Mar 14, 2019 at 12:11 PM | Uibhist a tuath

I am not presuming anything politically at the moment! This is all Uncharted Territory, with mythical dragons and genuine beasts drawn in to scare away those of a nervous disposition.

Japan is going through a review of its foreign trade dealings, that includes the EU. If in doubt, the Japanese prefer caution and low risk, and they have got burned a bit recently. Canada and the EU have had more in common with each other than with the UK and US, but the Trudeau era may finish. Whether Canadians seek a replacement for Trudeau, or an alternative remains to be seen.

It all seems to get back to the stranglehold of the Green Blob Pandemic, and whether the current antidotes provide long term relief.

"Can just see Johnson taking a hammer (or a pile driver) to a bit of delicate diplomacy (oh but he did!).
Mar 14, 2019 at 12:45 PM | Supertroll"

Some Senior Civil Servants, particularly those in the Foreign Office would suffer premature ejection from their seats, without any Top Gear/007 stuntwork or special effects being required

Boris would have to rely on his official chauffeurs and security staff to remind him which front door to go through each night looking for a bed

Supertroll
One hundred and fifty or so years ago Boris could have started a war/civil war just opening his mouth. I'm not sure that he isn't capable of doing it today. Just as Clarkson almost created a diplomatic incident in Argentina.
Mind you the last three years have shown if Johnson did upset a nation with a high sensitivity to insults our government would spend 3 years dithering over what to do eventually coming to a decision that wasn't compatible with the legal position.

I'm coming round to the idea of voting for Corbyn if Brexit doesn't happen. If only to demonstrate that Tory MPs shouldn't ignore their voters.

"May got in because she was the middle ground, least likely to offend Remainers and Brexiteers, and MPs were desperate to avoid ending up with Boris. Time has not changed everything."

The Tory Party has a history of this kind of thing in recent(ish) times. Major and Hague were both winners off the back of 'anyone but Ken Clarke'. IDS was something of an exception, perhaps because party members got a vote as well as MPs (can't recall if that was the case in Hague's election). When IDS was forced out (he was something of a flop as party leader), Howard was the safe pair of hands who, like May, got the job without need for a vote. Cameron appeared out of nowhere at a time when there was an infatuation with having a Blair-generation leader. I think it's fair to say that the party has a poor recent record of picking its leader.

GC. "In terms of attitude and antics, is there much difference between Johnson and Clarkson?"

My favourite bits of the original TopGear, were when Clarkson took a hammer to a bit of delicate automotive machinery. Can just see Johnson taking a hammer (or a pile driver) to a bit of delicate diplomacy (oh but he did!).

Mar 14, 2019 at 9:19 AM | golf charlie
Did you expect anything else?
Any free trade deals done in the aftermath of Brexit will be when the country is at the point of its greatest need. Don't expect charity from anyone, including our alleged friends. Japan doesn't need a deal with us, nor does Canada both of them have a free trade deal with the EU, a much bigger market, already. The USA is run by a hard nosed businessman who'd quite happily take everything and walk away when youd nothing more he wants. The rest would quite happily kick us while we're down. You can have a free trade deal but you have to give us, buy our.....

Mar 14, 2019 at 10:55 AM | Rhoda Klapp

Unfortunately, May has chosen Hammond to be her successor. The country would prefer a Clarkson, to complete the popular former Top Gear lineup.

In terms of attitude and antics, is there much difference between Johnson and Clarkson?

GC, we can't be without a PM. The Queen will appoint someone who in her opinion can form a government. They get a couple of days, then if they cant she will get somebody else. The first will be a tory, but not May. If the tories won't coalesce around whoever, presumably Labour will get a go. The issure of the tory leadership is back-burnered until later but we must have a PM.

Readers must form their own opinions about whom HMQ might pick. I do wish she would sack May now, as it is her constitutional power to do when the PM can't command parliament or her own cabinet.