Heroes: So long, farewell, auf Wiedersehen, F*** Off! 

 

Cornered the boy, kicked out at the world 

The world kicked back a lot f****n’ harder now 

It would appear that this column can now say farewell to Boris Johnson, one of its main protagonists.

Enough has been made of the reason behind his departure that we don’t need to go into detail here. Equally, much has been written of his graceless departure, the following comment sums up the sheer arrogance of the man: 
 
‘It is very sad to be leaving parliament – at least for now – but above all I am bewildered and appalled that I can be forced out, anti-democratically, by a committee chaired and managed, by Harriet Harman, with such egregious bias‘  

Much has been made of narcissistic personality, truly the only thing he ever believed in was himself. His stance on Brexit, and levelling-up were not more than stunts designed to further his popularity, with the Tory party in general, an the wider electorate. The fact so many of them fell for this snake-oil salesman shows just how gullible people can be. 
 

‘The fact so many of them fell for this snake-oil salesman shows just how gullible people can be’

 
Everything was based on lies; from ‘£350m a week to spend on the NHS‘, to his political epitaph there wasn’t a shred of truth. 

When you look back at Brexit, did he really believe in it, or was it simply a career move? 

In his 2001 book ‘Friends, Voters, Countrymen’, written while he was trying to win a seat in the Commons for the first time, Mr Johnson wrote that Britain’s interests were ‘still on balance served by maintaining our membership‘ and said withdrawal would mean ‘a worrying loss of influence’. 

In 2003, he told the House of Commons: ‘I am not by any means an ultra-Eurosceptic. In some ways, I am a bit of a fan of the European Union. If we did not have one, we would invent something like it.’ 

In the same debate he looked forward to the expansion of the EU, adding: ‘I do not know whether any honourable Members are foolish enough to oppose eventual Turkish membership of the European Union.’ 

As late as February 7 2016, Boris Johnson was still talking about ‘deciding how to vote‘ in the upcoming referendum, arguing that it was in ‘Britain’s geostrategic interests to be pretty intimately engaged‘ with Europe and warning that leaving the single market would cause ‘at least some business uncertainty’. 

To opportunist, we can add bully.  

As with all bullies he was petulant, vindictive, delusional, and totally blind to his own failings, all of which he blamed on others. His departing statement was entirely uncontrite, utterly graceless and full of self-pity. He saw himself as a victim of a ‘witch-hunt‘, a ‘kangaroo court‘ and ‘a political hit job.’ 
 

‘he was petulant, vindictive, delusional, and totally blind to his own failings, all of which he blamed on others’

 
He strutted around like a latter Louis XIV, doing as he wished, when he wished. This was ultimately his downfall; his party loved him when he appeared to be a winner, but, as soon as he became an electoral liability, it was off with his head. 

The party has much to answer for, they knew he was unfit to be PM, but their lust for power knows no bounds. Unsurprisingly his legacy is that of the worst PM in living memory, and the electorate will have to live with his, and the Tory’s folly for years to come. 

He was the prime mover during the campaign that let up to the Brexit referendum, during which the electorate was told that ‘Leave’ would restore British sovereignty, make us richer, reduce levels of immigration and free up valuable resources for public services. After the referendum, he opportunistically embraced a hard Brexit that no one voted for to build his own political base and manoeuvre himself into Number 10.  

Today, Brexit is a millstone around the country’s neck, significantly reducing economic growth, creating greater regional inequality, and regulatory accord between NI and the rest of the UK. It will make us poorer over the long term. 

During Covid his inability to focus and understand situations was highlighted time and again, each time at the cost of more lives. At best he was grossly incompetent. 

The fact that Sunak even allowed him his farewell honours list shows flawed judgement Sunak’s  pledge to uphold integrity and accountability in public life looks more hollow by the day. 

One of Johnson’s nominations was Jacob Rees-Mogg: who was knighted, probably for his role as chief apologist for the chaos and deficiencies of the Johnson years in government. 
 

‘Sunak’s  pledge to uphold integrity and accountability in public life looks more hollow by the day’

 
Where does this leave Johnson? 

Whereas once the Tory party was blind to his failings in their lust for power, now even they can see that Johnson is thoroughly discredited that any sort of comeback is doomed. In truth, the contempt he showed for parliament in his resignation speech last week should disqualify him for ever being an MP again. 

