Theresa May becomes Britain's new prime minister; Boris Johnson named foreign secretary

LONDON — Theresa May entered No. 10 Downing St, on Wednesday as Britain’s new prime minister, following a bittersweet exit by David Cameron that was tinged with humor and regret.

Bitter, not sweet. Gods Bless the MP.

Johnson as foreign minister? Basil Fawlty wouldn't have done a better job at making the UK an even greater laughing stock. The whole country has turned into a real-time sitcom. We just need Ricky Gervais. And Borat to make the documentary.

"We just need Ricky Gervais. And Borat to make the documentary." - comments

Or PM? (error above "MP" = PM) oops.

Johnson as foreign secretary? Did she have anyone else under consideration? Prince Phillip?

I thought May was supposed to be the 'safe pair of hands' type. I know she needs to placate the Brexit shower but this is plain irresponsible. This dribbling, blubbery circus act isn't funny. He's dangerous.

Can the UK do any more to destroy its credibility?

"The blond, Latin-speaking Johnson"

That will be useful! A few years back I read he spoke 'some' Russian, French and German. Why mention 'Latin" and omit those languages? They seem more relevant to his new role.

Quite surprised BJ got this portfolio as I don't really see a foreign affairs expert nor diplomat in him, especially after the Brexit campaign. His first few meetings with his euro counterparts should be interesting. I thought he would be more suited to Home Office.

Great Britain clearly has a " bold new positive role" ahead of it as it tries to define what it wants to be in this century outside of the EU. The EU won't shoot itself in the foot hopefully by forcing a too-quick British exit from the EU but it's clearly not in the economic interests of the EU or the U.S. either for that matter, to have the uncertainties of Brexit lingering too long.

We can only admire and wish Theresa May well, however, for taking on the onerous task that all of the big blustering liars and buffoons who promoted Brexit refused to do. They'll be busy nipping at her heels no doubt as she tries to right the ship.

Boris Johnson named foreign secretary

The pantomime continues.

England is back on course........hurrah!

Jesus Christ, just when I thought it couldn't get worse.

Have to agree with the posters above. A bloody pantomime doesn't even begin to describe this situation. The problem with some of these politicians (and this applies to Japan even more) is that they come from a certain background where they have absolutely no idea about the difficulties in the lives of the ordinary person. They've never had to struggle to bring bread to the table.

As home secretary, the 59-year-old May has been in charge of immigration and law and order for the past six years.

Yeah, and had she done a better job and actually tried to control immigration, the country wouldn't be in this mess and Brexit would possibly have never happened. Yeah, there is all this tough talk about controlling immigration. But this should have been done before.

Don't envy her -- she's walked into a poop storm with the fan still turning. She's going to have to be stronger than Thatcher to keep things from falling apart even worse because EVERYONE is going to be holding their hands out now as well as pointing fingers. Cameron avoids a lot by falling on the sword. That lunatic Farage also chickend out after getting what he wanted (probably to pursue profits from Britain leaving Brexit). Everyone's going to be expecting the impossible from this woman and demanding reparations at the same time, not to mention the reactions of the international community.

I concur about Boris. How long before he opens his mouth and embarrasses himself and his country?

"Latin speaking" a highly in demand skill in 2014. At least he'll be able to promote relations with the Vatican.

He has exactly the right initials for a job where he is trying to make the rest of the world happy with UK again. Actually I think he might not be bad at this job. about as cosmopolitan as Tory ministers get.

Never one to be outdone by the Yanks, Britain's counter to America's scene stealing Donald Trump, Boris. Freaking. Johnson.

The most notable was former London Mayor Boris Johnson, who was given the meaty job of foreign secretary, Britain’s top diplomatic post

Yeah- HE'LL be REALLY popular with the EU as they try to negociate Brexit. This is turning into a joke.

Don't envy her -- she's walked into a poop storm with the fan still turning. She's going to have to be stronger than Thatcher to keep things from falling apart even worse because EVERYONE is going to be holding their hands out now as well as pointing fingers. Cameron avoids a lot by falling on the sword. That lunatic Farage also chickend out after getting what he wanted (probably to pursue profits from Britain leaving Brexit). Everyone's going to be expecting the impossible from this woman and demanding reparations at the same time, not to mention the reactions of the international community.

well said smith.

England is back on course........hurrah!

And to hell with the Celtic regions?

LOL ol Boris yep now hes going to get the real feeling about how difficult it's going to be organising trade deals with other countries. He seems to think everybody will just give the UK all the benefits but none of the requirements, this clown doesn't know how hard reality is going to hit him. LOL

TM was one of the architects behind the repressive immigration rules of 2012, redolent of the notorious Nazi race laws that forbade and penalized mixed-race marriages. As a result, many thousands of British citizens have been prevented from remaining or returning with their non-EU spouses and children (most UK passport holders) to live or work in the UK. Unbelievably, a Rumanian with a Congolese husband is free to settle and work in the UK without any restrictions whereas someone born in the UK cannot do the same unless they possess a fat savings account or an income above the national average and can afford to spend thousands of pounds to work through the complicated process of obtaining visas for the non-EU spouse that takes years until he/she is able to obtain the right to work and enjoy all the benefits to which the Congolese spouse is immediately entitled upon passing through immigration. Who can make sense of such nonsense rules. You couldn't make it up! But the Tories did, just as they engineered the referendum resulting in the disastrous Brexit for the short-term goal of winning electoral votes by appealing to voters' lowest instincts. Theresa May gave an impressively, inspirational talk outside of 10 Downing Street. The only problem is that the Tories have cried wolf so many times, oftentimes disguised in sheep's clothing, that it's hard to believe her words will result in meaningful change for the working class majority. I'd love to be wrong, but instinct tells me Theresa May = a period of Mayhem.

