I'm not watching live, but the excerpts on the Guardian live blog look very good. No doubt most people will respond according to their pre-existing prejudices, though.
He is not really saying much. He mentioned we would be able to "fish our own fish" and that we can lower VAT on home energy supplies (tap, tap, tap...waiting).
But other than that it is criticising the EU for something that it is not.
Yes and this is why Boris cannot be dismissed in future leader betting. People might not agree with him but they will at least listen. He can command an audience while too many of our politicians are strangers to cameras and microphones.
If Angus Deayton hadn't done cocaine, Boris would not have hosted HIGNFY, he would not have become mayor, he would not have led Leave, we would not have left the EU and we would not have to hear this daft speech.
Mr. Jonathan, if you think that's wacky, if Emperor Maurice had bought his soldiers new footwear, Islam might never have gotten off the ground.
[His pennypinching caused a revolt which overthrew him. Chosroes, the Persian emperor, owed Maurice a personal debt and started a war with the Eastern Roman Empire. This was finally ended some time later, after both empires were exhausted. At that exact moment, Islam came about and they gobbled up huge chunks of territory as neither empire was in a good position to fight back].
I have no love for Boris, but he's proven the spiel about "Leavers need to reach out" from Remainers is rubbish. They will not accept any reach out that isn't staying in the EU. Remainers that are able to accept Brexit already have done. Those that aren't will always find something to complain about. It wasn't long ago that they were laughing about May's conciliatory deal as defeating a hard Brexit. Now they're claiming it's a hard Brexit again. There's no pleasing them.
Leavers just need to remain calm and carry on implementing their preferred Brexit. Once it is done and dusted, we will have trade deals in place with countries around the world that we'd have to rip up to re-enter and with a EU trade deal in place th public won't want to tear open the wound again. Plus the Eurozone is no closer to resolving it's lack of recession fighting tools, so the next downturn will give the EU another round of bad news.
Mr. Glenn, such arguments from those pro-EU would have more moral weight if they'd been made before polling day, when they thought they were going to win...
The pro-EU side wasn't represented in the referendum.
william - Who would be front and centre of a EU Ref II campaign for Remain ?
Femi
He's outstanding. Many political careers will be inspired by opposition to Brexit.
There's a queue of unbalanced sorts on social media. Grayling, this guy, Adonis. They lost the vote and they're losing the argument. If I had a penny for everytime some madman like Ian Dunt said "this is a Brexit gamechanger" to his remainer twitter echo chamber then I'd be a very rich man.
@IanDunt: "We've got to get over the positive agenda. We have to get out there and explain it.... We may be able to do amazing things with our regulations on organic carrots."
Boris is pitching for the Tory leadership. That is the only way to view this speech. It is the only way to view his political career. And a lot of Tories like his buccaneering English nationalism with its ceaseless, sly digs at foreigners. I would not bet against him being successful and then being the third abysmal Tory PM in a row!
There's a queue of unbalanced sorts on social media. Grayling, this guy, Adonis. They lost the vote and they're losing the argument. If I had a penny for everytime some madman like Ian Dunt said "this is a Brexit gamechanger" to his remainer twitter echo chamber then I'd be a very rich man.
Only the desperate would post a Dunt tweet surely ?
Boris is pitching for the Tory leadership. That is the only way to view this speech. It is the only way to view his political career. And a lot of Tories like his buccaneering English nationalism with its ceaseless, sly digs at foreigners. I would not bet against him being successful and then being the third abysmal Tory PM in a row!
Boris is doing a very good job again of underlining why he should not be PM. Will be curious to find if the true-bluers buy it.
@IanDunt: "We've got to get over the positive agenda. We have to get out there and explain it.... We may be able to do amazing things with our regulations on organic carrots."
Boris is pitching for the Tory leadership. That is the only way to view this speech. It is the only way to view his political career. And a lot of Tories like his buccaneering English nationalism with its ceaseless, sly digs at foreigners. I would not bet against him being successful and then being the third abysmal Tory PM in a row!
Boris is doing a very good job again of underlining why he should not be PM. Will be curious to find if the true-bluers buy it.
What would you want to him to say different from what he has said?
@IanDunt: "We've got to get over the positive agenda. We have to get out there and explain it.... We may be able to do amazing things with our regulations on organic carrots."
@faisalislam: Johnson says “as frictionless as is possible” re the trade with Europe - but that is precisely the point - how much friction is that with a Single Market that is 54% of total trade - currently zero.
@sarahwollaston: #Boris presenting an optimistic vision of global Britain. I hope he is right. But his speech did not address any of the serious practical difficulties that will affect real peoples lives with a hard #Brexit
Boris is pitching for the Tory leadership. That is the only way to view this speech. It is the only way to view his political career. And a lot of Tories like his buccaneering English nationalism with its ceaseless, sly digs at foreigners. I would not bet against him being successful and then being the third abysmal Tory PM in a row!
Boris is doing a very good job again of underlining why he should not be PM. Will be curious to find if the true-bluers buy it.
What would you want to him to say different from what he has said?
Goodbye.
Let someone else with an iota of credibility talk about unity.
@IanDunt: "We've got to get over the positive agenda. We have to get out there and explain it.... We may be able to do amazing things with our regulations on organic carrots."
You really do need to get a sense of humour
Boris may be a joke, but it has worn a bit thin.
Outside the bubble this may go down quite well with the man/woman in the street
Boris is pitching for the Tory leadership. That is the only way to view this speech. It is the only way to view his political career. And a lot of Tories like his buccaneering English nationalism with its ceaseless, sly digs at foreigners. I would not bet against him being successful and then being the third abysmal Tory PM in a row!
I find this constant attempt to accuse Leavers of having "English nationalism" is both odd and revealing. Two of the four home nations wanted to leave and the flag-waving element of Leave was always around the Union Jack. I'm guessing the attempt to axe-grind against the English is hoping to stir up divisions between the home nations by tapping into Anglophobia. Or perhaps it's because British is more or a civic identity so they are trying to frame English nationalism as an ethnic nationalism and incite us brown leavers against those white racists. It seems rather ugly either way.
@IanDunt: "We've got to get over the positive agenda. We have to get out there and explain it.... We may be able to do amazing things with our regulations on organic carrots."
You really do need to get a sense of humour
Boris may be a joke, but it has worn a bit thin.
Outside the bubble this may go down quite well with the man/woman in the street
Boris has as much chance of reaching remainers as Blair has of reaching those against the Iraq war.