He has the after dinner circuit that will line his pocket, though one wonders how long he can fool his audiences?  

There is GB News, where he could likely have his own show and lob hand grenades at Sunak.  

Or, he could join forces with that other old charlatan, Nigel Farage; a sort of Ant or Dec style double-act, and equally untalented. 

On Sunday, Farage claimed around 10 Tory MPs could quit the party and join a centre-right ‘insurgency’ in the wake of Boris Johnson’s dramatic exit as an MP, as he challenged Johnson to join a ‘new attempt to break the mould of British politics.’ 

Farage suggested ‘potentially double figures’ of current Conservative MPs – especially those in ‘Red Wall’ seats – could be willing to defect as part of a realignment.’ 

Ironically, as Johnson was falling on his sword another populist bully, Donald Trump, became the first former president in US history to face federal criminal charges. 

Whereas, there are few in the Tory party prepared to defend Johnson, many Republicans are still lining-up behind Trump.  

Kevin McCarthy, speaker of the House of Representatives said, ‘I, and every American who believes in the rule of law, stand with President Trump against this grave injustice.’ 

Ron DeSantis, the governor of Florida and chief rival to Trump in the Republican presidential primary election, wrote on Twitter: ‘The weaponization of federal law enforcement represents a mortal threat to a free society … Why so zealous in pursuing Trump yet so passive about Hillary or Hunter? 

The charges did little to silence Trump, the next day he addressed a Republican conventions in Georgia and North Carolina calling his recent indictment ‘a travesty of justice‘; and repeated unsupported conspiratorial claims that Joe Biden had stashed secret documents in the Chinatown neighbourhood of Washington DC. 

‘We got to stand up to the … radical left Democrats, their lawless partisan prosecutors … Every time I fly over a blue state, I get a subpoena,’ said Trump at the onset of the meandering speech that attempted to bridge his legal troubles with campaign promises. 

‘I’ve put everything on the line and I will never yield. I will never be detained. I will never stop fighting for you.’ 

On the plane to North Carolina after his Georgia speech, Trump told Politico he would not drop out of the presidential race, even if he was convicted on the latest charges. ‘I’ll never leave,’ he said. 
 

‘Trump told Politico he would not drop out of the presidential race, even if he was convicted on the latest charges’

 
When asked if he would pardon himself should he become president again, he said: ‘I don’t think I’ll ever have to … I didn’t do anything wrong.’ 

Clearly, Trump isn’t going anywhere soon; a CBS News/YouGov poll shows 80% of likely Republican voters think he should be eligible for re-election even if convicted. In addition, the same survey 76% thought the indictment was politically motivated and 61% said the case would not change their view of Trump either way. 

Finally, we say farewell to perhaps the original populist, Silvio Berlusconi, despite being best known for his perma-tan, gaffes, ‘bunga bunga’ parties, Berlusconi was  the man to beat in Rome for more than two decades, and one of European politics’ most controversial figures. 
 

‘despite being best known for his perma-tan, gaffes, ‘bunga bunga’ parties, Berlusconi was  the man to beat in Rome for more than two decades’

 
He was Italy’s longest-serving postwar PM, holding the job on three occasions. He founded his party, the conservative, pro-market Forza Italia, and entered politics in late 1993. 

Starting out as a singer on cruise ships he built a vast personal fortune as a property developer in Milan before creating his Fininvest media and TV empire. Lat year Forbes ranked him as the Italy’s fourth-richest person 

So skilled was he in weathering scandals that he often emerged from them with his profile and popularity enhanced. He faced prosecution more than 30 times on charges including embezzlement, false accounting and bribing a judge. Many cases failed to go to trial, sometimes because Berlusconi changed the law under which he had been charged. 

The are distinct parallels between him and Donald Trump: both began as real-estate magnates, became media stars before entering politics. Both undermined their country’s established institutions, including the press and judiciary. 

Both were rejected by the liberal establishments, and despite their wealth, both used the populist tactic of portraying themselves as the true voice of the people against an out-of-touch and corrupt elite. 

In this, Berlusconi’s dominance of the Italian media was a great asset. 

His legacy has seen the Italian electorate lose faith in their political class, which has led to the emergence of a new generation of altogether more radical, and harder-right, populist politicians. 

We must hope the same fate doesn’t befall the UK! 

