The 2016 Brexit referendum was one of the most important political events in recent years, and its outcome shook the UK and Europe as a whole. But what happened behind the scenes in the hours and days after the Vacation win? A new book, Johnson at 10: The Inside Story, written by Anthony Seldon, provides unprecedented insight into events, through the words of Westminster insiders and close associates of Boris Johnson, one of the key players in the campaign to leave.
Boris Johnson and his reaction to the holiday win
According to the book, when Boris Johnson realized that a vote to leave the country would win the referendum, he was thrown into a “turmoil” and lamented that he had no plan. “What the hell is going on?… Oh m…, we reportedly don’t have a plan,” Johnson said, striding nervously into his living room. This reaction seemed to confirm the notion that there is no clear plan for dealing with Brexit, and that Its supporters overestimated the UK’s ability to negotiate favorable trade deals.
Boris Johnson’s satirical strategy
According to the book, Boris Johnson had a cynical approach to the Leave campaign: he thought it was good for him, no matter the outcome. Had he lost, he would have positioned himself as a Eurosceptic champion, on the verge of winning the leadership of the party. If he had won, he would have been the frontrunner for the post of prime minister. This strategy appears to have worked, as Johnson was elected to lead the Conservative Party and then Prime Minister in 2019 and negotiated the UK’s exit from the European Union.
No plan for Britain to leave the European Union
Boris Johnson’s reaction to the Leave victory seems to confirm the notion that the Leave camp did not have an accurate plan for Brexit. According to the book, Johnson himself complained that he had not given it much thought, and that he had not seriously considered winning the referendum. This lack of planning had a negative impact on the Brexit negotiations, which were long and complex, and led to a compromise that satisfied few.
Anthony Seldon’s book offers an unprecedented perspective on the events leading up to Brexit, and especially the character of Boris Johnson, one of the heroes of the Leave campaign. Johnson’s reaction to the referendum victory appears to underscore the idea that the Leave camp did not have a precise plan for managing Brexit, and that its strategy was based more on politics than substance. This lack of planning had a negative impact on the Brexit negotiations and on the UK’s reputation
Last Updated 2023-04-26 / Affiliate Links / Images from the Amazon Product Advertising API