Boris is pitching for the Tory leadership. That is the only way to view this speech. It is the only way to view his political career. And a lot of Tories like his buccaneering English nationalism with its ceaseless, sly digs at foreigners. I would not bet against him being successful and then being the third abysmal Tory PM in a row!
Boris is doing a very good job again of underlining why he should not be PM. Will be curious to find if the true-bluers buy it.
What would you want to him to say different from what he has said?
Goodbye.
Let someone else with an iota of credibility talk about unity.
That's a different point.
It was objectively a very good and well-balanced speech, with some interesting analysis, and there's absolutely nothing in it to justify the hysterical reaction from some.
But I do agree that he's getting a bit boring. I suspect he's missed the boat, but who knows?
Boris is pitching for the Tory leadership. That is the only way to view this speech. It is the only way to view his political career. And a lot of Tories like his buccaneering English nationalism with its ceaseless, sly digs at foreigners. I would not bet against him being successful and then being the third abysmal Tory PM in a row!
I find this constant attempt to accuse Leavers of having "English nationalism" is both odd and revealing. Two of the four home nations wanted to leave and the flag-waving element of Leave was always around the Union Jack. I'm guessing the attempt to axe-grind against the English is hoping to stir up divisions between the home nations by tapping into Anglophobia. Or perhaps it's because British is more or a civic identity so they are trying to frame English nationalism as an ethnic nationalism and incite us brown leavers against those white racists. It seems rather ugly either way.
Why would I axe grind against the English? I am English and know that buccaneering Tory English nationalism is not a majority view in the country where I was born and brought up.
Notice how this poll -yet another piece of Remoaner propagands -puts the onus on Leavers to change their views on the assumption that it is they who are in error.
But you could just as easily frame the headline thus:
Poll shows that most Remoaners would not change their views even if it meant that staying in the EU meant the UK losing its independence to a foreign power, and being swallowed up into a European superstate, even if we ceased to be a democracy, even if we lost control of our own borders -and even if it meant ignoring the will of the British people in a democratic vote.
@ShippersUnbound: Boris in summary: Brexit can be great. Dogging joke. Transition can be same as now but nuts to remain close in perpetuity. Thai sex tourism joke. Doesn't promise not to resign.
@faisalislam: Two areas from speech on specifics: FS mentioned booming trade with South Korea and that UK now runs surplus - that has come as part of EU-Korea FTA .. not yet clear that Korea wishes to roll over deal in full, vs now similar sized UK trade partner
@faisalislam: FS also mentioned that tourism will continue as now as long as EU strikes a mutual interest visa-free travel and aviation deal - 1. that rather rules out No Deal threat. 2. Aviation/ EASA membership may lean against his ECJ red line
@IanDunt: "We've got to get over the positive agenda. We have to get out there and explain it.... We may be able to do amazing things with our regulations on organic carrots."
You really do need to get a sense of humour
Boris may be a joke, but it has worn a bit thin.
Outside the bubble this may go down quite well with the man/woman in the street
Boris has as much chance of reaching remainers as Blair has of reaching those against the Iraq war.
That is a given but you are a member of the bubble and nothing Boris said today would change your view
Boris is pitching for the Tory leadership. That is the only way to view this speech. It is the only way to view his political career. And a lot of Tories like his buccaneering English nationalism with its ceaseless, sly digs at foreigners. I would not bet against him being successful and then being the third abysmal Tory PM in a row!
Boris is doing a very good job again of underlining why he should not be PM. Will be curious to find if the true-bluers buy it.
What would you want to him to say different from what he has said?
Goodbye.
Let someone else with an iota of credibility talk about unity.
That's a different point.
It was objectively a very good and well-balanced speech, with some interesting analysis, and there's absolutely nothing in it to justify the hysterical reaction from some.
But I do agree that he's getting a bit boring. I suspect he's missed the boat, but who knows?
@IanDunt: "We've got to get over the positive agenda. We have to get out there and explain it.... We may be able to do amazing things with our regulations on organic carrots."
You really do need to get a sense of humour
Boris may be a joke, but it has worn a bit thin.
Outside the bubble this may go down quite well with the man/woman in the street
Boris has as much chance of reaching remainers as Blair has of reaching those against the Iraq war.
Nobody who doesn't want to reverse the referendum has any chance of reaching remainers.
Boris was aiming for those in the middle who don't give that much of a toss.
@IanDunt: "We've got to get over the positive agenda. We have to get out there and explain it.... We may be able to do amazing things with our regulations on organic carrots."
You really do need to get a sense of humour
Boris may be a joke, but it has worn a bit thin.
Outside the bubble this may go down quite well with the man/woman in the street
Boris has as much chance of reaching remainers as Blair has of reaching those against the Iraq war.
Nobody who doesn't want to reverse the referendum has any chance of reaching remainers.
Boris was aiming for those in the middle who don't give that much of a toss.
And those people in the middle are the vast majority.
@IanDunt: "We've got to get over the positive agenda. We have to get out there and explain it.... We may be able to do amazing things with our regulations on organic carrots."
You really do need to get a sense of humour
Boris may be a joke, but it has worn a bit thin.
Outside the bubble this may go down quite well with the man/woman in the street
We remember your apparently serious prediction that May's Florence speech was going to be her equivalent of the Falklands...
I love how questioning the result of a referendum that massively changed constitutional change on a 52/48 vote is ignoring democracy that uses project fear; but 30 years of Mail, Sun and Express making up stuff about the EU is just fine. Did those who didn't like the EEC referendum (won on 67% not 52%) hide away to "accept democracy"? Or did they organise, mobalise and change hearts and minds? Is democracy not a living thing that changes due to the real world, not a dead thing where once a decision is made it stays made forever, with no one changing it ever again?
I think if we leave we will likely rejoin in my lifetime (I'm under 30) because the generation gap is SO wide that in 10/15 years time just too many of the older leave vote would have died, and young people will likely continue to view the EU positively because of the fringe issues (like freedom of movement and the internet meaning someone living in London can have more in common with someone in Paris and Berlin than Stoke or Cornwall). Intergration of nation states in some form or other looks inevitable (bar large scale war) because both sides want it; globalism benefits corporations and makes money but also breaks down social barriers between people and increases empathy / understanding in ways not possible in the past.
In the 1970s some people argued that the Tories wouldn't be able to win elections 20 or 30 years later because they were in third position behind the Liberals with young voters at the October 1974 election.
In the 70s the Conservatives were a mass party and had more direct members than the Labour Party. There were actual young Conservatives that you would see out canvassing. Nowadays they seem to me to be non-existent amongst the under 40s.
LibDem membership almost certainly overtook Tory membership last year, noting that all the parties are cagey about releasing the exact figures.
