I thought I had heard everything in the debate over Britain´s membership of the European Union and then London Mayor Boris Johnson claimed that US President Barack Obama had an "ancestral dislike of the British Empire" because of his heritage: the president is part Kenyan. Firstly, I sincerely doubt that Obama would be staying as a guest of Queen Elizabeth in London if he disliked the British Empire, because after all the British monarch regularly hands out awards and decorations which have a strong connection with the former British Empire. Secondly, I sincerely doubt that it is really relevant to involve the British Empire in the debate over Europe. Johnson, the days of Empire are well and truly over. Britain should try and be a modern European nation, proud of its history but looking forward and not backwards. Johnson´s comments are another reminder that some sections of the "Pull Out of Europe camp" are stuck in a bygone era when Britannia ruled the waves and the sun never set over the Empire. I would say that Johnson made a big mistake by criticising the president, who underlined the fact that Britain should stay in the European Union. It could be argued that the London mayor appears to be losing the plot slightly. It is not a good idea to criticise the leader of your key ally, especially when you are talking about building a new trading "empire" outside the European Union which involves the US heavily.
Days of empire
22/04/2016 00:00
Also in News
- Spain wants Britons to show they have 113.40 euros, £97, per day for their holidays
- Big changes on the horizon when Britons travel to Mallorca
- Over two hours for Britons to get through Palma airport queues
- Palma Airport passport control "collapse" put down to unscheduled flights
- Living in a motorhome in Palma: "It'll only get worse"
4 comments
To be able to write a comment, you have to be registered and logged in
So much for the "special relationship" we are told so much about when it suits the Americans. Clearly not so special when they don't get their own way. Lets get out!!
Pardon my mistake in my comment,I blame it on my glaucoma and cataracts but there really ought to be an edit button on here,be that as it may,Obama's comment was that that the UK would be at the back of the queue for trade with the UK.
Jason,why have you not printed Obama's comment that if the UK left the EU,we would be at the back of the queue for as trade with the U.S.A.,that is meddling in UK politics as well as issuing a clear threat. You are doing what all members of the 'in' campaign do,only printing that which suits your cause,and we know it.
You can see why nobody likes yanks the clown is only trying to blackmail us to stay in the eu the uk is the greatest country on earth that's why everyone wants to come here if Obama is so fond of the eu let him join maybe the eu then will stop all the yanks using schools and children as target practice for a nation full of nutters with guns