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Alongside the scandals, Boris Johnson will go down in history as the prime minister who led Britain out of the EU.
His departure now raises hopes in the EU for a new chapter with more constructive relations between London and Brussels, experts believe.
Relations between the UK and the EU have been strained in recent years, and one of the reasons is Boris Johnson.
“Johnson has never been popular in the EU, because he was so proactive in the Brexit campaign,” says Nicolas Aylott, associate professor of political science at Södertörn University.
Göran von Sydow at the Swedish Institute for European Policy Studies (Sieps) believes that it is not even certain that the Brexit vote would have ended as it did if Johnson had not been on the leave side.
– He has been a key figure in the outcome of the referendum and a key figure in the tougher Brexit side. This has made relations with the EU more difficult.
“New chapter”
When Boris Johnson announced his resignation on Thursday, one of the first comments came from the EU’s former Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier.
“Boris Johnson’s departure opens a new chapter in relations with Britain. Let it be more constructive “, he wrote on Twitter.
Göran von Sydow believes that there is a cautious optimism among the leaders of the EU countries.
– It has been difficult with Johnson in the management because it has been difficult to get a trusting relationship. There has been frustration within the EU. Much of what Britain does, especially under Johnson’s leadership, has been guided by domestic policy considerations, he says.
Quarrel since 2020
One of the most infected disputes between the EU and the United Kingdom concerns the so-called Northern Ireland Protocol. The dispute has been going on in principle ever since the United Kingdom formally left the EU on 31 January 2020. The question concerns which trade rules will apply with Northern Ireland and the rest of the United Kingdom, respectively Northern Ireland and the Republic and EU member Ireland.
“Boris Johnson is not afraid to provoke, especially when it comes to Britain’s views on Brexit and Northern Ireland,” says Nicholas Aylott.
In a bill recently introduced by the Johnson government, the United Kingdom wants to change the Northern Ireland Protocol, which EU representatives consider to be contrary to international law.
– It has been an infected relationship lately. The EU has been very dissatisfied with how the UK has acted, says Göran von Sydow.
– This issue must be resolved in some way and it will be a task for the new Prime Minister.
Gently approaching
An issue that, on the other hand, has brought the EU and Britain closer together, von Sydow believes, is Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine. Both have in strong words condemned Russia’s actions.
– When negotiating the future relationship between the EU and the UK during the Brexit negotiations, the EU wanted greater cooperation in foreign and security policy, but the British did not want that then. Now you can still see that there are conditions with a new British Prime Minister that there will be a rapprochement between the EU and the UK.
Boris Johnson has also had his merits, Nicolas Aylott points out, referring to his light-hearted and unconventional style in meeting other world leaders. Not least at the recent G7 meeting, when Johnson joked about Putin with, among others, French President Emanuel Macron and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
– He can be very charming and have fun with the other leaders when he meets them, says Nicolas Aylott.
Facts
Background: Boris Johnson’s scandals
Perhaps Britain’s Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s biggest scandal to date has been named “partygate”. In the midst of the corona pandemic, when Britain was at times in strict lockdown, several parties were held at Government Offices 10 Downing Street. The Prime Minister, and several others from his staff, were fined and resignation demands were raised from many, both in their own party and in the opposition.
Earlier this year, Johnson accused Labor leader Keir Starmer of being responsible for the infamous TV profile Jimmy Savile’s abuse. The statement provoked great anger and several of Johnson’s employees resigned.
In 2020, Boris Johnson renovated the home on Downing Street, which is said to have been partly paid for with money from the Tory party. The incident became known in the media the following year, 2021, and an inquiry was appointed that considered that there were “reasonable reasons” to believe that not everything went right.
The latest scandal concerns former Member of Parliament Chris Pincher, who resigned at the end of June after being accused of pawing at two people in a drunken state. This week it emerged that Johnson was aware of accusations against Pincher as early as 2019, without having acted.
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