We premise this post by clarifying that we have not bought Boris Johnson’s memoirs. We do not want to put even an extra penny his way for reasons which will become apparent.
We are reporting and thinking through some of the points arising from the book that we deem relevant to TTE readers as reported in the mainstream media.
War is relevant: Johnson was considering raiding the sovereign Kingdom of the Netherlands, one of the UK’s oldest allies and a fellow NATO member. The “aquatic raid” would have stolen x million doses of Oxford Astra Zeneca vaccine, which had been kidnapped by EU bureaucracy.
Two points arise: First, such a raid would have been an act of war. We do not know where the idea came from, but even considering invading an ally speaks volumes about the PM's nebulous state of mind—let’s hope it was just convalescent thoughts.
Second, we should kiss the EU’s feet. They unintentionally prevented a flood of untested vaccines (since withdrawn from the market) from being injected into defenceless Britons.
Boris very unwisely accuses the EU of letting Britons die when the reverse is likely to be true.
As for Lockdowns, he is “no longer sure” that lockdowns played a decisive role in defeating Covid.
Perhaps Johnson is a TTE reader. As we have shown, lockdowns came in as the downward phase of Farr’s curve was starting, so we will never know—because (and this is the point) no systematic assessment of their impact has been planned or carried out. Such an assessment would have to be independent from the government, of course, so none of the QUANGOs would produce credible work either way.
We produced a framework for such an assessment with our subscribers but are still waiting for pick-up.
So, Johnson thought they initially did work; in fact, he “hoped” they would work. This is the kitchen sink syndrome, a very dangerous syndrome that dictates that when you do not know what to do, you throw everything at the problem. It’s the opposite of the precautionary principle. When you do not know what to do, you sit on your hands until you have some idea of the consequences of your actions.
Boris’s logic speaks volumes for the quality and sanity of the advice he was getting. Curiously, the MSM do not report any considerations on the social and economic butchery that we and our descendants will have to deal with and have already experienced.
No, sorry, no apologies. He is apparently at one with Dr Fauci, who has also published a book, no doubt telling readers how he saved the US.
Boris shakes his head as he thinks he is the first British PM to have abolished Christmas. He reminds us of the Sheriff of Nottingham (played by Alan Rickman in the movie Robin Hood), who, enraged by Robin’s escapades, told his henchmen that he would cancel Christmas and stop merciful beheadings. How brilliant movie scripts can sometimes foreshadow reality.
But cheer up, folks—Boris is not ruling out a return to the Commons. However, the “shopping trolley,” as Dominic Cummings labelled Boris, is known for suddenly changing direction on key decisions.
Two old geezers wrote this post. One of the geezers had two Astra Zeneca inoculations. When the third one was due, he got Covid, so he got ditto for the next booster.
Congrats to the one old geezer of two who survived the clot shot!
As for BJ ... one of the well-educated gentlemen so dazzled by their own intellectual brilliance, eloquence and wit that they convince themselves and therefore others that their way is the only one. This is always accompanied by a deluge of verbose, inconsequential arguments. Somehow people like that can produce more speech on a single breath than normal people. when they stop to take breath one has been so clobbered mentally and aurally that one just agrees to make them stop ... and flees if one can.
Yes, I've known someone like BJ - he became a solicitor, not a PM - but the modus operandi was exactly the same.
Even more than the lockdowns, even more than the unspeakable vaccine tyranny I will never forget nor forgive the constant climate of fear these people - BJ, SAGE, the MSM - have subjected this country to. It's disappointing that sadly so many are still in the thrall of fear, now queuing for the fifth and sixth shots and never mind that they've been ill and are ill with all the nice coughs and sniffles we others just shake off now.
Pre covid the average age of death was apparently 82.
The average age of death from/with covid was 83.
So, "catch covid and live longer".
The only sensible thing I've ever heard Johnson say.
Just as an aside, it would be really interesting to be privy to his hospital and GP notes (always assuming they'd be accurate). Did he actually ever suffer from covid, whatever that may be, or was it just a splendid wheeze to accrue popularity....