Boris Johnson’s failure to rebuke Donald Trump for his unpresidential attacks on the serving British prime minister and our US ambassador show that he takes for granted he’ll be the next PM, despite his insistence on the ITV debate last night that it would be presumptuous for him to do that.
He is looking beyond the short-term attraction of being seen to stand up for Britain against a bullying US, to the relationship that he thinks will determine whether his early weeks in office are forceful or farcical.
Johnson has been attacked by putative Tory friend and foe alike for refusing to manifest adequate solidarity with Sir Kim Darroch, who on Wednesday morning resigned after his criticisms of Donald Trump were leaked.
According to those closest to him, this isn’t just kowtowing to the most powerful person in the world – Trump – in order to borrow some of his status.
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