Boris

[Paigntonian]

I wouldn't be all surprised if he decided to go. He's had an awesomely difficult time and, having climbed the greasy pole, he's maybe achieved what he set out to do - getting to the top. He was very resentful that his Oxford mate Cameron got there first. He's also skint so the Blair option of making megabucks in a very short time must be appealing. As for his legacy, he can always say 'he get Brexit done', however vacuous that line. And if he were to go would most people think too badly of him? I think not.

[Khandro]

He won't quit.

[riptide]

Of course he is not going, what an earth makes you say that. He will still be there in 4 years time, when hopefully this awful virus will be long forgotten and things are back to normal. Sadly, the young of today are going to have a huge debt to pay as a result of the pandemic. By the time we get to the next election Labour will probably have another lead as Mr. Starmer does not come across well.

[Paigntonian]

I wouldn't advise people to put too much money on Sunak either. Personable he may be but he's a millionaire, his in-laws are billionaires, his wife is due to inherit £450million. I can hear Labour saying 'what does he know about ordinary people who are struggling to pay the rent'.

[Paigntonian]

Riptide: I didn't say he was going. I said I wouldn't be surprised if he did.

[emmie]

as some have already said on here.

[emmie]

that was about Sunak,

[Paigntonian]

And Riptide - The Tories got rid of Thatcher when she had won three elections. It wasn't the electorate.

[emmie]

he may go, but who will replace if they are all are as bad as many say.

[Paigntonian]

This is the man, you might remember, whose spokespeople said in an unattributable lobby briefing that he was struggling to live on £140,000 a year.

[emmie]

was that about Boris..

[Paigntonian]

Emmie: Yes.

[emmie]

perhaps he is underpaid. I know it sounds like a lot of money to us, but put against many jobs its not. Having said that he must have known if would be a climbdown from the money he did earn before.

[Sunk]

I would be surprised if he resigned. That would be an admission of defeat and failure.
Was he resentful Cameron beat him to No10. He perused a career in journalism and not politics, and was grateful of the old boys network to get a good a job in cabinet based on who you know, rather than having any talent or ability.
Not sure he is poor either. He is 56, earned £millions for years and owns multiple houses. I doubt giving in after less than a year will get any ex-Prime Minister many invites to speak.
He is also a terrible public speaker, waffling, bumbling and scatty, and hard to understand.
Most people understood ‘Get Brexit done’ as getting a good result for Britain. He hasn’t even done that yet.

People would be pleased and relieved to see him go. And yes they would think badly of him. 70,000 dead, the economy trashed, public debt out of control.

[emmie]

sorry did he cause the pandemic, thats totally out of his control,

[emmie]

the government has had no choice but to pump billions into the economy to keep business, people going, the furlough scheme for one thing,

[10ClarionSt]

Johnson was originally a remainer. I suspect he was against lockdown as well, at the start. But he's also a proven liar and a racist, as was pointed out to him in the commons by that Sikh MP. What's to like?

[Old_Geezer]

The Blair option will wait.

Aside from Covid, which folk will sympathise with as being unavoidable even if there are mixed views about how it's being tackled, most can see he's achieving a lot; when many would have sold out the nation as the easier route. He has a legacy to sort out yet. I'd doubt he'll cut & run while he has the option to stay.

[Sunk]

Most PMs suffer some unexpected surprises on their watch. It is how they deal with them that determines their legacy and how people remember them.
It is hard to argue that Johnson has steered the country well this past year. The dithered and let the virus take hold, he was slow, and made very many wrong calls. Thatcher and Blair despite both their faults were brave and decisive, something no one is ever going to say about Johnson.

[emmie]

the virus appears to have caught out most people, and he has had to listen to his scientists and advisors constantly change tack. I am not saying everything has been done that could be done, but i honestly wonder had we a different leader it would have been different

[Old_Geezer]

Trouble is that the scientists have a blinkered view, concentrating solely on what minimises the effect on the population in terms of cov cases. The mental effects on individuals in society, the economic effects, the destruction of personal freedom effects, social effects, the lack of attention to other ills effect, none matter to them in comparison. A better view is for politicians to manage the admissions and deaths but otherwise prioritise the other matters.