Brexit unmasks UK PM Boris Johnson’s ruthless streak as he tries to trigger election
- UK leader tries to force an election and regain the parliamentary majority needed to leave the EU by October 31, with or without a deal
Boris Johnson has forged an image of himself as a wisecracking mophead, but after a few weeks as Britain’s Brexit Prime Minister the winning smile gave way this week to a scowl and a wagging finger as his ruthless streak emerged.
Living up to his reputation as a high-stakes political gambler, Johnson, 55, is betting the house on forcing an election and regaining the parliamentary majority needed to carry out his plans to leave the European Union.
His main international supporter, US President Donald Trump, said Wednesday: “Boris knows how to win. Don’t worry about him. He’s going to be OK.”
Sarah Wollaston, an MP with the anti-Brexit Liberal Democrat party, is among those who have accused Johnson of “behaving like a tin pot dictator”.
The journalist and MP came to power selling himself as the optimistic leader to end the Brexit crisis.
But within six weeks he has seen his Conservative Party’s thin parliamentary majority disappear as MPs seized control of the parliamentary discussions on leaving the European Union.
Failure in the coming weeks could see him consigned to history as Britain’s shortest-serving prime minister.