Monday night’s vote of no confidence in Prime Minister Boris Johnson sent Britain back into the political infighting after a decisive apolitical weekend, as Britons celebrated Women’s Platinum Day Queen Elizabeth and her unifying role as the famous and iconic head of state.
But in time four-day celebration In his 70 years on the queen’s throne, Mr Johnson’s troubles were on full display, highlighting the nation’s grievances against the prime minister, and making his public feel more at ease with the female. King.
Over the course of the weekend, as Mr Johnson joined the celebrations, members of the public – and even those taking part – were disdainful.
Mr Johnson and his wife, Carrie Johnson, were booed as they walked up the steps of St. Paul on Friday before a thanksgiving service. Videos circulated showing a similar reaction as they attended a Saturday night concert outside Buckingham Palace. And during the concert, actors Lee Mack and Stephen Fry buried their heads in Mr. Johnson on the national stage.
But it was those revelers on London’s busy streets over the long weekend who commented – carelessly and often – of their distrust of the government, even as they reflected admiration. their leadership to the queen, providing insight into how the public perceives their leader. .
Marian Argent, 77, who gathered with three generations of her family at the Mall outside Buckingham Palace for Thursday’s Trooping the Color parade, commented that the Queen was a force to behold. concludes, “unlike politicians.”
She rolled her eyes as she commented “Boris,” with a sigh, before quickly turning her focus back to the festival.
At Hyde Park on Friday, Marina Burns, 60, said of the celebrations for the Queen: “It’s all apolitical, that’s why it’s so unified.”
Ms Burns added: “In the meantime, politics is a mess. “It’s really scary at the moment with Boris and Partygate.”
She said she considers the Jubilee celebrations to be one of the first moments A.D. when the country can truly find joy, amid the “dooms and gloom” of failed leaders, economic hardship and damage caused by the pandemic.
A few park benches away, Erwin Kunnen, 60, visiting from the Netherlands and waiting to depart for a flight home, also pointed to the “mess with the prime minister” as one of the many difficulties facing Britain. currently facing, and why. so many people rejoiced at the positivity of the holy year.
Catherine Cooke, 48, who works for the National Health Service, also made an exasperated comment about the government’s failure to another account of the festival.
Ms Cooke, reflecting on “great respect” for the Queen for her sense of country, added, “Our politicians, like Boris, are not so many”.
Comments on the streets of London could indicate a greater nationalist sentiment, with Mr Johnson’s approval rating in a YouGov poll dropping only 26 percent at the beginning of May. Following Sue Gray’s report late last month, highlighting the government’s failure to take a leadership role in containing the coronavirus, about 60 percent of people surveyed by YouGov said Mr Johnson should no longer be leader of the Conservative Party.
A quick poll from Opinium on Monday morninghours after the vote was announced, showing that 28% of voters think Conservative lawmakers should vote to keep Mr Johnson, while 59% believe they should vote to remove him.
