Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

Boris Johnson must step up and show leadership at a time of international crisis

The prime minister’s low profile may be down to a reluctance to criticise Trump, who Britain needs in order to make Brexit a success

Sunday 05 January 2020 20:52 GMT
Comments
How far will the PM follow – or resist – the volatile US president?
How far will the PM follow – or resist – the volatile US president?

Where has Boris Johnson been? According to the shadow foreign secretary (and Labour leadership contender) Emily Thornberry, he has been with his girlfriend tanning himself in the Caribbean, knocking back the vodka martinis and “not paying attention”.

Meanwhile, Iran is promising “death to America”, and President Donald Trump is threatening to bomb 52 Iranian sites (one for each of the hostages taken in the 1980 crisis). An international crisis is upon us (not to mention the aftermath of floods across England, and Brexit is just around the corner) – yet the PM has been mostly invisible, finally reappearing last night when he made a brief statement.

No doubt with modern communications, the nation’s affairs can be directed from a beach hut on a private estate on Mustique, although it doesn’t feel quite right for Cobra to be chaired by others at such a critical moment for the Middle East.

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in