There are plenty of Tories, including young Tories, out canvassing and delivering for the local elections, just look at the Activate or CCHQ Facebook pages
Boris is pitching for the Tory leadership. That is the only way to view this speech. It is the only way to view his political career. And a lot of Tories like his buccaneering English nationalism with its ceaseless, sly digs at foreigners. I would not bet against him being successful and then being the third abysmal Tory PM in a row!
I find this constant attempt to accuse Leavers of having "English nationalism" is both odd and revealing. Two of the four home nations wanted to leave and the flag-waving element of Leave was always around the Union Jack. I'm guessing the attempt to axe-grind against the English is hoping to stir up divisions between the home nations by tapping into Anglophobia. Or perhaps it's because British is more or a civic identity so they are trying to frame English nationalism as an ethnic nationalism and incite us brown leavers against those white racists. It seems rather ugly either way.
Why would I axe grind against the English? I am English and know that buccaneering Tory English nationalism is not a majority view in the country where I was born and brought up.
I just said the reasons in the post you responded to.
But George Orwell comes to mind: "England is the only great country in the world whose intellectuals are ashamed of their own nationality."
@IanDunt: "We've got to get over the positive agenda. We have to get out there and explain it.... We may be able to do amazing things with our regulations on organic carrots."
You really do need to get a sense of humour
Boris may be a joke, but it has worn a bit thin.
Outside the bubble this may go down quite well with the man/woman in the street
We remember your apparently serious prediction that May's Florence speech was going to be her equivalent of the Falklands...
May's Florence speech has been widely praised including by the EU
Boris is pitching for the Tory leadership. That is the only way to view this speech. It is the only way to view his political career. And a lot of Tories like his buccaneering English nationalism with its ceaseless, sly digs at foreigners. I would not bet against him being successful and then being the third abysmal Tory PM in a row!
Boris does not want the UK to be part of a Federal Europe, as someone who has a cosmopolitan ancestry himself, including part Turk, that does not mean he is anti foreigner
"Jean-Claude Juncker says Boris Johnson is talking 'total nonsense' when he says he wants to build an EU superstate."
Making a Euro Superstate makes sense. At the moment, we're betwixt and between, but a Superstate as a destination is logical. At the moment we have 27 individual countries with their own concerns pushing their own agendas by forming blocs. Getting votes through by conceding to other special interests ... "If you vote for this, we'll vote for you on that."
It was always the intention. A united state avoids parochial squabbles and that's why the four freedoms reign supreme. A mere trading agreement is just that. I wish they wouldn't hide the fact and try to do it by stealth instead.
Boris is pitching for the Tory leadership. That is the only way to view this speech. It is the only way to view his political career. And a lot of Tories like his buccaneering English nationalism with its ceaseless, sly digs at foreigners. I would not bet against him being successful and then being the third abysmal Tory PM in a row!
Boris is doing a very good job again of underlining why he should not be PM. Will be curious to find if the true-bluers buy it.
What would you want to him to say different from what he has said?
Goodbye.
Let someone else with an iota of credibility talk about unity.
That's a different point.
It was objectively a very good and well-balanced speech, with some interesting analysis, and there's absolutely nothing in it to justify the hysterical reaction from some.
But I do agree that he's getting a bit boring. I suspect he's missed the boat, but who knows?
What was your key takeaway from it, Richard?
I thought the bit about the reasons for opposition to Brexit was well thought-out (11.17 on the Guardian live-blog), and he addressed the various concerns quite well. Of course, no speech like this is suddenly going to make a Brexiteer out of Lord Adonis, or even of our very own @AlastairMeeks, but as a statement of direction and reassurance it was fine.
Boris is pitching for the Tory leadership. That is the only way to view this speech. It is the only way to view his political career. And a lot of Tories like his buccaneering English nationalism with its ceaseless, sly digs at foreigners. I would not bet against him being successful and then being the third abysmal Tory PM in a row!
I find this constant attempt to accuse Leavers of having "English nationalism" is both odd and revealing. Two of the four home nations wanted to leave and the flag-waving element of Leave was always around the Union Jack. I'm guessing the attempt to axe-grind against the English is hoping to stir up divisions between the home nations by tapping into Anglophobia. Or perhaps it's because British is more or a civic identity so they are trying to frame English nationalism as an ethnic nationalism and incite us brown leavers against those white racists. It seems rather ugly either way.
Why would I axe grind against the English? I am English and know that buccaneering Tory English nationalism is not a majority view in the country where I was born and brought up.
I just said the reasons in the post you responded to.
But George Orwell comes to mind: "England is the only great country in the world whose intellectuals are ashamed of their own nationality."
While it is flattering to be considered an intellectual, I doubt many people who know me would confuse me with one :-D
I am not ashamed to be English. I just deeply dislike right wing, Tory English nationalism. I do not believe that the Tory right owns English identity, culture or history.
Boris is pitching for the Tory leadership. That is the only way to view this speech. It is the only way to view his political career. And a lot of Tories like his buccaneering English nationalism with its ceaseless, sly digs at foreigners. I would not bet against him being successful and then being the third abysmal Tory PM in a row!
Boris is doing a very good job again of underlining why he should not be PM. Will be curious to find if the true-bluers buy it.
What would you want to him to say different from what he has said?
Goodbye.
Let someone else with an iota of credibility talk about unity.
To arch Remainers, every Leaver is, by definition of being a Leaver, without credibility. Along with Corbynites, they are the most close minded political tribe I have known. JRM is a reactionary loon, but at least he listens to those he disagrees with and engages in debate.
Mr. Jonathan, if you think that's wacky, if Emperor Maurice had bought his soldiers new footwear, Islam might never have gotten off the ground.
[His pennypinching caused a revolt which overthrew him. Chosroes, the Persian emperor, owed Maurice a personal debt and started a war with the Eastern Roman Empire. This was finally ended some time later, after both empires were exhausted. At that exact moment, Islam came about and they gobbled up huge chunks of territory as neither empire was in a good position to fight back].
The moral being that austerity is lot more expensive than it looks.
Boris is pitching for the Tory leadership. That is the only way to view this speech. It is the only way to view his political career. And a lot of Tories like his buccaneering English nationalism with its ceaseless, sly digs at foreigners. I would not bet against him being successful and then being the third abysmal Tory PM in a row!
I find this constant attempt to accuse Leavers of having "English nationalism" is both odd and revealing. Two of the four home nations wanted to leave and the flag-waving element of Leave was always around the Union Jack. I'm guessing the attempt to axe-grind against the English is hoping to stir up divisions between the home nations by tapping into Anglophobia. Or perhaps it's because British is more or a civic identity so they are trying to frame English nationalism as an ethnic nationalism and incite us brown leavers against those white racists. It seems rather ugly either way.
