Boris is not running the country

The press have been having some fun with the idea that while the PM and Chancellor are on holiday the Foreign secretary is running the country.

That might have been true in an earlier era but in this age of ipads, smartphones and satellite communications it is an overstatement of the case.

In this day and age Downing Street could get hold of the PM almost anywhere in the world in seconds, and if there was something urgent and important, they would do.

Today a Number Ten referred to Theresa May's view on the closure of a law firm.

If she is in regular enough contact to be kept informed about things like that and to comment on them, you can bet your life they will keep her posted if there is anything which requires an urgent and vitally important decision.

Basically Boris is the go-to minister for things which require an urgent decision but don't justify bothering the PM.

Which is a very important responsibility but does not amount to "Boris is running the country."

Comments

Jim said…
And in other breaking news,

the prime minister does not run the country when she is here, in fact recent findings are showing more and more that the people of the nation have been running it all along.

Regardless of the thinking in the SW1 bubble, the nation is quite capable of running itself.
6:49 pm
Chris Whiteside said…
It is fair comment that people tend to say "running the country" when they mean "running the government" and the two are not the same thing.

My headline is still correct!
8:50 am
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