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New British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson gets hostile welcome from Europe

Updated / Thursday, 14 Jul 2016 20:52
Boris Johnson tweeted that he was unbelievably honoured to have served his first day in his new role
Boris Johnson tweeted that he was unbelievably honoured to have served his first day in his new role

Europe's political class greeted Eurosceptic Boris Johnson's appointment as Britain's new foreign minister with a chorus of dismay by branding him a liar, a coward and a joker.

French Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault eschewed the customary diplomatic niceties to ask how a man who had told lies as leader of the Leave campaign in last month's British EU referendum could be a credible interlocutor.

"I am not at all worried about Boris Johnson, but ... during the campaign he lied a lot to the British people and now it is he who has his back to the wall," Mr Ayrault told Europe 1 radio.

"I need a partner with whom I can negotiate and who is clear, credible and reliable."

Mr Johnson told reporters later he had received "a charming letter" from Mr Ayrault saying how much he looked forward to working together and to deepening Anglo-French cooperation.

But he acknowledged: "After a vote like the referendum result on June 23, it is inevitable there is going to be a certain amount of plaster coming off the ceiling in the chancelleries of Europe.

"It wasn't the result they were expecting. Clearly they are making their views known in a frank and free way."

Former Belgian Prime Minister Guy Verhofstadt, now the leading federalist liberal in the European Parliament, tweeted: "Clearly British humour has no borders."

Rebecca Harms, leader of the ecologist Greens group in the EU legislature said: "At first I thought it was a joke. Now I don't know whether to laugh or cry. But I know it's not good when irresponsibility is rewarded in politics."

He will attend his first EU foreign ministers' meeting in Brussels on Monday.

EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini had invited ministers to an informal night-before dinner to discuss the foreign policy impact of Brexit, but diplomats said that date was now in doubt following Mr Johnson's nomination.

Mr Johnson was accused of misleading voters by proclaiming that Britain was paying £350m a week to the EU that could be spent on the National Health Service.

The figure did not take account of London's budget rebate or of EU spending on public and private sector projects in the UK.

EU leaders, including European Council President Donald Tusk, condemned Mr Johnson's comparison during the campaign of the EU's goals with those of Hitler and Napoleon.

The former mayor of London has insulted or lampooned a series of world leaders including US President Barack Obama, Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and both the Democratic and Republican candidates to succeed Mr Obama.

After the vote to leave the EU, Mr Johnson took time off to play cricket and abruptly dropped a widely expected bid to stand as prime minister in place of fellow Conservative David Cameron, who had campaigned to stay in.

Mr Cameron's successor, Theresa May, named the former mayor of London and former journalist as her foreign secretary yesterday, and put another veteran Eurosceptic, David Davis, in charge of EU exit negotiations.

German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier said Mr Johnson's appointment was a clear signal that Britain intended to leave the EU.

He urged Ms May to end uncertainty and give formal notice soon of London's intention to withdraw.

Ms Merkel declined to comment on Mr Johnson's elevation when asked on a visit to Kyrgyzstan.

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