British Prime Minister Boris Johnson tries to open his umbrella next to Prince Charles at the dedication ceremony of the new national UK Police Memorial at the National Memorial Arboretum in Alrewas, central England, in July. AFP
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson tries to open his umbrella next to Prince Charles at the dedication ceremony of the new national UK Police Memorial at the National Memorial Arboretum in Alrewas, central England, in July. AFP
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson tries to open his umbrella next to Prince Charles at the dedication ceremony of the new national UK Police Memorial at the National Memorial Arboretum in Alrewas, central England, in July. AFP
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson tries to open his umbrella next to Prince Charles at the dedication ceremony of the new national UK Police Memorial at the National Memorial Arboretum in Alrewas,


No rain on Boris Johnson's parade just yet


  • English
  • Arabic

November 25, 2021

It is an understatement to say that British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has built his career on making a spectacle of himself. Who can forget the priceless image from the 2012 London Olympics when the then mayor of the capital found himself stranded on a zip wire for several minutes waving a Union Jack?

Even after becoming prime minister in 2019, Mr Johnson has made little effort to curb his natural exuberance and his fondness for a memorable quip. It is hard to imagine any other world leader having the impudence, as Mr Johnson did at the UN General Assembly in September, to make reference to no less an authority than Kermit the Frog on the key issue of climate change, contradicting the Muppets character by declaring: "It is easy to be green."

Using everyday references to make a more serious point has long been an essential part of Mr Johnson's appeal, allowing him to reach other parts of the electorate that are beyond the grasp of more conventional politicians.

But when, as he did in an address to the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) earlier this week, he tried to draw on the cartoon character Peppa Pig to make a more serious point on economic policy, Mr Johnson’s jokey demeanour no longer appeared quite so appealing.

Mr Johnson has a notoriously fractious relationship with British business, once famously using an expletive to reject its criticism of his approach to the Brexit negotiations, which they believed would put British commerce at a disadvantage.

Consequently, Mr Johnson's appearance at the CBI this week was an opportunity to repair relations with this vital lobby group, and provide reassurance that his ambitious economic agenda will reap rich rewards.

Instead, the event turned into a public relations disaster. Apart from leaving the majority of his audience bemused about his references to a children's cartoon character, and how it illustrated the power of British creativity, Mr Johnson then managed to lose his place in his prepared speech, halting his delivery for an awkward 21 seconds as he shuffled his papers muttering "forgive me, forgive me".

As the event at the Port of Tyne in England's north-east was being televised, Mr Johnson's abject performance quickly became a national talking point, with both Conservative and Labour MPs openly questioning whether he still retained the qualities required to fulfil the office of prime minister.

His rambling delivery certainly presented a gift to the opposition Labour party, which called it "shambolic" and proof of how unseriously Mr Johnson takes business. The shadow chancellor, Rachel Reeves, said: "No one was laughing, because the joke's not funny any more."

Arguably more damaging were the remarks made to the BBC by a senior member of the Downing Street staff – widely believed to be a member of Chancellor Rishi Sunak's economic team – that "there was a lot of concern inside the building" about Mr Johnson's performance.

A member of Chancellor Rishi Sunak's economic team is suspected to have made off-the-record disparaging remarks about Boris Johnson recently. PA Wire
A member of Chancellor Rishi Sunak's economic team is suspected to have made off-the-record disparaging remarks about Boris Johnson recently. PA Wire

"Business was really looking for leadership today, and it was shambolic," the unnamed official said. And in a warning directly aimed at Mr Johnson that has sent political shock waves echoing throughout Whitehall, the official continued: "Cabinet needs to wake up and demand serious changes otherwise it'll keep getting worse. If they don't insist, he [Mr Johnson] just won't do anything about it."

The political fall-out should not be discounted. There have already been suggestions that a number of Conservative MPs have submitted letters of "no confidence" to the party hierarchy in a bid to provoke a leadership contest, although it is unlikely the number of submissions will reach the magic number of 50 that is needed to initiate the process.

Mr Johnson also suffered a bruising encounter with Labour leader Keir Starmer at this week's session of Prime Minister's Questions, when Mr Starmer openly questioned Mr Johnson's ability to continue running the country, asking: "Are you OK, Prime Minister?"

Graves of migrants who died while trying to cross illegally from France into Britain, at the Cimetiere Nord, in Calais, France, this week. EPA
Graves of migrants who died while trying to cross illegally from France into Britain, at the Cimetiere Nord, in Calais, France, this week. EPA

The past few weeks have undoubtedly seen Mr Johnson going through a difficult spell as he has struggled to promote several key policies, from transforming the country's rail network to setting out new measures for improving social care provision for the elderly.

The many challenges facing Mr Johnson, moreover, have been compounded by this week's appalling tragedy in the English Channel, where more than 30 migrants drowned on Wednesday trying to make their way from France to England, with critics accusing the British government of not doing enough to tackle the migrant crisis.

