Brexit demands new vocabulary on foot of political contortionists

World of Politics with Harry McGee – harrymcgee@gmail.com

It’s been so long in the ether that they’ve had to come up with new words for the Brexit process. The latest three month delay is called a flextension, no less; another ugly portmanteau word being created to deal with this ugly political situation. And we are all conveniently ignoring the elephant in the ditch – otherwise known as the corpse of a British prime minister.

That’s because it’s not there – because Boris Johnson has broken more promises than Zorba the Greek has broken plates.

And we can now add to that his definitive October 31 deadline, hot on the heels of his other ‘over my dead body’ vow over a border in the Irish Sea.

Johnson is the kind of politician for whom no scandal is big enough to end his career.

He can tell barefaced lies, cheat on his wife, be a completely incompetent Minister. He can fail to deliver his promises again and again and again.

But he always has a trump card up his sleeve – his charm, his roguery, his slightly endearing bumptiousness, his facility with language. Nothing sticks to him.

What happened in the Commons last week was no defeat for him, because he still did what Theresa May could not do.

He got his Withdrawal Bill through parliament with a really impressive majority of 30.

He lost on the second vote, his proposal to rush it through in three days.

But look at his win.

He did not need the DUP. Most of the 21 MPs he expelled from the Conservative parliamentary party voted for him.

So did 19 pro-Brexit Labour MEPs.

Indeed, so did virtually all the hardline Conservative Brexiteers, members of the Euroepean Research Group.

Commentators will have to give Johnson a bit more credit for his political skills. He spent the first few months of his premiership being lampooned for ham-fisted mistakes.

Like a 1500 metre runner with a kick, he has had a sprint finish which almost brought him over the line.

And now he’s set for the ultimate test as he goes before the people for the first time as leader – even agreeing the date of the election nearly proved to be as difficult as accepting there should be an election at all.

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