Why would I axe grind against the English? I am English and know that buccaneering Tory English nationalism is not a majority view in the country where I was born and brought up.
I just said the reasons in the post you responded to.
But George Orwell comes to mind: "England is the only great country in the world whose intellectuals are ashamed of their own nationality."
While it is flattering to be considered an intellectual, I doubt many people who know me would confuse me with one :-D
I am not ashamed to be English. I just deeply dislike right wing, Tory English nationalism. I do not believe that the Tory right owns English identity, culture or history.
Your third post on the topic and you just reassert the claim. I voted Labour in every election in my adult life until the last one but even I can see Tories are British in their nationalism/patriotism. It's Rule Britannia and Land of Hope and Glory they love at the Proms. You just reassert this English nationalist accusation to stir division. It is ugly.
Boris is pitching for the Tory leadership. That is the only way to view this speech. It is the only way to view his political career. And a lot of Tories like his buccaneering English nationalism with its ceaseless, sly digs at foreigners. I would not bet against him being successful and then being the third abysmal Tory PM in a row!
Boris is doing a very good job again of underlining why he should not be PM. Will be curious to find if the true-bluers buy it.
What would you want to him to say different from what he has said?
Goodbye.
Let someone else with an iota of credibility talk about unity.
To arch Remainers, every Leaver is, by definition of being a Leaver, without credibility. Along with Corbynites, they are the most close minded political tribe I have known. JRM is a reactionary loon, but at least he listens to those he disagrees with and engages in debate.
Yes, Rees Mogg is always willing to engage. I'd like to know of anyone who wants to halt Brexit with any credibility? At the moment it is the extreme remain side that needs to come up with someone better than Blair or Lammy.
The conclusion to be drawn from BMG's latest "No Elephant in Our Dining Room" poll is very clear:
in any third Brexitref, Remain can only win if they paint Leave as the option that will open the gates to immigration/i>.
A Dave's Deal 2 whereby Britain stays in the EU and says goodbye to FOM won't happen. It would only be likely with an AfD or AfD-CSU government in Berlin, which seems unlikely within the necessary time period (*) and given that Marine Le Pen lost in France.
I don't think even saying that the immigration picture will be more or less the same regardless of whether or not Brexit happens will wash. Remain positively need to paint Brexit as meaning that what used to be predominantly white British streets will become "multicultural" if Britain leaves the EU and will stay white British if it remains. Is there an opening here? There may be. It may well be possible to stoke a greater fear of Turks and Indians than of Poles. Doesn't the Leave-maniac Foreign Secretary have a Turkish background? Doesn't Jacob Rees-Mogg's fund specialise in "emergent" markets? Right. Play dirty. Play filthy. This is politics. This is what they need to do.
Is this impossible for Remain? I wouldn't rule it out. What may be impossible is for Labour to get its activists to swallow it. That leaves television, hoardings, online, and other methods. A Branson- and Soros-supported Blair return is possible. Who knows, perhaps they could get May on their side, given the right kind of "events", dear boy. They'd certainly need more Tory or ex-Tory figures than just elderly ones like Heseltine.
(*) That said, goings-on in Germany do seem to have been a bit strange of late. The story that Merkel and Schulz reversed their call for a new election only because Steinmeier told them to is for the naive. I doubt that even telling him t keep his nose out would have lost them many votes. The same is true about Schulz's decision - after all the supposed drama of the CDU-CSU-SPD talks, after all the "concessions" supposedly made to his party - that he no longer wants to be foreign minister. I don't believe for one moment that the reason Schulz walked away, having given up the party chairmanship so he could become foreign minister, was because Gabriel wants to stay in the post. Is a NoGroko result on 4 March in the SPD membership vote possible? Yes. The price of Merkel staying as chancellor (1.08) is far too short. Bear in mind that 25000 "three euro" members have joined the SPD, so the bar for Groko among those who were already members is now higher. Assuming a 75% turnout among olds and 100% among news, and that all the news vote NoGroko, Groko would need 53% among the old. They got 56% at the delegate conference, but that was partly down to the payroll vote.
Boris is pitching for the Tory leadership. That is the only way to view this speech. It is the only way to view his political career. And a lot of Tories like his buccaneering English nationalism with its ceaseless, sly digs at foreigners. I would not bet against him being successful and then being the third abysmal Tory PM in a row!
Johnson pitching for PM?
Perhaps the time has come to hand him the keys to number 10. His constant interventions undermine the current and any future Conservative PM that isn't Boris Johnson.
His 'stardust' may have swung the result for Leave. He personally owns Brexit! Put him in the driving seat and let us see if he can take us to his VAT free, carrot shaped utopia.
Maybe if he can tick that box, he will f*** off and leave government to the grown-ups!
Boris is pitching for the Tory leadership. That is the only way to view this speech. It is the only way to view his political career. And a lot of Tories like his buccaneering English nationalism with its ceaseless, sly digs at foreigners. I would not bet against him being successful and then being the third abysmal Tory PM in a row!
I find this constant attempt to accuse Leavers of having "English nationalism" is both odd and revealing. Two of the four home nations wanted to leave and the flag-waving element of Leave was always around the Union Jack. I'm guessing the attempt to axe-grind against the English is hoping to stir up divisions between the home nations by tapping into Anglophobia. Or perhaps it's because British is more or a civic identity so they are trying to frame English nationalism as an ethnic nationalism and incite us brown leavers against those white racists. It seems rather ugly either way.
Why would I axe grind against the English? I am English and know that buccaneering Tory English nationalism is not a majority view in the country where I was born and brought up.
I just said the reasons in the post you responded to.
But George Orwell comes to mind: "England is the only great country in the world whose intellectuals are ashamed of their own nationality."
While it is flattering to be considered an intellectual, I doubt many people who know me would confuse me with one :-D
I am not ashamed to be English. I just deeply dislike right wing, Tory English nationalism. I do not believe that the Tory right owns English identity, culture or history.
@IanDunt: "We've got to get over the positive agenda. We have to get out there and explain it.... We may be able to do amazing things with our regulations on organic carrots."
You really do need to get a sense of humour
Boris may be a joke, but it has worn a bit thin.
Outside the bubble this may go down quite well with the man/woman in the street
Boris has as much chance of reaching remainers as Blair has of reaching those against the Iraq war.
Nobody who doesn't want to reverse the referendum has any chance of reaching remainers.