‘E volavo, volavo felice più in alto del sole ed ancora più su 

Mentre il mondo pian piano spariva lontano laggiù 

Una musica dolce suonava soltanto per me’ 

 

 

One thing’s for sure, Philip’s not going to have to scratch around for pithy content; this week centred around Boris’ flounce and exceptional show of petulance, and The Donald being called up before the beak.

Meantime, it’s business as usual – a loaf of bread costs the same as a small car, the trains aren’t running and the doctors are on strike; it’s deja vu all over again.

Generational inequality has been a regular feature in Philip’s column, but in case you are inclined to dismiss GenZ as avocado-crunching spendthrifts, ponder if you will the fact that, saddled with average student debt, those lucky enough to get a job with their BA – Golf Course Management degree will have an effective marginal rate of tax of 41%; those that get over £50270 face a rate of 51%.

Even if there was any cash left over after Crazy Kwarteng’s budget, what chance do they have of ever getting on the housing ladder? With another hike expected next week, the looming 6% mortgage rate is equivalent to the misery felt in the 80’s when rates hit 13% because house price inflation means that young people are having to borrow ever more.

Expect 30/35/75 year mortgages to creep in; lenders will always find a way to keep their foot on borrowers’ throats.

Handing on your mortgage to your children is a long way from Nadhim ‘Heated Stables’ Zahawi bleating about the unfairness of inheritance tax. FMOB.

So, what was Philip thinking?

All in all last week was momentous.

It started with Trump becoming the first US president to face federal criminal charges. Of course, in his eyes it’s no more than a left-wing attempt to sabotage his forthcoming electoral campaign. Worryingly, but not a surprise is the fact that Republican politicians and voters agree with him.

Should he be convicted it is hard to see a happy ending. His followers have already shown a willingness to use violence to overturn the democratic process and I doubt the rule of law will be any different.

Next on the block was Boris Johnson who, seeing the writing on the rule, didn’t vote for the Commons and his constituency electorate to pull the trigger. In true Johnson style he went off in a major sulk, blaming everyone but himself.

By and large his party seems ready to move on. There is still the old deluded fool blinded by Love such as Sir Jake Berry, the MP for Rossendale and Darwen, who said forcing the charismatic ex-prime minister out of the party would be a “terrible mistake“.

“The idea that the Conservative Party would block the most successful Conservative prime minister we have seen since Margaret Thatcher standing at election is for the birds.”

Jake Berry, who was briefly Conservative chairman under Liz Truss, tweeted: “You voted for Brexit – the establishment blocked it. You voted for Boris Johnson – the establishment has forced him out.

“Who is in charge here … The voters or the blob.”

Former BBC journalist Gavin Esler  rather neatly retorted: “It is becoming difficult not to laugh at the juvenilia from some Conservative MPs. If the voters really are in charge as this one pretends, maybe we should have a general election.”

We finish with the late Silvio Burlesconi, who, whatever people say, had a very successful career in both business and politics.

Yes, he was divisive, but he had the respect of his opponents, something that cannot be said of either Trump or Johnson  

The former European Commission president Romano Prodi, perhaps Berlusconi’s bitterest political foe, paid this tribute to him:

“We represented different and opposing worlds, but our rivalry never turned into sentiments of animosity on a personal level, and the debate remained within the sphere of mutual respect.”

The secretary of the centre-left Democratic party, Elly Schlein, said:

“Everything has divided us and divides us from his political vision, but the human respect to a person who was a protagonist of our country’s history remains,” she said. “Deepest condolences from the Democratic party.’

In addition to business and politics Berlusconi was also successful in football, buying an ailing Milan in 1986 and went onto win numerous Scudetto’s and European Cups.

One of Milan’s former players and managers,  Carlo Ancelotti, wrote: “Today’s sadness doesn’t erase the happy moments spent together,. There remains infinite gratitude to the president, but above all to an ironic, loyal, intelligent, sincere man, fundamental in my adventure as a football player first, and then as a coach. Thank you President.”

Let’s end on a positive note for once!

Lyrically, we start with the Libertines “Can’t Stand me Now”, and end with the only Italian pop song most of us now, “Volare”. Enjoy!

 
@coldwarsteve
 

Philip Gilbert is a city-based corporate financier, and former investment banker.

Philip is a great believer in meritocracy, and in the belief that if you want something enough you can make it happen. These beliefs were formed in his formative years, of the late 1970s and 80s

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