr Johnson also called into question the EU’s role in the conflict in eastern Ukraine, where Russian Federation is widely accused of backing the rebels who control much of the region.
She has since removed long-serving finance minister George Osborne along with Brexit-campaigning justice secretary Michael Gove. Hammond has been appointed Chancellor in Theresa May’s first cabinet appointment.
Justine Greening, formerly in charge of global development, is now education secretary and minister for women and equalities.
In her first speech as prime minister, May stressed the importance on keeping the UK united.
Germany’s foreign minister, Frank-Walter Steinmeier, echoed the French critique of Johnson, suggesting that his conduct in the run-up to the European Union referendum was deceitful and reckless. “How far removed and ill-informed can Mr Johnson be from the reality of the situation in modern-day Papua New Guinea?” “But now a completely different political task lies before him – taking on foreign policy responsibility beyond Brexit”.
Steinmeier said that “Britain remains an important partner” with which Germany must work at the U.N., NATO, in the Group of Seven and in efforts to end Syria’s civil war.
That makes him an unusual choice for the position of Britain’s top diplomat. Mrs May’s spokeswoman said she “explained that we would need some time to prepare for these negotiations”.
It was then that the newly appointed secretary was left with no other option then to awkwardly leave the podium.
While the former London mayor has expressed considerable admiration for the USA over the years, he has also lit into American political leaders President Barack Obama and presumptive GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump.
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Johnson was expected to stand for the Conservative party leadership in the wake of the referendum result, but did not put himself forward after key colleagues withdrew support.
