At long last, Johnson bows to the inevitable

SO, the inevitable has finally happened. The man whose rise to the top was based on a lie has been brought down by a lie in the most humiliating of circumstances.

Let’s be clear that some of the most important policy decisions that Boris Johnson ever took were not based on any closely held political beliefs, but on what would get him into No.10. He supported Brexit because it was the only way he could unseat David Cameron (much like Henry VIII supported leaving the Catholic Church only to get his divorce).

Once he’d done this, he failed to win the leadership, so he then did everything he could to undermine Theresa May and her attempts to get Brexit done.

His criticisms of her deal were not due to the content of what she was proposing, but were based on his burning desire to become PM come what may.

Having forced her out and finally made it to No.10, he blinded the country with his bluster and overblown promises to win the election.

I lost count of the number of times I heard people talk about how Boris was a man with character and personality who would get things done, with Brexit being the main priority. The so-called “ovenready” deal has proved to be poison to UK trade in Europe, stability in Northern Ireland, and our standing around the world as we openly discussed tearing up a treaty that we had freely agreed to.

Much like the chastening experience of Trump in America, perhaps it is time that we looked at electing someone based on the content of their character and their level of competence, rather than their ability to whip up populist fervour based on lies and personal ambition.

Vince Giannino Nottingham