Boris was aiming for those in the middle who don't give that much of a toss.
And he probably did a reasonable job of it in this speech, though just think how much better Cameron would have done it. The trouble is that a speech isn't enough. It needs to be followed up with some actions to show how it is going to work. Let's see what happens next.
Boris is pitching for the Tory leadership. That is the only way to view this speech. It is the only way to view his political career. And a lot of Tories like his buccaneering English nationalism with its ceaseless, sly digs at foreigners. I would not bet against him being successful and then being the third abysmal Tory PM in a row!
I find this constant attempt to accuse Leavers of having "English nationalism" is both odd and revealing. Two of the four home nations wanted to leave and the flag-waving element of Leave was always around the Union Jack. I'm guessing the attempt to axe-grind against the English is hoping to stir up divisions between the home nations by tapping into Anglophobia. Or perhaps it's because British is more or a civic identity so they are trying to frame English nationalism as an ethnic nationalism and incite us brown leavers against those white racists. It seems rather ugly either way.
Why would I axe grind against the English? I am English and know that buccaneering Tory English nationalism is not a majority view in the country where I was born and brought up.
I just said the reasons in the post you responded to.
But George Orwell comes to mind: "England is the only great country in the world whose intellectuals are ashamed of their own nationality."
While it is flattering to be considered an intellectual, I doubt many people who know me would confuse me with one :-D
I am not ashamed to be English. I just deeply dislike right wing, Tory English nationalism. I do not believe that the Tory right owns English identity, culture or history.
Me too but I am still a leaver. Jeremy Corbyn (and Tony Benn) on the left are both leavers. Corbyn has voted against every EU treaty for 30 years. One of our most left wing unions the RMT campaigned to leave the EU.
Boris is pitching for the Tory leadership. That is the only way to view this speech. It is the only way to view his political career. And a lot of Tories like his buccaneering English nationalism with its ceaseless, sly digs at foreigners. I would not bet against him being successful and then being the third abysmal Tory PM in a row!
Boris is doing a very good job again of underlining why he should not be PM. Will be curious to find if the true-bluers buy it.
What would you want to him to say different from what he has said?
Goodbye.
Let someone else with an iota of credibility talk about unity.
That's a different point.
It was objectively a very good and well-balanced speech, with some interesting analysis, and there's absolutely nothing in it to justify the hysterical reaction from some.
But I do agree that he's getting a bit boring. I suspect he's missed the boat, but who knows?
What was your key takeaway from it, Richard?
I thought the bit about the reasons for opposition to Brexit was well thought-out (11.17 on the Guardian live-blog), and he addressed the various concerns quite well. Of course, no speech like this is suddenly going to make a Brexiteer out of Lord Adonis, or even of our very own @AlastairMeeks, but as a statement of direction and reassurance it was fine.
Yes they were well thought out.
I don't think, however, that he addressed them well. He tried to run with the hare and hunt with the hounds: he can't be a joker nudge-nudge talking about the antics of Brits in Thailand on the one hand, and allay peoples' fears about the UK's geo-strategic position on the other, all in the same speech.
Boris is clever, but that is a task beyond even him.
Boris is pitching for the Tory leadership. That is the only way to view this speech. It is the only way to view his political career. And a lot of Tories like his buccaneering English nationalism with its ceaseless, sly digs at foreigners. I would not bet against him being successful and then being the third abysmal Tory PM in a row!
Boris does not want the UK to be part of a Federal Europe, as someone who has a cosmopolitan ancestry himself, including part Turk, that does not mean he is anti foreigner
I am sure that Boris does not see himself as being anti-foreigner.
I don't think, however, that he addressed them well. He tried to run with the hare and hunt with the hounds: he can't be a joker nudge-nudge talking about the antics of Brits in Thailand on the one hand, and allay peoples' fears about the UK's geo-strategic position on the other, all in the same speech.
The section on the UK's geo-strategic position didn't work even without the rest. His reassurance about the UK's position consisted of saying that the UK remains committed to the same alliances. Surely that simply highlights the weakness of our geo-strategic position and our limited freedom of manoeuvre.
Boris is pitching for the Tory leadership. That is the only way to view this speech. It is the only way to view his political career. And a lot of Tories like his buccaneering English nationalism with its ceaseless, sly digs at foreigners. I would not bet against him being successful and then being the third abysmal Tory PM in a row!
Johnson pitching for PM?
Perhaps the time has come to hand him the keys to number 10. His constant interventions undermine the current and any future Conservative PM that isn't Boris Johnson.
His 'stardust' may have swung the result for Leave. He personally owns Brexit! Put him in the driving seat and let us see if he can take us to his VAT free, carrot shaped utopia.
Maybe if he can tick that box, he will f*** off and leave government to the grown-ups!
May will continue to complete the Brexit negotiation and transition process then Boris becomes a contender to take over from late 2019/late 2020
It suits Remoaners to identify Brexit with right wing nationalistic racist Little Englanders, and of course some Brexiteers are like that.
But let us not forget that Brexit was supported across the political spectrum, and that many on the left supported it too. Tony Benn was a passionate leaver on democratic and economic grounds. His disciple Jeremy Corbyn has voted against every EU treaty for 30 years (and refused to campaign efectively for Remain int he referendum). Dennis Skinner the left wing Labour MP voted Brexit. Frank Field, John Mann, Gisela Stuart..... One of our most left wing trade unions the RMT campaigned for Leave. 52% of voters from all political persuasions voted for Brexit.
Remoaners (that tiny minority of Remainers) try to paint all Leavers as right wing racists and nationalists.
Not so. I have voted Labour all my life, and voted Leave.
Let someone else with an iota of credibility talk about unity.
That's a different point.
It some.
But knows?
What was your key takeaway from it, Richard?
I fine.
Yes they were well thought out.
I don't think, however, that he addressed them well. He tried to run with the hare and hunt with the hounds: he can't be a joker nudge-nudge talking about the antics of Brits in Thailand on the one hand, and allay peoples' fears about the UK's geo-strategic position on the other, all in the same speech.
Boris is clever, but that is a task beyond even him.
