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Published -
- July 28, 2019
- 4:32 pm
Is Boris Johnson is bad for Britain?
Fareed Zakaria discusses the broader negative impact that new UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson may have on the world.
What specific actions has Boris Johnson taken that have led to Fareed Zakaria’s negative assessment of his leadership?
In a recent opinion piece for CNN, noted journalist and commentator Fareed Zakaria has offered a scathing assessment of Boris Johnson, the current Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. In his piece, titled “Boris Johnson is bad for Britain, Europe, and the US”, Zakaria argues that Johnson is a reckless and irresponsible leader whose actions have jeopardized the stability and prosperity of both the UK and Europe, with potentially damaging implications for the United States as well.
Zakaria begins his article by highlighting some of Johnson’s more egregious actions since taking office, from his highly controversial decision to prorogue (suspend) Parliament for several weeks in the run-up to Brexit negotiations, to his ongoing efforts to undermine the Northern Ireland peace process by threatening to scrap the backstop agreement. According to Zakaria, these and other actions have demonstrated Johnson’s “utter lack of seriousness” when it comes to governing, and show that he is more interested in maintaining his own power and influence than in protecting the long-term interests of his country.
But Zakaria does not limit his critique to Johnson’s domestic policies; he also highlights the damage that he believes Johnson has done to Britain’s standing on the world stage. Under Johnson’s leadership, he argues, the UK has become “isolated, quarrelsome, and inward-looking”, with its international reputation damaged by his erratic behavior and his government’s poor handling of the COVID-19 pandemic.
For Zakaria, however, the most worrying aspect of Johnson’s premiership is the threat it poses to the wider stability of Europe and the transatlantic relationship. By pursuing an isolationist, nationalist agenda and jeopardizing the Good Friday Agreement, he argues, Johnson is undermining the progress that has been made in securing peace and prosperity on the continent in recent decades. Furthermore, his close ties to President Trump, who has openly questioned the value of NATO and other key transatlantic alliances, suggest that the US-UK special relationship is also at risk under his leadership.
Overall, Zakaria’s article presents a bleak picture of Boris Johnson’s leadership and its implications for both the UK and the wider world. While some may argue that his criticisms are overly harsh or biased, there is no denying the seriousness of the challenges facing Britain and its allies in the current era of geopolitical uncertainty. As Zakaria concludes, Boris Johnson may be a charismatic and entertaining figure, but he is also a dangerous one – and one whose actions could have far-reaching consequences for us all.
