After a leadership campaign where he was kept away from scrutiny by the public, press and parliament and a honeymoon period during which his press office worked overtime distributing an array of unsustainable pledges, the past few days have revealed an undeniable truth (A Brexit extension? I’d rather be dead in a ditch, says Johnson, 6 September). The known and obvious flaws in Boris Johnson’s suitability for the post of prime minister, extensively catalogued in this paper through the summer months, are now available for all to see. The scorecard is remarkable: 21 expulsions, one defection, three votes lost, too many resignations to keep an accurate record, and a series of tantrums and insults. Equally alarmingly, the continuing inappropriate language of “surrender”, “white flag” and “I’d rather be dead in a ditch” – while referring to European leaders as “friends” – suggests he has lost touch with objective reality.
Les Bright
Exeter, Devon
• Further to Martin Belam’s excellent article (Five lessons Boris Johnson could learn from Emperor Augustus, 5 September), a comparison with the Roman dictator Sulla may be more apt. When he returned from exile and seized power in 82BC, Sulla ruthlessly purged his enemies in a manner similar to Mr Johnson’s cabinet reshuffle and expulsion of 21 moderates from his party. Although Sulla operated within constitutional norms, and his dictatorship was mercifully brief, his abuse of power set a precedent that led directly to the rise of Julius Caesar and the overthrow of the free Roman republic. We all hope that Britain is not set in a similar direction today.
Dr Martin Brady
Lecturer/assistant professor in classics, University College Dublin
• While Boris Johnson is criticised for using police officers for political purposes (Police chief says force was not told about Boris Johnson speech plan, 6 September), it’s instructive to look at how they were used. Referring to the latest withdrawal bill, Mr Johnson told the cadets, and the world, that “the bill that was passed yesterday … [means that] Brussels, the EU, would decide how long the UK was going to remain in the EU”. This fits with the narrative that the UK is “surrendering” to Europe. But it is also untrue. Section 3 (3) of the bill allows parliament to vote on, and reject, any extension beyond 31 January that the EU may propose.
Tabitha Troughton
Rodborough, Gloucestershire
• Boris Johnson’s clumsy attempts to quote the police caution to trainee officers at Wakefield should be taken down and used in evidence that this man should be allowed nowhere near any positions of responsibility.
Neil Thomas
Colchester
• “Johnson is a very British populist,” writes Simon Jenkins (Journal, 6 September). No – he is a very English populist. We Scots are too sensible to be taken in by the posh former public school boy performance and undeserved sense of entitlement that Boris Johnson displays. This Tory Brexit crisis is all about English nationalism, as Dr Phillip Lee so aptly said in his remarks on his defection to the Liberal Democrats.
Ian Arnott
Peterborough
• The prime minister says he will deliver Brexit “do or die”, and now says he would rather “be dead in a ditch” than be forced to request an Brexit extension. These recurring thoughts about death are not a healthy sign. Perhaps he should seek medical help.
Paul Collins
Sale, Cheshire
• It must be tough finding out that “king of the world” and “prime minister” are not the same thing.
Carolyn Steffe
Inkpen, Berkshire
• Could the Guardian please stop referring to the Tory MPs who voted against Boris Johnson this week, and subsequently had the Tory whip removed, as “rebels”. They are principled MPs upholding the values of one-nation Conservatism. “The 21” perhaps?
Lin Wilkinson
Newbury, Berkshire
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