As ever, Stephen Bush gets it:
The problem is that most Remainers didn’t vote to stay in the European Union because of a high-minded commitment to the institutions of the EU or an ideological sense that it was better for liberalism, or conservativism, or social democracy or socialism or whatever creed you care to name. Those that did are beyond the reach of Johnson or the government anyway. Most Remainers voted to stay in the EU because of concern about what leaving would look like, and the disruption it might cause, and it was on that subject that the speech was thinnest. Where it did succeed in offering reassurance was in the passages where Johnson effectively pledged that nothing would change, i.e. security and foreign affairs, where the British government hopes it will effectively remain in the EU as far as its role in those areas are concerned. (The same is true of science and research.) Where it fell apart was when the speech entered the areas where the government as a whole and perhaps Johnson as an individual are less clear on what they want. Frankly you can give as many fine monologues about the importance of setting our own tariffs, but the fear that occupies the minds of many Remainers, particularly in Northern Ireland, is that Brexit means a hard border between Northern Ireland and Ireland. The only way you can prevent that is a significant measure of customs and regulatory alignment, which Johnson appeared to rule out in the speech.
Chatted to the pensions chap at work, told him I thought brexit was a net negative to the UK hence my slight ex-UK global tilt for my pot. He didn't tell me I was wrong.
Boris is pitching for the Tory leadership. That is the only way to view this speech. It is the only way to view his political career. And a lot of Tories like his buccaneering English nationalism with its ceaseless, sly digs at foreigners. I would not bet against him being successful and then being the third abysmal Tory PM in a row!
I find this constant attempt to accuse Leavers of having "English nationalism" is both odd and revealing. Two of the four home nations wanted to leave and the flag-waving element of Leave was always around the Union Jack. I'm guessing the attempt to axe-grind against the English is hoping to stir up divisions between the home nations by tapping into Anglophobia. Or perhaps it's because British is more or a civic identity so they are trying to frame English nationalism as an ethnic nationalism and incite us brown leavers against those white racists. It seems rather ugly either way.
Why would I axe grind against the English? I am English and know that buccaneering Tory English nationalism is not a majority view in the country where I was born and brought up.
I just said the reasons in the post you responded to.
But George Orwell comes to mind: "England is the only great country in the world whose intellectuals are ashamed of their own nationality."
While it is flattering to be considered an intellectual, I doubt many people who know me would confuse me with one :-D
I am not ashamed to be English. I just deeply dislike right wing, Tory English nationalism. I do not believe that the Tory right owns English identity, culture or history.
I think we do because your lot gave it up.
Then again I think we can agree that there is nothing quite as distasteful as an English nationalist ranting on about Olde England while living hundreds of miles away in a foreign country.
Boris might have ignored every important detail a Foreign Secretary should be owning - the Irish border, threat to our existing trade agreements (not least with South Korea) and desperately unconvincing on assuaging concerns across movement, business and regulation.
But there's got to be some credit for the change in tone. Government is finally recognising that this is the most opposed Government policy since Iraq, and unlike that example there is the real prospect of reversal. Boris can't be the messenger across the divide and maybe he's floating some balloons for more credible advocates. But if the Government are finally moving out of Will Of The PeOpLe and crush the saboteurs mode then there's a step in the right direction somewhere.
I don't think, however, that he addressed them well. He tried to run with the hare and hunt with the hounds: he can't be a joker nudge-nudge talking about the antics of Brits in Thailand on the one hand, and allay peoples' fears about the UK's geo-strategic position on the other, all in the same speech.
Boris is clever, but that is a task beyond even him.
I don't disagree with that; Boris is Boris, and he certainly wouldn't be my choice for next PM (unless the alternative were JRM!). Even the entertainment value of Boris is wearing a bit thin. I expect that this speech will be quickly forgotten. It was quite interesting and fine as far as it goes, and I hope it signals a more general and concerted effort by the government to be more inclusive, but this is a marathon, not a sprint.
I don't think, however, that he addressed them well. He tried to run with the hare and hunt with the hounds: he can't be a joker nudge-nudge talking about the antics of Brits in Thailand on the one hand, and allay peoples' fears about the UK's geo-strategic position on the other, all in the same speech.
The section on the UK's geo-strategic position didn't work even without the rest. His reassurance about the UK's position consisted of saying that the UK remains committed to the same alliances. Surely that simply highlights the weakness of our geo-strategic position and our limited freedom of manoeuvre.
The Tories simply cannot face up to the geo-political consequences of Brexit, which imply a more detached and neutral stance more akin to Norway or Switzerland's. A shame, really, since we could save a fortune on white elephants like Trident and doomed overseas military intervention, and our respected soft power, diplomatic expertise and foreign aid programme equip us well to carry out a more benign role on the world stage.
Boris is pitching for the Tory leadership. That is the only way to view this speech. It is the only way to view his political career. And a lot of Tories like his buccaneering English nationalism with its ceaseless, sly digs at foreigners. I would not bet against him being successful and then being the third abysmal Tory PM in a row!
I find this constant attempt to accuse Leavers of having "English nationalism" is both odd and revealing. Two of the four home nations wanted to leave and the flag-waving element of Leave was always around the Union Jack. I'm guessing the attempt to axe-grind against the English is hoping to stir up divisions between the home nations by tapping into Anglophobia. Or perhaps it's because British is more or a civic identity so they are trying to frame English nationalism as an ethnic nationalism and incite us brown leavers against those white racists. It seems rather ugly either way.
Why would I axe grind against the English? I am English and know that buccaneering Tory English nationalism is not a majority view in the country where I was born and brought up.
I just said the reasons in the post you responded to.
But George Orwell comes to mind: "England is the only great country in the world whose intellectuals are ashamed of their own nationality."
While it is flattering to be considered an intellectual, I doubt many people who know me would confuse me with one :-D
I am not ashamed to be English. I just deeply dislike right wing, Tory English nationalism. I do not believe that the Tory right owns English identity, culture or history.
I think we do because your lot gave it up.
No, you don't. The kind of people who label their political opponents traitors will never be a majority in England.
Let someone else with an iota of credibility talk about unity.
That's a different point.
It some.
But knows?
What was your key takeaway from it, Richard?
I fine.
Yes they were well thought out.
I don't think, however, that he addressed them well. He tried to run with the hare and hunt with the hounds: he can't be a joker nudge-nudge talking about the antics of Brits in Thailand on the one hand, and allay peoples' fears about the UK's geo-strategic position on the other, all in the same speech.
Boris is clever, but that is a task beyond even him.
As ever, Stephen Bush gets it:
Most Remainers voted to stay in the EU because of concern about what leaving would look like,
Let someone else with an iota of credibility talk about unity.
That's a different point.
It some.
But knows?
What was your key takeaway from it, Richard?
I fine.
Yes they were well thought out.
I don't think, however, that he addressed them well. He tried to run with the hare and hunt with the hounds: he can't be a joker nudge-nudge talking about the antics of Brits in Thailand on the one hand, and allay peoples' fears about the UK's geo-strategic position on the other, all in the same speech.
Boris is clever, but that is a task beyond even him.
