Dear Dirty America

MICHAEL J BLAIR
Perthshire, Scotland

In the post “Brexit” confusion, it would appear that British politics has gone completely mad.

David Cameron resigning. Bumbling Boris looking likely to be his successor without a contest. Boris backing out like a geriatric driver in a supermarket car park, and a cast of gruesome characters who couldn’t get a job finding themselves in a dark room.

credit: Dominique

This is a rundown of the contestants to take over as Prime Minister from the snake oil salesman, failed, David Cameron.

Boris Johnson is a bit like Donald Trump, but with a brain. He has always been very ambitious and had his own future mapped out at a young age.

This is an example of not planning too far in advance, because it can go awry so quickly. His unusual private life hasn’t helped his image. People who backed him should have realised that the public may like him as a cuddly blustering buffoon, but found the idea of him leading the country, unpalatable.

Apparently no such thinking existed and only the unexpected decision of Michael Gove to enter the contest made Boris think twice, and decide to step aside. His future is uncertain but I’m sure he still harbours ambitions for high office.

Until then I expect him to appear on any television show who will have him. Before becoming mayor of London, he had been a  television celebrity and a newspaper columnist. So he isn’t exactly short of options.

Michael Gove, a man I mentioned in an earlier piece, as the person to derail Boris, “reluctantly” throwing his hat into the leadership ring, made the whole contest more interesting. Not only did he get Boris Johnson to quit the leadership contest, he brings political experience and cunning into the mix.

He was a very close ally of David Cameron and no one expected him to oppose the Prime Minister in the EU referendum. But oppose him he did! He was obviously playing a very risky long game, with the ultimate intention of becoming the next leader of the Conservative party and of course, Prime Minister.

His apparent demotion in the last big cabinet reshuffle didn’t appear to bother him and he pledged his loyalty to Cameron. But I wondered why a man who was so obviously ambitious, had so meekly accepted this slight with such good grace.

The only conclusion I could come to, was that he was biding his time before making a move. When he joined Boris Johnson in the Leave campaign, I could see where he was going.

If this blows up in his face, he will always have a great future in the media. He was a journalist before he became an MP, so I expect him to be much sought after by television if he fails in this attempt at the top job.

Standing in his way is Theresa May, the no nonsense Home Secretary, tiptoeing her way, in shiny red stiletto shoes, towards the top job. She is well known for her total failure to get a grip on immigration and her glamorous outfits.

Mrs May has had a long and fairly illustrious career in politics. She wasn’t seen as a particularly big hitter until her elevation to the position of Home Secretary. This was seen by many as a step up too far, but she doesn’t lack confidence in her own abilities and has been a moderate success in the job.

I referred to her failure to reduce immigration, but it wouldn’t have mattered who had been in charge of the Home Office, there was very little chance of making a difference to the numbers of people coming to Britain quite legally, due to the EU rules in free movement in Europe. Of course the fact that the loss of hundreds of immigration and border control officers due to financial cutbacks, made illegal immigration much easier.

Theresa May was hamstrung by the constraints of the Chancellor of the Exchequer, George Osborne, and his maniacal zeal to cut the fiscal deficit. So she can always point out in any debate that she wasn’t entirely responsible for this mess.

Another candidate is Andrea Leadsom,  sneaking up on the rails with quite a bit of support. She’s the dark horse in this in more ways than one. Her family has a background in venture capital and offshore “tax efficient” trusts. I believe she has been “chosen” to run for the leadership, by people who don’t have the best interests of the British people at heart.

These already hugely wealthy individuals don’t want a government which might tighten up the ridiculously loose tax laws which apply only to the super rich.

If Andrea Leadsom became Leader of the Conservative party and Prime minister, she would be controlled by very unscrupulous and unpleasant people, who only care about keeping as much money as possible from the Treasury.

“Dr” Liam Fox is in the running again. He was one of the candidates in the last Conservative party leadership election, when David Cameron won despite being useless. Liam Fox is on the mouth frothing right of the party. He has a lot of connections to the more insane parts of the Republican party in the USA. He is the British equivalent of a Neocon, and just as unhinged. Another person who should be kept away from the levers of power by all means possible!

There is another Cabinet minister, who’s name escapes me, in the running, but apparently he’s from working class stock and will be completely ignored by everyone.

One of these parasites will, at some point in the near future, be in charge of Britain. My money, if I had any, would be on a Gove/May head to head after the others have been eliminated from the contest. I could be wrong and someone else could sneak in, but I doubt it very much.

I was going to include the Labour party’s woes in this piece, but it is so shambolic, I have left it for another day.

ALSO BY MJ BLAIR

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[Boris Johnson caricature by Dominique from UK, Wikimedia Commons; Brexit banner courtesy of Vexels GroovyGraphics, Wikimedia Commons]