Lord John Maybury: a realistic depiction after all?

[selenak]

Well, what can I say about the new season line-up the tv show British Politics presented yesterday? At least Larry retains his cabinet position. (Seriously, read that entry I just linked. The Larry tale is probably the best thing to come out of this week.)

As for one of last season's chief villains making a comeback in a supporting role after (prematurely, sigh) we all assumed he'd been written out: I can't decide whether it's a cunning ploy to punish him ("you broke it, you can't run away, face the music and become hated trying to fix it the way the rest of us will") or Theresa May's idea of comedy relief. I mean, it's not like Boris Johnson's greatest hit list of diplomatic efforts is a carefully kept secret. I must admit, I can't wait for the crossover episode with the horror show "Turkish Politics", because if ever two people deserve each other, these two people are Erdogan and Johnson. (Otoh, in the interest of not starting yet another war in the Middle East, might be wise to keep him away from Iraq.)

I note that Johnson won't be negotiating anything Brexit related and that another guy who got the newly created cabinet post of "Brexit Minister" will. This proves that May isn't deliberately trying to to make things worse for Britain, at least? I also note that the headline in today's FAZ (Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, one of our leading pappers) is "May begs Germany and France for more time", which isn't how her press office phrased it to the local media, I'm sure.

Meanwhile, not just our politicians but those around the globe are still wondering whether this is all a big joke this morning...

Comments

[heliopausa]

The noted critic Marx said that all good shows get a reboot, being written once as tragedy, and once as farce. This show, though, seems to be setting out to do both.

[selenak]

It definitely does.

[ratcreature]

I am also anticipating that crossover episode!

The FAZ headline doesn't have the same connotation as your English translation though, because "bitten" is also just "asking for" with much less of a subordinate position implied than the English "begs", mere politeness. Basically it can be the same as demanding with a civilized veneer of pretend choice. The FAZ did not title "May bettelt bei Deutschland und Frankreich für Zeit"...

[selenak]

True. But given the universal reaction to the Boris appointment, she may well end up being reduced to betteln...

[jesuswasbatman]

Someone has already pointed out that the first meeting with the still-incumbent US President may be embarassing, since during the EU Referendum campaign Johnson repeated one of the most disgusting and blatantly racist smears used by Republicans against him (that he hates white people and Europe because he was taught 'anti-colonialism' by his Kenyan father).

[selenak]

No kidding. In today's SZ, there was also an article imagining Johnson's first day in office, starting with "apology call to Obama". But sadly, I believe he won't bother. That man strikes me as so far beyond being capable of embarassment that he probably thinks Obama's duty is to chuckle about his slur.

[petra]

Oi, says the woman in the middle of the West Wing rewatch, that's not fair. Maybury had actual moments of competence and didn't have any canonical record of being racist.

This is all making me weirdly glad the USA takes so freaking long to pick candidates. At least we get a very long incubation period before we find out that the nation will suddenly be led by a buffoon who appoints unspeakable advisors, as decided by 9 people (okay, that was once, but once was more than enough), rather than being hit with it all in a week.

[selenak]

Yes, you're right re: Maybury. But then again, Johnson supposedly is a good conversationalist, i.e. competent at something?

(My favourite Boris J. story as told to me by shezan: his sister, defending him from the charge of being a homophobe: "But he can't be! He was at Eton!")