Boris Johnson says, "lift 1% ceiling on public sector pay increases".
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Everyone
always knew, or at least had very strong suspicions, that Boris
Johnson is a conniving opportunist, who harbours a burning desire to
be the leader of the Conservative party and, as circumstances exist
at this time, the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. Boris Johnson
also cultivates the image of the buffoon playing to the audience of
public perception, propagating popularity and reaping the sympathy
vote. However, all too often the image of the buffoon, by some
bizarre transformation becomes a reality, prone to gaffes, blunders
and insults towards others more fitting to some uncouth bar room lout
than someone aspiring to the highest elected office in the country.
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Since
June 9th, Johnson has been a staunch supporter of Prime Minister
Theresa May, telling anyone who was prepared to listen, how she had a
mandate from the electorate, winning more seats and gaining more
votes than the Labour party and consequently had the legitimacy to
form a government. Moreover, she had the unqualified support of her
cabinet and the deal with the Democratic Unionist Party for the
"confidence and supply" agreement, ensured that she could
lead the government for the full five year term and through the
Brexit negotiations to come.
However,
Johnson is a cunning fellow, and has for the most part, remained
aloof from the almost daily sniping at the Prime Minister in the
media and more importantly from her own back benches. Over the last
few days the political situation has changed, as more and more
people, including MP's, now accept that the 1% cap on Public Sector
Workers Pay is untenable and must be removed.
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Only Chancellor Philip
Hammond and the Prime Minister herself, cling to the Conservative
Party Manifesto promise that the cap on public sector pay will remain
until 2019 at the earliest. Now, Boris Johnson emerges from the
shadows, like some present day Brutus in the senate, to join Michael
Gove, Jeremy Hunt and Justine Greening and plunge his little dagger
into Theresa May, while calling for
the 1% ceiling on wage rises to be lifted for "austerity-weary
workers"
including nurses and teachers.
It
is indeed ironical that only last week, on Wednesday evening in fact,
these four conservative front bencher’s had the opportunity to
bring an end to the Public Sector Pay freeze
by voting in favour of an amendment to the Queen's Speech which would
have resulted in an immediate lifting of the freeze for Public Sector
workers. They chose instead to vote against the amendment and even
joined in the cheering on the government benches when the amendment
was defeated.
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Clearly,
these cabinet
ministers
have had a complete change of mind over
the last 4 days, which it seems,
is not unusual in today's conservative party.
Notwithstanding what Alexander
Boris de Pfeffel Johnson may say to
television interviewers or write in his newspaper features
or post to his Twitter account,
he is positioning himself
now
to challenge for the Conservative Party
leadership
sooner rather than later.
His
cynical, or even hypocritical reference to Public Sector Pay is
merely a vehicle for him to further his ambitions and to garner some
support while marginalising Philip Hammond and any leadership
aspirations that the Chancellor may still hold. Johnson is a
conniving and cunning opportunist who is sometimes a complete
buffoon. Both versions should they ever become Prime Minister, would
be equally appalling.
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