Boris Johnson leaves the leadership race as his backers go to another school – 38 favourite reactions
The ‘Will he, won’t he?’ narrative around Boris Johnson has been the only political soap on the schedule, with most people wondering not ‘Will he?’ but ‘Can he?’ – and it looks very much like he couldn’t.
🚨 🚨 Boris Johnson confirms he’s not running to become Tory leader pic.twitter.com/NK9peL5XWJ
— Jim Pickard (@PickardJE) October 23, 2022
I cannot believe he’s done it to him FOR A SECOND TIME pic.twitter.com/vkBXObq06T
— Alain Tolhurst (@Alain_Tolhurst) October 23, 2022
Carrie can put away the wallpaper samples, and Johnson can go back to work in Uxbridge and South Ruislip. Lol, jk – he can go on another holiday.
Bang on cue, there was an outbreak of Tory creeping – and that’s only because I’m not allowed to say ‘arse-kissing’.
1/ Boris Johnson delivered Brexit and the great vaccine roll-out.
He led our country through some of the toughest challenges we have ever faced, and then took on Putin and his barbaric war in Ukraine.
We will always be grateful to him for that.
— Rishi Sunak (@RishiSunak) October 23, 2022
A thoughtful, wise and statesmanlike decision by Boris Johnson to withdraw, reflecting the qualities that made so many of us originally put our faith in him 3 years ago. Putting the country and the party first.
— Geoffrey Cox KC MP (@Geoffrey_Cox) October 23, 2022
I backed Boris for PM but I think he has done the right thing for the Country
— Lucy Allan MP (@lucyallan) October 23, 2022
James O’Brien said it best.
A sad but helpful reminder that our national corruption, denigration & degradation does not depart with Johnson. His sycophantic supporters will always pretend that he was something other than demonstrably disgusting. https://t.co/wD5FOIkQYy
— James Oh Brien (@mrjamesob) October 23, 2022
Most reactions were a lot less forgiving than Johnson’s Tory chums.
1.
I do so have 102 backers, you just don’t know them, they go to a different school.
— Rachel Parris (@rachelparris) October 23, 2022
2.
I see Boris has finally learned how to pull out in time. Who said you can’t teach an old dog new tricks after all?
— Jack Monroe (@BootstrapCook) October 23, 2022
3.
It’s like that time when I had an offer to play for Liverpool but decided, in the event, that it was for the best if i pressed ahead with my history degree. https://t.co/anJKyWxHj2
— Chris Cook (@xtophercook) October 23, 2022
4.
“I flew back early from my expensive holiday to take part in the Tory leadership election, desperately called every two bit cunt of an MP to successfully secure the required nominations, but then, assured of a landslide amongst the party membership, simply decided not to run.” pic.twitter.com/aqE8IDkI6V
— Scary Brenda 🏳️🌈🏳️⚧️ (they/them) (@SpillerOfTea) October 23, 2022
5.
Did he really really have 102 nominations? We will never know. It's also striking that he is playing the unity card whilst also having a swipe at Sunak and Mordaunt for refusing to strike a deal with him. https://t.co/XLusGqeGfW
— Jane Merrick (@janemerrick23) October 23, 2022
6.
Boris Johnson is, by some distance, the worst thing ever to happen to British politics. A serial liar, a proven cheat, an enemy of common decency. If he has finally buckled under the weight of his own depravity, none of his supporters should be allowed to forget their complicity.
— James Oh Brien (@mrjamesob) October 23, 2022
7.
I would like to pay tribute to Johnson for providing the nation with a list of Tory MPs who believed he hadn’t done enough damage last time (in some cases despite telling him to step down only a few months ago). We will remember.
— Chris Bryant (@RhonddaBryant) October 23, 2022
8.
Boris Johnson is out. Those 100 MPs who were definitely, absolutely, positively backing him will be devastated.
— Larry the Cat (@Number10cat) October 23, 2022
9.
That Johnson comeback in full: flew back from a luxury holiday, posed like a twat, begged his rivals, lied about his support, let down his allies and fell on his arse.
— Ian Dunt (@IanDunt) October 23, 2022
10.
Thoughts are with those politicians that publicly backed Boris Johnson at this difficult time.
— Gary Lineker 💙💛 (@GaryLineker) October 23, 2022
11.
Not like Johnson to over promise and under deliver…
— Marina Purkiss (@MarinaPurkiss) October 23, 2022
12.
Nadine Dorries, Nadhim Zahawi, Ben Bradley, Jonathan Gullis, Brendan Double-Barrell, 30p Lee, Jacob Rees-Mogg.
Your boys took one hell of a beating.
— Sarcastictvat (@sarcastictvat) October 23, 2022
13.
RISHI'S TURNED THE WEANS AGAINST US! pic.twitter.com/cohyx1pCOC
— Dean Burnett (@garwboy) October 23, 2022
14.
Boris Johnson dropping out whilst claiming to have got 102 backers is Peak Partridge: pic.twitter.com/Xl2o7Go2bS
— Supertanskiii (@supertanskiii) October 23, 2022
15.
‘So, are these 102 MPs in the room with us now?’ pic.twitter.com/D64F55JSrJ
— Peter James Cocks (@peterjcocks) October 23, 2022
16.
Seriously, I'm pleased for the constituency of Uxbridge and South Ruislip. They can now enjoy the laser-like focus of their MP, who, I'm sure, will now devote 100% of his time to their personal needs.
— Stephen McGann💙 (@StephenMcGann) October 23, 2022
17.
Boris Johnson turns out to be the typical Countdown contestant. Sometimes impressive with the long words but couldn't even manage 102 on the numbers.
— Paul Sinha (@paulsinha) October 23, 2022
18.
Guessing all Boris Johnson’s 100 supporters he said he had, must’ve all been too busy working in those 40 new hospitals.
— Tiernan Douieb (@TiernanDouieb) October 23, 2022
19.
Boris Johnson and his “102 MPs” pic.twitter.com/XpDJzy2EXr
— Nadine Batchelor-Hunt (@nadinebh_) October 23, 2022
