Boris Johnson is pressing for a general election by Christmas. Unfortunately for him, he’s just suffered a humiliation that shows how rubbish he is at being PM.
“Every confidence”
When Johnson became PM in July, he gave a speech outside Downing Street. In it, he criticised the “pessimists” who he said thought “we are incapable of honouring a democratic mandate” (i.e. Brexit). He vowed:
I am standing before you today to tell you the British people that those critics are wrong. The doubters, the doomsters, the gloomsters, they are going to get it wrong again. …
I have every confidence that in 99 days’ time we will have cracked it [Brexit].
In keeping with this buoyant spirit, his government then launched a “Get Ready for Brexit” advertising campaign on 1 September. It reportedly spent £100m of taxpayers’ money on it. The National Audit Office (NAO) assessed the campaign, saying it may have “limited impact” under the circumstances.
Now, the media has suggested the government may be pulling the campaign. At least, that’s what iNews reported before then removing its article. The New European reports that a cabinet minister denied the iNews claim, saying the “campaign is still live”.
In short, it’s a shambles. And people are not impressed by the prospect of the campaign money being ‘spaffed up the wall’ – a phrase Johnson previously used in relation to funds for child abuse investigations. Yet another moment in the PM’s life where he showed how unfit he is for the position he holds:
Another £100 million 'Splaffed' up against the wall. Just let that sink in folks…… I'm thinking foodbanks, the NHS, The Homeless , All could have benefitted from this total waste of money.#AreYouYesYethttps://t.co/ynL8G0EZ4C
— Scotland's No1 Comrade Unwilling Serf of the Union (@no1_scotland) October 25, 2019
Zombie what?
Naturally, the government has come up with a catchy phrase to shift the blame from Johnson for not delivering on what he promised he could deliver on. Ministers have been running around shouting “zombie parliament” at anyone who’ll listen (cue the BBC):
Listen to @sajidjavid repeating 'zombie parliament'. This is to set up the next month as 'Boris' versus the 'zombie parliament' in the 'national interest'. Got it. @BBCr4today
— Michael Rosen 💙💙🎓🎓 (@MichaelRosenYes) October 25, 2019
https://twitter.com/TimSapwell/status/1187636063336054785
Many people have embraced the idea that ‘zombies’ exist in current UK politics, but not in the same way the government is suggesting:
Zombie Parliament? Zombie government is a more accurate description https://t.co/OXeDS0OUr3
— Patricia Hodson (@PatriciaHodso13) October 25, 2019
The zombie parliament stopped the zombie government from a terrifying halloween Brexit. 🎃👻🦇
Maybe those memes about the 2092 Withdrawal Agreement tradition are actually just messages from the future?
— Fragile Creatures (@FragileCreature) October 25, 2019
It's a Zombie government, not a zombie Parliament. They are refusing to govern. #r4today
— Helen121 🕷💙🇪🇺🐈⬛ (@Helen121) October 25, 2019
Proof is in the pudding
No matter how much Johnson and his government try to blame others for the UK failing to leave the EU on 31 October, one fact cannot be denied. It looks like Johnson will fail at delivering what he argued he could. He’s on course to fail at what was his flagship pledge when becoming PM.
That shouldn’t bode well for him at any forthcoming election.
Featured image via BBC News/YouTub
