Should the head of the Foreign Office be diplomatic, or an arse?

[JohnD]

Perhaps it is a coincidence, or bad luck, but Boris and his professional dips lost a lot of face when they couldn't round up enough friends.

"How UK lost International Court of Justice place to India"

"...The International Court of Justice is the principal legal body of the United Nations. It is based in The Hague and its job is to settle disputes between states.

Lots of its work is highly technical and not exactly the stuff of the front pages. And let's be honest, many people would probably not have known that one of the 15 judges had always been British ever since the court was set up after the Second World War.

But the loss of a British presence around that supreme judicial bench is of huge significance - not just to the court but to the UK's standing in the world.... "

"...Foreign Office sources pointed out that the UK's ousting from the ICJ is not without precedent. They pointed to France failing to get its candidate onto the International Law Commission last year and Russia's exit from the Human Rights Commission.

"But it is also true to say that this represents a defeat for the UK itself. This is a failure of UK diplomacy. Downing Street refused to confirm that Theresa May herself got involved in lobbying for this job - they merely said representations have been made at the highest levels of government. But Boris Johnson and his Foreign Office ministers were certainly involved. And they failed. They failed to win enough support in the General Assembly. "

Is Boris an asset to this nation's standing in the world?

Or is he just an ass?

 

[Notch7]

JohnD posts one his favorite pics from his collection on his hard drive.

No red bus today then?

 

[noseall]

No red bus today then?

Are you genuinely interested in Tory lies or are you just being facetious?

 

[Brigadier]

Maybe (given France's and Russia's mentioned exits) a drawing-down of an institution that is becoming irrelevant?

 

[^woody^]

If being an arse is in the job description, then you could step in to the role easily Johnny boy.

 

[transam]

well tbh & imo Johnson is an arse & an embarrassment to the UK

Way I see it May has had to adopt the John Major approach

"better to have him in the tent p***ing out , then out side the tent p***ing in"

 

[ReganAndCarter]

It's true that Johnson can be a bit idiosyncratic. However, if you want a foreign secretary who was a complete knob and grade A a*sehole, then the socialists had one very recently.

Anyone remember Robin Cook?

 

[Notch7]

It's true that Johnson can be a bit idiosyncratic. However, if you want a foreign secretary who was a complete knob and grade A a*sehole, then the socialists had one very recently.

Anyone remember Robin Cook?

I really disliked Robin Cook! I dont know why really, just his manner I guess

 

[ReganAndCarter]

I really disliked Robin Cook! I dont know why really, just his manner I guess

He was a supercilious little gnome, who was promoted way above his miniscule abilities. All the interpersonal skills of a dead gerbil.

I remember the cameras followed him on his first day in the Foreign Office. Walking around he looked at the portraits hanging on the walls of past foreign secretaries going back 100s of years. He pronounced them all 'backwards looking and idealogically unsound'. What had this insignificant irk ever done that allowed him to trash the F O and all the secretaries that went before? Typical socialist knob.

Still, he was good at one thing; cheating on his wife. Apparently.

 

[noseall]

Anyone remember Robin Cook?

Do you think he can make a difference now? It's interesting how, when mentioning foreign secretary buffoonery, you find it necessary to talk about a dead one whos tenure as a FS ended in 2001.

Wowsers! Desperate times for Tory supporters. Poor old RWR.

 

[JohnD]

very recently.

nope.

 

[JohnD]

cheating on his wife.

You mean Boris, of course.

 

[IWalkLikeHimaMartian]

As I recall, Robin Cook was responsible for normalising relations with Iran, negotiating with Libya to extradite two fugitives for trial over the plane terrorist attack, opposing Israeli settlements, and opposing the Iraq invasion.
He was also involved in the UK intervention in Kosovo.

Seems to be a reasonable record in his, what four years as FS.

Boris has upset ten times as many people as he has been FS in as many months.

 

[transam]

Robin Cook used to come across as a bit odd

but he did have a very sharp mind & his understanding of detail was exceptional imo .His talents would have been better put to use in some finacial ministry

(may be)

 

[ReganAndCarter]

History has a habit of showing politicians and leaders in a more flattering light than was true at the time they were in office. Maybe the same will be true of Johnson.

Cook was a typical socialist hypocrite. Happy to trash the reputations of those that came before him and by association also trashing the achievements of this country - but in his own personal life, happy to bonk anything that would lie still long enough whilst also being married.

For those trying to paint some Tories as buffoons, there are plenty to choose on the left. Remember Johnny Two Jags. Yet another idiot promoted way above his head.