As ever, Stephen Bush gets it:
Most Remainers voted to stay in the EU because of concern about what leaving would look like,
I don't think, however, that he addressed them well. He tried to run with the hare and hunt with the hounds: he can't be a joker nudge-nudge talking about the antics of Brits in Thailand on the one hand, and allay peoples' fears about the UK's geo-strategic position on the other, all in the same speech.
The section on the UK's geo-strategic position didn't work even without the rest. His reassurance about the UK's position consisted of saying that the UK remains committed to the same alliances. Surely that simply highlights the weakness of our geo-strategic position and our limited freedom of manoeuvre.
The Tories simply cannot face up to the geo-political consequences of Brexit, which imply a more detached and neutral stance more akin to Norway or Switzerland's. A shame, really, since we could save a fortune on white elephants like Trident and doomed overseas military intervention, and our respected soft power, diplomatic expertise and foreign aid programme equip us well to carry out a more benign role on the world stage.
Hmm I disagree slightly on Trident here. I'm opposed to it in principle as a gigantic waste of cash but the one good reason for keeping it post Brexit is precisely because of the positive diplomatic effect it has with our NATO allies (We're expected to bear the burden of being one of the nuclear powers in there basically)
Mind you I note there seems to be no sanctions being applied to Turkey who were invading a neighbouring country last time I checked...
Indeed, it was Johnson himself who best summed up his own position: he wants to have his cake and eat it.
The problem with his speech is that that’s no longer possible — and the result is a political indigestion that is causing the whole Government convulsions.
Boris is pitching for the Tory leadership. That is the only way to view this speech. It is the only way to view his political career. And a lot of Tories like his buccaneering English nationalism with its ceaseless, sly digs at foreigners. I would not bet against him being successful and then being the third abysmal Tory PM in a row!
I find this constant attempt to accuse Leavers of having "English nationalism" is both odd and revealing. Two of the four home nations wanted to leave and the flag-waving element of Leave was always around the Union Jack. I'm guessing the attempt to axe-grind against the English is hoping to stir up divisions between the home nations by tapping into Anglophobia. Or perhaps it's because British is more or a civic identity so they are trying to frame English nationalism as an ethnic nationalism and incite us brown leavers against those white racists. It seems rather ugly either way.
Why would I axe grind against the English? I am English and know that buccaneering Tory English nationalism is not a majority view in the country where I was born and brought up.
I just said the reasons in the post you responded to.
But George Orwell comes to mind: "England is the only great country in the world whose intellectuals are ashamed of their own nationality."
While it is flattering to be considered an intellectual, I doubt many people who know me would confuse me with one :-D
I am not ashamed to be English. I just deeply dislike right wing, Tory English nationalism. I do not believe that the Tory right owns English identity, culture or history.
I think we do because your lot gave it up.
Then again I think we can agree that there is nothing quite as distasteful as an English nationalist ranting on about Olde England while living hundreds of miles away in a foreign country.
Indeed. That guy telling us that "we" should do this and "we" should do that on Brexit, from his home safely faraway in Australia, does seem to have disappeared. But there are still a fair few expats on PB who don't distinguish between sharing how things look from a distance - which is often very valuable insight and perspective - and desiring to advocate medicine that they won't ever have to taste.
Boris is pitching for the Tory leadership. That is the only way to view this speech. It is the only way to view his political career. And a lot of Tories like his buccaneering English nationalism with its ceaseless, sly digs at foreigners. I would not bet against him being successful and then being the third abysmal Tory PM in a row!
I find this constant attempt to accuse Leavers of having "English nationalism" is both odd and revealing. Two of the four home nations wanted to leave and the flag-waving element of Leave was always around the Union Jack. I'm guessing the attempt to axe-grind against the English is hoping to stir up divisions between the home nations by tapping into Anglophobia. Or perhaps it's because British is more or a civic identity so they are trying to frame English nationalism as an ethnic nationalism and incite us brown leavers against those white racists. It seems rather ugly either way.
Why would I axe grind against the English? I am English and know that buccaneering Tory English nationalism is not a majority view in the country where I was born and brought up.
I just said the reasons in the post you responded to.
But George Orwell comes to mind: "England is the only great country in the world whose intellectuals are ashamed of their own nationality."
While it is flattering to be considered an intellectual, I doubt many people who know me would confuse me with one :-D
I am not ashamed to be English. I just deeply dislike right wing, Tory English nationalism. I do not believe that the Tory right owns English identity, culture or history.
I think we do because your lot gave it up.
No, you don't. The kind of people who label their political opponents traitors will never be a majority in England.
nor will those who label them hate-filled xenophobes.
Comments
But other than that it is criticising the EU for something that it is not.
Embrace your Republicanism Boris.
[His pennypinching caused a revolt which overthrew him. Chosroes, the Persian emperor, owed Maurice a personal debt and started a war with the Eastern Roman Empire. This was finally ended some time later, after both empires were exhausted. At that exact moment, Islam came about and they gobbled up huge chunks of territory as neither empire was in a good position to fight back].
Leavers just need to remain calm and carry on implementing their preferred Brexit. Once it is done and dusted, we will have trade deals in place with countries around the world that we'd have to rip up to re-enter and with a EU trade deal in place th public won't want to tear open the wound again. Plus the Eurozone is no closer to resolving it's lack of recession fighting tools, so the next downturn will give the EU another round of bad news.
It's also a largely avoidable tax.
You mean like being in the EU?
@sarahwollaston: #Boris presenting an optimistic vision of global Britain. I hope he is right. But his speech did not address any of the serious practical difficulties that will affect real peoples lives with a hard #Brexit
Let someone else with an iota of credibility talk about unity.
Boris Johnson warmly endorses every word the PM has said in EU speeches
Boris Johnson refuses to rule out quitting cabinet over bitter Brexit splits.
FFS
It was objectively a very good and well-balanced speech, with some interesting analysis, and there's absolutely nothing in it to justify the hysterical reaction from some.
But I do agree that he's getting a bit boring. I suspect he's missed the boat, but who knows?
But you could just as easily frame the headline thus:
Poll shows that most Remoaners would not change their views even if it meant that staying in the EU meant the UK losing its independence to a foreign power, and being swallowed up into a European superstate, even if we ceased to be a democracy, even if we lost control of our own borders -and even if it meant ignoring the will of the British people in a democratic vote.
@faisalislam: Two areas from speech on specifics: FS mentioned booming trade with South Korea and that UK now runs surplus - that has come as part of EU-Korea FTA .. not yet clear that Korea wishes to roll over deal in full, vs now similar sized UK trade partner
https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/junker-reveals-his-vision-for-a-united-states-of-europe-k9q9p9l3w
Boris was aiming for those in the middle who don't give that much of a toss.
