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Fiery Exchange as Boris Johnson Addresses Controversy
Former Prime Minister Boris Johnson has criticized the treatment of Charlotte Owen, a young adviser he appointed to the House of Lords, labeling it as “absolutely shameful” and sexist.
In an interview with Matt Chorley on BBC Radio 5Live, Johnson asserted that the House of Lords is filled with political advisers who have not faced the same level of scrutiny and “abuse” as Owen, who, at age 29, became the youngest person to receive a life peerage after a brief six-year career in relatively junior parliamentary roles.
Johnson defended Owen, referring to her as an “extremely effective” political adviser amid backlash surrounding her appointment. He mentioned that the political landscape shaped by Brexit had led to irrational responses from critics. “We all need to get over it and move on,” he stated.
Owen is not alone; another of Johnson’s advisers, Ross Kempsell, also received a peerage shortly after her appointment. Owen’s contributions in the House of Lords have included discussions on critical issues such as drink-spiking, housing policies, and fur imports. Additionally, she has taken on the role of vice president at Johnson’s new consultancy, Better Earth, which focuses on sustainability.
Having served as prime minister from July 2019 for three tumultuous years, Johnson reflected on his time in office during a recent live interview. He acknowledged mistakes made during his premiership and considered his own responsibility for losing the position, stating that although “the large share of the responsibility is, of course, mine,” external factors also played a significant role.
Johnson expressed regret over a specific event: his attempt to overturn the suspension of Owen Paterson, a Conservative MP who broke parliamentary rules. When directly confronted about accusations of lacking seriousness in his role as prime minister, he pointed to his government’s achievements, which included defeating Jeremy Corbyn’s Labour Party, implementing Brexit, and overseeing a successful rollout of the Covid-19 vaccine. “Nobody can say we were not serious in our approach,” he insisted.
On the subject of the tone of his political communication, Johnson argued that engaging the public is crucial. He emphasized the need to capture interest to convey political messages effectively.
As a leading figure in the leave campaign during the 2016 EU referendum, Johnson defended the Brexit deal he negotiated, asserting, “There’s no point in doing Brexit unless you’re actually going to take back control.” He did, however, express concerns about the political ramifications of distancing from EU partners and acknowledged that many people in the UK were upset by the situation.
In critiquing the prior Conservative government led by David Cameron, Johnson noted the lack of preparation for Brexit: “What happened was that in June 2016 the then-Prime Minister David Cameron evaporated, whistling, and then we had a devil of a job.”
When asked about a decision he made regarding a gift for US President Joe Biden—which involved presenting a printed picture from Wikipedia—Johnson suggested British taxpayers would appreciate avoiding unnecessary expenses on diplomatic gifts.
Regarding his future in politics, Johnson humorously remarked that the chance of him returning to Downing Street as prime minister is less likely than being “blinded by a champagne cork,” echoing a similar phrase he used in earlier discussions about his political ambitions.
Source
www.bbc.com