Boris Johnson UK’s New Foreign Secretary?!

In her first official act as prime minister, Teresa May has appointed known nutjob Boris Johnson to run the UK’s foreign policy.

 

Let’s just say I was not expecting that.

FILED UNDER: Europe, World Politics,
James Joyner
About James Joyner
James Joyner is Professor and Department Head of Security Studies at Marine Corps University's Command and Staff College. He's a former Army officer and Desert Storm veteran. Views expressed here are his own. Follow James on Twitter @DrJJoyner.

Comments

  1. Tillman says:

    Boris certainly has the temperament, but does he have the GALL to punch a donkey?

  2. Just Another Ex-Republican says:

    Wasn’t expecting it, but I kind of like it. Puts him in the hot seat for negotiating the Brexit mess, and means he can’t just dodge responsibility for it.

  3. gVOR08 says:

    Darn. As he’s a natural born US citizen, I was hoping Johnson would be Trump’s veep pick.

  4. Paul Hooson says:

    There’s many interesting facts about Boris Johnson. He was actually born in Manhattan, New York and not the UK, nor is really of British ancestry, as he is 1/8 Turkish and 1/8 Ashkenazi Jewish among other things. He’s certainly a colorful and unique character to say the least.

  5. MarkedMan says:

    Wow. I never pretended to be an expert on British politics, but now I can absolutely say that what little I knew is wrong. Wouldn’t FS expected to be knowledgeable (real knowledge, not Republican knowledge) about, I don’t know, foreign countries? And isn’t Boris a known “Britain firster”? Wasn’t May supposed to be sensible? So what gives here?

  6. Just 'nutha ig'rant cracker says:

    @MarkedMan: The only sense i can make of it is that 1) considering that she was a “remain” who has decided to continue with Brexit while 2) the rest of the country seems to be hoping that there will be a reconsideration of the vote, she wants to lay the smack on the country for some reason. I didn’t know that she was a “you made your bed, now you’ll have to lie in it” Puritan type, but apparently she is.

  7. Kenny says:

    This could be quite clever politics by may.
    There is a cabinet minister for brexit,David davis, so Johnson won’t have anything to do with that, trade deals with non eu countries will be handled by the trade ministry,security issues will either be defence or the home office. And top level dealings with other countries will be done by no 10.so the FO job will be quite low key.

    I suspect Boris will be spending lots of times on meaningless photo opportunities whilst may waits for him to make some idiotic remark at which point he can be cut loose but in the meantime keeps the hardline brexiters happy.

  8. Pete S says:

    @Kenny: Is there maybe a chance that this had been worked out in advance? Nobody seemed to expect him to drop out of consideration for the PM spot, which happened quickly. Was he perhaps offered this job at that point, helping to clear the field for May?

  9. Jenos Idanian says:

    I think I’m gonna like this guy…

    Writing in the Daily Telegraph in 2007 Johnson questioned whether he could back her candidacy. Clinton, who today is the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee, was at the time seen as a favorite to win the 2008 U.S. presidential election.

    “She’s got dyed blonde hair and pouty lips, and a steely blue stare, like a sadistic nurse in a mental hospital; and as I snap out of my trance I slap my forehead in astonishment. How can I possibly want Hillary? I mean, she represents, on the face of it, everything I came into politics to oppose: not just a general desire to raise taxes and nationalise things, but an all-round purse-lipped political correctness.”

  10. Kenny says:

    @Pete S:
    Couldo be. And that would explain why gove suddenly turned on Johnson if he’d found out about the deal and realised he was being cut out…..

  11. SKI says:

    @Pete S:

    @Kenny: Is there maybe a chance that this had been worked out in advance? Nobody seemed to expect him to drop out of consideration for the PM spot, which happened quickly. Was he perhaps offered this job at that point, helping to clear the field for May?

    I’m not sure that May was a candidate yet when Boris dropped out. I thought she declared to oppose Gove, not Boris.

    Best analysis/explanation/joke I’ve seen on twitter about this: May scribbled F’ Off next to Boris’s name on her list of people to call and an over-eager aide ran with it…

  12. Just 'nutha ig'rant cracker says:

    @Jenos Idanian: You think you’re going to like “the Buffoon of London.” Color me unsurprised.

  13. al-Alameda says:

    It’s happened, it’s official now.
    Britain has gone Red State – it’s adopted a Republican style of governance.

  14. Dazedandconfused says:

    I suppose Boris might serve to give credibility to his prime minister against the inevitable criticism she is undermining the Brexit….an “only Nixon could go to China” kinda deal…IF this marriage is a happy one…

    I be guessin’…