But George Orwell comes to mind: "England is the only great country in the world whose intellectuals are ashamed of their own nationality."
"Jean-Claude Juncker says Boris Johnson is talking 'total nonsense' when he says he wants to build an EU superstate."
Making a Euro Superstate makes sense. At the moment, we're betwixt and between, but a Superstate as a destination is logical. At the moment we have 27 individual countries with their own concerns pushing their own agendas by forming blocs. Getting votes through by conceding to other special interests ... "If you vote for this, we'll vote for you on that."
It was always the intention. A united state avoids parochial squabbles and that's why the four freedoms reign supreme. A mere trading agreement is just that. I wish they wouldn't hide the fact and try to do it by stealth instead.
I am not ashamed to be English. I just deeply dislike right wing, Tory English nationalism. I do not believe that the Tory right owns English identity, culture or history.
in any third Brexitref, Remain can only win if they
paint Leave as the option that will open the gates to immigration/i>.
A Dave's Deal 2 whereby Britain stays in the EU and says goodbye to FOM won't happen. It would only be likely with an AfD or AfD-CSU government in Berlin, which seems unlikely within the necessary time period (*) and given that Marine Le Pen lost in France.
I don't think even saying that the immigration picture will be more or less the same regardless of whether or not Brexit happens will wash. Remain positively need to paint Brexit as meaning that what used to be predominantly white British streets will become "multicultural" if Britain leaves the EU and will stay white British if it remains. Is there an opening here? There may be. It may well be possible to stoke a greater fear of Turks and Indians than of Poles. Doesn't the Leave-maniac Foreign Secretary have a Turkish background? Doesn't Jacob Rees-Mogg's fund specialise in "emergent" markets? Right. Play dirty. Play filthy. This is politics. This is what they need to do.
Is this impossible for Remain? I wouldn't rule it out. What may be impossible is for Labour to get its activists to swallow it. That leaves television, hoardings, online, and other methods. A Branson- and Soros-supported Blair return is possible. Who knows, perhaps they could get May on their side, given the right kind of "events", dear boy. They'd certainly need more Tory or ex-Tory figures than just elderly ones like Heseltine.
(*) That said, goings-on in Germany do seem to have been a bit strange of late. The story that Merkel and Schulz reversed their call for a new election only because Steinmeier told them to is for the naive. I doubt that even telling him t keep his nose out would have lost them many votes. The same is true about Schulz's decision - after all the supposed drama of the CDU-CSU-SPD talks, after all the "concessions" supposedly made to his party - that he no longer wants to be foreign minister. I don't believe for one moment that the reason Schulz walked away, having given up the party chairmanship so he could become foreign minister, was because Gabriel wants to stay in the post. Is a NoGroko result on 4 March in the SPD membership vote possible? Yes. The price of Merkel staying as chancellor (1.08) is far too short. Bear in mind that 25000 "three euro" members have joined the SPD, so the bar for Groko among those who were already members is now higher. Assuming a 75% turnout among olds and 100% among news, and that all the news vote NoGroko, Groko would need 53% among the old. They got 56% at the delegate conference, but that was partly down to the payroll vote.
Perhaps the time has come to hand him the keys to number 10. His constant interventions undermine the current and any future Conservative PM that isn't Boris Johnson.
His 'stardust' may have swung the result for Leave. He personally owns Brexit! Put him in the driving seat and let us see if he can take us to his VAT free, carrot shaped utopia.
Maybe if he can tick that box, he will f*** off and leave government to the grown-ups!
I don't think, however, that he addressed them well. He tried to run with the hare and hunt with the hounds: he can't be a joker nudge-nudge talking about the antics of Brits in Thailand on the one hand, and allay peoples' fears about the UK's geo-strategic position on the other, all in the same speech.
Boris is clever, but that is a task beyond even him.
I'd also raise Henry IV as an example of problems that arise when your expenditure exceeds your ability to raise income.
But let us not forget that Brexit was supported across the political spectrum, and that many on the left supported it too. Tony Benn was a passionate leaver on democratic and economic grounds. His disciple Jeremy Corbyn has voted against every EU treaty for 30 years (and refused to campaign efectively for Remain int he referendum). Dennis Skinner the left wing Labour MP voted Brexit. Frank Field, John Mann, Gisela Stuart..... One of our most left wing trade unions the RMT campaigned for Leave. 52% of voters from all political persuasions voted for Brexit.
Remoaners (that tiny minority of Remainers) try to paint all Leavers as right wing racists and nationalists.
Not so. I have voted Labour all my life, and voted Leave.
The problem is that most Remainers didn’t vote to stay in the European Union because of a high-minded commitment to the institutions of the EU or an ideological sense that it was better for liberalism, or conservativism, or social democracy or socialism or whatever creed you care to name. Those that did are beyond the reach of Johnson or the government anyway. Most Remainers voted to stay in the EU because of concern about what leaving would look like, and the disruption it might cause, and it was on that subject that the speech was thinnest.
Where it did succeed in offering reassurance was in the passages where Johnson effectively pledged that nothing would change, i.e. security and foreign affairs, where the British government hopes it will effectively remain in the EU as far as its role in those areas are concerned. (The same is true of science and research.)
Where it fell apart was when the speech entered the areas where the government as a whole and perhaps Johnson as an individual are less clear on what they want. Frankly you can give as many fine monologues about the importance of setting our own tariffs, but the fear that occupies the minds of many Remainers, particularly in Northern Ireland, is that Brexit means a hard border between Northern Ireland and Ireland. The only way you can prevent that is a significant measure of customs and regulatory alignment, which Johnson appeared to rule out in the speech.
https://www.newstatesman.com/politics/staggers/2018/02/boris-johnsons-big-brexit-speech-was-high-rhetoric-and-short-answers
But there's got to be some credit for the change in tone. Government is finally recognising that this is the most opposed Government policy since Iraq, and unlike that example there is the real prospect of reversal. Boris can't be the messenger across the divide and maybe he's floating some balloons for more credible advocates. But if the Government are finally moving out of Will Of The PeOpLe and crush the saboteurs mode then there's a step in the right direction somewhere.
Mind you I note there seems to be no sanctions being applied to Turkey who were invading a neighbouring country last time I checked...
Indeed, it was Johnson himself who best summed up his own position: he wants to have his cake and eat it.
The problem with his speech is that that’s no longer possible — and the result is a political indigestion that is causing the whole Government convulsions.