"Seems May has gone to the Obama playbook by appointing her frenemies in posts to keep them close and to prevent backbiting.Dunno about BoJo as F.S. though.His last diplomacy was steamrolling some poor kid while visiting Japan.Is that what to expect in his diplomatic dealings?"

He's also been quoted describing "watermelon smiles" and "piccaninnies".

Clearly the kind of man for whom tact and diplomacy come naturally.

BJ also called Obama "part Kenyan with a ancestral dislike of the U.K".

We live in interesting times.

Johnson a Foreign Secretary?? I wish it were a bad joke. Unfortunately, it is not.

Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson, Latin-speaking defender of the people. Foreign secretary? National embarrassment.

@goldorak

A few years back I read he spoke 'some' Russian, French and German. Why mention 'Latin" and omit those languages? They seem more relevant to his new role.

Does he 'speak' Russian and German in the same he way he told us Brexit would give the NHS an extra 350 million a week? Hopefully he says everything in Latin from now on and no-one bothers to translate it.

@smith

That lunatic Farage also chickend out after getting what he wanted (probably to pursue profits from Britain leaving Brexit)

Nail on the head. The outcome of Brexit will be for the rich to get richer at the expense of the working class. Farage will be a major beneficiary of this process.

Please tell me this is a joke

u_s__reamer Unbelievably, a Rumanian with a Congolese husband is free to settle and work in the UK without any restrictions whereas someone born in the UK cannot do the same

I don’t believe, how is that possible ? Does it mean there are no stringent requirements Placed on the Romanian wifey importing their Congolese hussy into the U.K

@drlucifer & u_s_reamer

Unbelievably, a Rumanian with a Congolese husband is free to settle and work in the UK without any restrictions

This isn't quite accurate. A Romanian citizen is free to settle and work in the UK; if they have a Congolese husband, the husband can join them on an EEA family permit. The permit does have restrictions though - the husband can work, but they (as a family, any kids included) can't claim any benefits. That this same permit is denied to the non-EU spouses of UK citizens is one of the more controversial aspects of Theresa May's time as Home Secretary; she set up an alternate system for them, requiring the UK spouse to meet minimum (fairly high) income requirements (once granted though, these families have no restrictions at all re benefits etc). This was all a way of pandering to those Daily Mail and Sun readers they were worried would start voting UKIP.

Two more reasons David Cameron will go down in hostory as the worst PM in British history before Theresa May.

"We will do everything we can to help anybody, whatever your background, to go as far as your talents will take you"

No more university fees, then, Theresa?

England is back on course........hurrah!

And to hell with the Celtic regions?

Countries, not regions matey ;)

As for Boris... good god almighty, what was she thinking? Did the party officials put the thumbscrews on her to make him Foreign Secretary? I mean Boris Johnson? He couldn't be any more of a clown if he wore a red nose and a twirling bow tie! Theresa May you have lost your mind!!!!

Planet Earth 2016: stranger than fiction

Perhaps Theresa May is deliberately giving Boris Johnson just enough rope to hang himself, metaphorically speaking.

I was thinking along the same lines as above. BJ would be the perfect scapegoat iin the event of failed negotiations with the EU/no actual exit/a second referendum.

Why mention 'Latin" and omit those languages?

Probably because soon, only Vatican will want to continue diplomatic relations with England.

Bullington Boris with his public-school Latin will be perfect for the role of "Our Man in Latin America". VALE!, amigo.

"Why mention 'Latin" and omit those languages?"

"Probably because soon, only Vatican will want to continue diplomatic relations with England."

Don't be so sure. I think Englans has been on the Vatican's shitlist for a few centuries now.

We, in this Sceptred Isle, have survived a lot worse than Boris - e.g. Tony Blair.

Never one to be outdone by the Yanks, Britain's counter to America's scene stealing Donald Trump, Boris. Freaking. Johnson.

Boris Johnson is a Yank. He is native born American citizen. He was born in New York City in 1964, still holds American citizenship, and pays US taxes, at least when the IRS gets on his case as it did a few years ago.

I was hoping he would become Donald Trump's VP pick.

just enough rope to hang himself

...comments

French Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault has call BoJo

a liar with his back against the wall

Simone Peter, co-leader of the (German) Green party, likened Johnson's appointment to

trusting the cat to keep the cream

In their panic to retain a semblance of party cohesion, the Tories are truly a comedy gift that keeps giving.

http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2016/jul/14/french-foreign-minister-boris-johnson-is-a-liar-with-his-back-against-the-wall