Boris Johnson’s final speech as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom on Tuesday followed the same path as many of his previous public speeches: he extolled what he sees as his achievements, made no mention of his failures or scandals and showed a glimmer of bitterness for those who collaborated in his downfall.
The list of claims Johnson appealed was well-rehearsed, but he was also interested in defining himself as a statesman. Early on, he cited his response to the Ukraine crisis, suggesting that the UK’s arms supply “helped change the course of Europe’s biggest war in 80 years.”
As he concluded his speech, he added among his government’s triumphs: “To speak with clarity and authority, from Ukraine to the Aukus pact with America and Australia, because we are an entire United Kingdom, whose diplomatic security services and armed forces are so admired globally.”
That emphasis could hint at future career paths outside the UK – or it could just be a tacit acknowledgment that at home he is stepping down with his country mired in an economic crisis and millions of families struggling to make ends meet.
Johnson declined the opportunity to apologize for the partygatethe scandal over a series of lockdown-era meetings inside Downing Street (the prime minister’s official residence), which served as the first and biggest effect for his downfall.
He also failed to acknowledge the decline in public trust in his government, or the constant accusations by politicians on the left and right that he had degraded public standards.
But it suggested that even after a summer of reflecting on his leadership’s collapse, he retains some bitterness over the way he was forced out.
His joke about the leadership contest becoming a “relay race” after peers “changed the rules” came well before any mention of his successor, Liz Truss. And he reminded the public of his election victory less than three years ago, which left many pundits predicting a new political dynasty with Johnson at the helm.
“I am proud to have fulfilled the promises I made to my party when you were so kind as to choose me, winning the most votes since 1987, and the most votes since 1979,” Johnson said.
But British politics are notoriously brutal. His colleagues moved quickly to oust Johnson after the glimmer of that electoral success was extinguished by months of scandal and dwindling poll numbers.
And now, after being cheered on in Downing Street, Johnson is traveling to Scotland to formally present his resignation to Queen Elizabeth II and begin his life as an ordinary citizen.
The queen must formally stamp the formation of a new government. The event is entirely ceremonial and usually lasts just a few minutes, with a car driving each minister to Buckingham Palace – just a short drive from Downing Street.
However, the 96-year-old monarch had mobility issues this year and reduced her travels, and decided to stay at the Scottish castle of Balmoral where she spent much of the summer.
Source: CNN Brasil
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