Boris Johnson Downing Street: The British are preparing for an unpredictable first

The British will know on Tuesday the name of the successor of the British Conservative Prime Minister, Theresa May, a position that seems badured for the controversial Boris Johnson whose victory would strengthen a possible Brexit without agreement. Favorite of the polls and among the militants of the conservative party, Boris Johnson saw Sunday an advance on the difficulties which awaited him. The Finance Minister, in disagreement with his Brexit strategy, has announced that he will resign when he wins.

Johnson, 55, former Minister of Foreign Affairsopposes in this race Jeremy Hunt, 52, his successor at the head of British diplomacy. The 160,000 members of the Conservative Party will have to decide between the two and the votes will be closed Monday before the announcement of the results on Tuesday morning.

The winner will be named responsible for Conservative party and will be presented Wednesday to Queen Isabel II, who will give him the responsibility to form a government. Main protagonist of the Brexit victory in the referendum of June 23, 2016, the former mayor of London does not exclude a departure from the European Union (EU) without agreement on October 31, the date of his departure, originally scheduled for March 29th.

An unacceptable strategy for Finance Minister Philip Hammond, a heavyweight leader: "If we badume that Boris Johnson will become the next Prime Minister, I understand that his conditions for sitting on his government will include the acceptance of the new government. an unresolved issue October 31, and this is something I will never join, "he told the BBC.

Boris Johnson, an eccentric to govern the UK

"Humiliation"

The minister announced that he would resign even before he was asked to leave the portfolio or that his duties would cease de facto with the government at the end of May. "I'm sure I will not be fired because I'm going to resign in advance," he said. "It is very important that the prime minister can have a finance minister very close to him, so I intend to submit my resignation to Theresa May before she goes to the palace on Wednesday for to submit his own resignation "to the queen, Hammond explained.

Although it is unlikely that Hammond will remain in office in the event of Boris Johnson's victory, his statements demonstrate the opposition he faces, but also the fear that may inspire a "no deal". To leave the bloc abruptly would be a "humiliation", said Minister of Justice David Gauke, who also announced Sunday Times who will resign if Johnson wins.

Who are the candidates to replace Theresa May in the Conservative Party

"No to Boris"

The future Prime Minister will have the difficult task of triumphing where May has failed: apply Brexit in a country still deeply divided on the issue, three years after the referendum. As stated, the tens of thousands of people who left Saturday in the streets of London to say "Yes to Europe" and "No to Boris". "He says nonsense, promises nonsense and does what he wants," said a protester, Michael Fowler, in reference to Boris Johnson.

The future head of government He will also face tensions in the Gulf and the capture by Iran of the "Stena Impero", an oil tanker flying the British flag. Eccentric and controversial character, Johnson provokes a deep animosity among Brexit opponents, many of whom believe that their support for the exit of the EU in 2016 was only an instrument of their personal ambitions.

"If you have good people around you, everything will be fine," said Sue Busby, a 67-year-old conservative party activist who seems determined to push Johnson to the presidency. However, his detractors are alarmed by the way Johnson struggles with the most sensitive and complex points of Brexit and questions his attention to the details of the previous accusations.

As Foreign Minister, he has misrepresented the case of an Iranian-British woman detained in Tehran and, as mayor of London, he is accused of supporting large projects that have proven to be costly failures. . Some of those who worked with him during London's leadership from 2008 to 2016 say that he surrounds talented people.

"Even if he takes power and his vision wins, he is a good delegate," said Victoria Borwick, who served as deputy mayor for three years. Another former colleague, who asked to remain anonymous, said Johnson was "very, very, very visionary". "Once I had a team that I trusted, I let you do it," he said. Although he can master the details if necessary, in some questions, "there is an element of improvisation" in him, he added.

Brexit: Defeats tire Theresa May and force her to resign

Points of view found

Johnson is surrounded by some members of his former London team to help him in his bid for Downing Street, including former chief of staff Edward Lister and former chief of communications Will Walden. . Your campaign also includes many current and former MPs and ministers. The result is that he leads a group of people who do not always agree.

Johnson has promised to get the UK out of the EU with or without an agreement on Oct. 31, and said all his ministers should support this principle, but his campaign supporters are going from unconditional euroscepticism. Jacob Rees-Mogg to the Secretary of Health. Matt Hanbad, who previously said that he did not think that leaving without an EU agreement was a viable policy.

"Many of these people will seek rewards in terms of government jobs" they earn, says Catherine Haddon of the institute's badysis organization for the government. "There are many perspectives on what Theresa May did wrong and how things should be done differently," he said.

With tears in his eyes, May is made to the impossible Brexit agreement

Despite the start of the race with a big advantage, Johnson's campaign team swore security, limit his appearances in the media and mitigate his rhetoric. When he was mayor, his aides also tried to get him away from some tricky situations, according to the London Evening Standard newspaper.

"He never met directly with the railway unions as mayor, for example, they kept him out because they knew everything would go wrong," he said. did he declare. Johnson is proud of his career in London, pointing out that low crime rates during his tenure and investments in transportation and housing are proof of his ability to do things.

But critics cite expensive projects such as the cable car that crosses the Thames or the park bridge over the river finally abandoned, as well as his decision to buy water tanks that the police were not allowed to use. A supporter of Johnson said that the cable car was underutilized because it was in the wrong place, implying that it was not the fault of the former mayor.

For his critics, this excessive dependence on his team is at the heart of the problem. Steve Norris, a former Conservative candidate for mayor of London, told The Guardian newspaper: "He's an excellent speaker, but a lousy manager".

D.S.