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WORLD NEWS Thursday 21 sepTember 2017

Ambitious Boris Johnson rattles May, shakes up Brexit debate

By JILL LAWLESS ers in a New York hotel lob-
Associated Press by on Tuesday, he insisted
LONDON (AP) — Prime Min- that the government was
ister Theresa May must be a harmonious “nest of sing-
asking herself: How do you ing birds.”
solve a problem like Boris That’s unlikely. The Cabi-
Johnson? net is split between Brexit
Britain’s undiplomatic chief true believers, including
diplomat has thrown Brit- Environment Secretary Mi-
ish politics into turmoil by chael Gove and Trade
thrusting himself to the front Secretary Liam Fox, who
of the Brexit debate at the want a sharp break with
worst possible time for the the EU, and those such as
country’s leader. Treasury chief Philip Ham-
The insurrection has left mond who want to soften
friends and foes scram- the economic impact
bling to determine his mo- through a long status-quo
tives. Is he about to resign, transition period.
get fired, mount a coup? Is May is trying to keep the
he trying to push May into warring sides from tear-
adopting his free-market ing her government apart.
vision of life outside the Eu- Johnson’s article helps po-
ropean Union? sition him as figurehead of
The one certainty is that the “hard Brexit” faction.
Alexander Boris de Pfeffel “He is trying to create an
Johnson is exactly where British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson attends a meeting during the United Nations General As- alternative base for himself
he likes to be: at the center sembly at U.N. headquarters, Monday, Sept. 18, 2017. in the Conservative Party
of attention. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig) and portray Theresa May
“Everyone asking, ‘What intended to unblock log- lawmaker Ken Clarke said The response from May as a lame duck — which in
the hell is going on with jammed divorce talks with that May, weakened af- and her allies was notice- essence she is,” said Victo-
Boris?’ is sort of the end the EU. ter losing her parliamen- ably muted. ria Honeyman, a lecturer in
goal for Boris,” Manchester Johnson’s article called for tary majority in June’s snap “Boris is Boris,” May said, politics at the University of
University political science the U.K. to adopt a low-tax, election, “is not in the posi- insisting that “the U.K. gov- Leeds.
professor Rob Ford said. low-regulation economy tion easily to sack him.” ernment is driven from the Honeyman said becoming
“He wants people to be outside the EU’s single mar- Political scientist Ford said front, and we all have the prime minister is Johnson’s
talking about Boris. So mis- ket and customs union. Johnson’s actions could be same destination in our ultimate goal, “though I
sion accomplished.” Seemingly written with- interpreted as a dare for sights.” think Boris Johnson gener-
Johnson is one of Britain’s out consulting May, it was May to fire him. Johnson, meanwhile, de- ally is someone who travels
best-known politicians, a widely seen as an act of “It’s almost like he is say- nied planning to quit or in zigzags, rather than in a
Conservative whose rum- insubordination that would ing to Theresa May: ‘Go maneuvering to oust May. straight line.”
pled exterior — affable, get most ministers fired. ahead, punk, make my Cornered — in his jogging His career bears out that
flaxen-haired upper-class But pro-EU Conservative day,’” he said. clothes — by British report- description. q
eccentric — covers a core
of steely ambition. Belarus: Russian forces won’t stay after war games
His latest political move
came in a 4,000-word Daily MINSK, Belarus (AP) — the war games are over. main in Belarus. Wednesday.
Telegraph article on Satur- On the last day of joint Ukraine, Poland and the “Let’s wait to see what The war games in Rus-
day outlining his vision of a Russian-Belarusian mili- Baltic states all expressed they will say after all the sia and Belarus included
“glorious Brexit.” tary exercises that rattled worry that the weeklong armed forces — Russia’s launching cruise missiles,
It was published days be- the countries’ neighbors, exercises could foretell and ours — appear at and news reports said a
fore the prime minister the president of Belarus Russian offensives on their regular deployment Russian helicopter acci-
travels to Florence, Italy on says all Russian forces will their territory and that places,” President Alex- dentally fired on specta-
Friday to make a speech leave his country when Russian troops would re- ander Lukashenko said tors. q