Boris Johnson failed to turn up at his own press conference rather than face clamorous anti-Brexit demonstrators, so Xavier Bettel, the country’s leader, went ahead and talked to the press without the British Prime Minister, standing next to an abandoned podium as he vehemently reprimanded him.
And he criticised the UK’s incompetence to proffer fresh proposals to break the Brexit deadlock and he said that the timer was ticking and that Boris Johnson should quit talking and act.
Boris Johnson had been to Luxembourg to meet with the country’s leader and also with Jean-Claude Juncker, the European Commission president, for the first time face-to-face but following enduring deafening boos and insults on the way in from assembled demonstrators, Boris Johnson walked out without doing his promised appearance in front of the media but a source said that he would rather do a clip in private with broadcasters away from the assembled public and press.
Demonstrating is a right in a democracy and it’s additionally necessary to be able to exchange and listen to one another but when the country’s leader was asked about Boris Johnson’s openness to breaking the law to deliver Brexit, he said that such a move from the government wouldn’t happen in Luxembourg.
Boris Johnson did ask for the press conference to be moved inside away from the public, but that the request had been rejected by the Luxembourgish government and Downing Street took the view that the Prime Minister wouldn’t be able to be heard well above the demonstrations and what’s the point of a press conference if the press can’t hear you?
However, Luxembourg government officials said that there was no room inside large enough to move the press conference and they added that Downing Street had suggested picking only a few handpicked journalists to come inside, but that the hosts had refused this on the grounds that it would have been unfair.
Talking to reporters without Boris Johnson, Mr Bettel suggested that there had been no progress from the meeting and that he knew that the UK government was unhappy with the Withdrawal Agreement as it stood and that’s why he thought it was important to speak to Prime Minister Boris Johnson to get proposals because they need more than just words.
An earlier meeting between Boris Johnson and Mr Juncker also ended without progress on the subject of the Irish backstop and President Juncker stated that it was the UK’s responsibility to come forth with legally operational solutions that are harmonious with the Withdrawal Agreement.
President Juncker emphasised the Commission’s continued compliance and openness to explore whether such proposals meet the objectiveness of the backstop but such proposals have not yet been made.
The demonstrators who frightened away Boris Johnson were essentially British nationals living in Luxembourg as about 200 people chanted noisily in the square outside the Luxembourg government headquarters, segregated from the location of the press conference by a large iron barrier and gate.
They held placards with slogans such as “Stop Brexit” and “we are not your bargaining chips” and while they waited for Boris Johnson they listened to the EU anthem “Ode to Joy” which was being pumped from a portable speaker system and chanted “stop the coup”.
And Boris Johnson later said in a private clip to broadcasters that he didn’t believe it would have been fair to the Prime Minister of Luxembourg for him to attend because there was clearly going to be a lot of noise and many of his points might have been drowned out but the protestors were however quiet for Mr Bettel, and in fact, cheered him when he came out.
Boris Johnson was quickly reprimanded by opposition politicians for the decision to skip the press conference and Boris Johnson is proving to be such a liar that he probably promised himself that he would turn up at the press conference and it just confirms that he has nothing to say so bypasses the scrutiny.
He can’t seem to give any responses to his hollow promises so chooses to hide and it’s just chicken promises from a chicken Prime Minister but the Prime Minister has faced numerous anti-Brexit protestors at a number of public appearances around the United Kingdom in the past few weeks, comically dubbed by critics a “Boos Cruise” and he’s been accused of embarrassing the country in front of Luxembourg.
And it’s now obvious that Boris Johnson’s bluster and swagger is now nothing more than hot air and it’s clear that Boris Johnson has no solutions to the backstop and no intention of getting a deal but he’s determined to pull us out of the EU, at whatever price and the image of the deserted podium in front of the Union Jack says it all, Boris Johnson is embarrassing Britain on the worlds stage and Mr Bettel’s decision to conduct the press conference without the Prime Minister was dismissed as being a stunt.
And it’s been said that the Prime Minister and his crew are working day in and day out to deliver a deal for Britain and that there’s no time for foolish stunts and Boris the Bulk might still be annoyed but still he had to go and hide for a bit from a few yelling expats in the least dangerous place in the world.
Poor Boris couldn’t even stand up to a few scary demonstrators and now most people will only see Boris Johnson whose a person who doesn’t have the stomach to do a press conference and he’s now actually confirming that he doesn’t have a backbone. So, who’s “the big girl’s blouse now?”