Not my prime minister?

by Rick Johansen

A small crowd is gathering in the centre of Bristol. Various ‘campaign groups’ are gathering in order to protest against the new prime minister. ‘Not my prime minister’, they say. Well, he’s not my prime minister, either, but I do recognise that Johnson and the Conservative party did actually win the general election this week.

Fair enough. We are, at least for now, a relatively free country where we have the right to protest about whatever we want. Even against a prime minister who only yesterday sought the queen’s permission to form a government. You do have to wonder though: what’s the point?

My guess is that today’s conglomerate of protestors are the usual suspects, a combination of students along with a sprinkling of middle class Trots and anarchists. ‘Normal’ people will be at the football or shopping. I suspect some of them will look at the protests with a mixture of bewilderment and anger. Most people will say WTF and what’s the point?

If they are protesting about Johnson’s racism, his homophobia, his misogyny, then where have they been? His prejudice and bigotry has been evident for decades. Indeed, he’s made a good living out of it. He’s not going to change now he is in the top job, is he?

In truth, 13 million people voted for Johnson and didn’t care about his character. He was, after all, just “Boris being Boris”. That excuses everything. He’s a character. We need more characters in politics, don’t we? Well, I don’t think so, but then I voted Labour. I am not proud of that.

Just give it a rest, comrades. Don’t waste our time and disrupt our journeys. Lying is the new truth in Britain, it’s the will of the people who once hated politicians who lie and now don’t mind at all. In fact, 13 million people love him for lying. He’s the prime minister and you’d best get used to it. That’s the truth.

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