The one British politician who stands to gain from a strong rebound in the economy is Boris Johnson

Even so, despite the storm clouds gathering over Downing Street, with backbench Conservative MPs openly questioning whether Mr Johnson should remain in post, it would be premature to dismiss his leadership just yet.

One of the curiosities of Mr Johnson's longstanding political career is that he has often proved to be far more popular with the country at large than with his own party colleagues, many of whom resent his electoral popularity, which has seen him win two terms as London mayor – the only Conservative politician to have held the office – and win a landslide victory in the 2019 general election, when he gained a majority of 80 seats.

Moreover, despite Mr Johnson's faltering public performance, he will also be able to claim credit for Britain's success in dealing with the Covid-19 pandemic, which has seen the country avoid another punitive lockdown while the rest of Europe is experiencing widespread protests at the prospect of new restrictions.

And Mr Johnson can point to a number of encouraging economic indicators that suggest Britain is far better placed to recover from the economic slowdown caused by the pandemic. Figures released this week suggest Britain is outstripping its European rivals in terms of economic recovery, with the CBI reporting that manufacturing order books in Britain were their strongest since records began in 1977, showing that, far from being damaged by Brexit, British business is booming. And, as one of the architects of Brexit, the one British politician who stands to gain from a strong rebound in the economy is Mr Johnson.

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While you're here
Global state-owned investor ranking by size

1.

United States

2.

China

3.

UAE

4.

Japan

5

Norway

6.

Canada

7.

Singapore

8.

Australia

9.

Saudi Arabia

10.

South Korea

Company%20profile
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The Sand Castle

Director: Matty Brown

Stars: Nadine Labaki, Ziad Bakri, Zain Al Rafeea, Riman Al Rafeea

Rating: 2.5/5

Pharaoh's curse

British aristocrat Lord Carnarvon, who funded the expedition to find the Tutankhamun tomb, died in a Cairo hotel four months after the crypt was opened.
He had been in poor health for many years after a car crash, and a mosquito bite made worse by a shaving cut led to blood poisoning and pneumonia.
Reports at the time said Lord Carnarvon suffered from “pain as the inflammation affected the nasal passages and eyes”.
Decades later, scientists contended he had died of aspergillosis after inhaling spores of the fungus aspergillus in the tomb, which can lie dormant for months. The fact several others who entered were also found dead withiin a short time led to the myth of the curse.

It Was Just an Accident

Director: Jafar Panahi

Stars: Vahid Mobasseri, Mariam Afshari, Ebrahim Azizi, Hadis Pakbaten, Majid Panahi, Mohamad Ali Elyasmehr

Rating: 4/5

HIJRA

Starring: Lamar Faden, Khairiah Nathmy, Nawaf Al-Dhufairy

Director: Shahad Ameen

Rating: 3/5

The%20specs
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Stree

Producer: Maddock Films, Jio Movies
Director: Amar Kaushik
Cast: Rajkummar Rao, Shraddha Kapoor, Pankaj Tripathi, Aparshakti Khurana, Abhishek Banerjee
Rating: 3.5

THE%20SPECS
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Getting%20there%20and%20where%20to%20stay
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Despacito's dominance in numbers

Released: 2017

Peak chart position: No.1 in more than 47 countries, including the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia and Lebanon

Views: 5.3 billion on YouTube

Sales: With 10 million downloads in the US, Despacito became the first Latin single to receive Diamond sales certification

Streams: 1.3 billion combined audio and video by the end of 2017, making it the biggest digital hit of the year.

Awards: 17, including Record of the Year at last year’s prestigious Latin Grammy Awards, as well as five Billboard Music Awards

Star%20Wars%3A%20Ahsoka%20
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Various%20%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarring%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Rosario%20Dawson%2C%20Natasha%20Liu%20Bordizzo%2C%20Lars%20Mikkelsen%20%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%204%2F5%0D%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Avengers: Endgame

Directors: Anthony Russo, Joe Russo

Starring: Robert Downey Jr, Chris Evans, Scarlett Johansson, Chris Hemsworth, Josh Brolin

4/5 stars 

The National's picks

4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young

GAC GS8 Specs

Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo

Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm

Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm

Transmission: 8-speed auto

Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km

On sale: Now

Price: From Dh149,900

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The%20specs
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UAE v Gibraltar

What: International friendly

When: 7pm kick off

Where: Rugby Park, Dubai Sports City

Admission: Free

Online: The match will be broadcast live on Dubai Exiles’ Facebook page

UAE squad: Lucas Waddington (Dubai Exiles), Gio Fourie (Exiles), Craig Nutt (Abu Dhabi Harlequins), Phil Brady (Harlequins), Daniel Perry (Dubai Hurricanes), Esekaia Dranibota (Harlequins), Matt Mills (Exiles), Jaen Botes (Exiles), Kristian Stinson (Exiles), Murray Reason (Abu Dhabi Saracens), Dave Knight (Hurricanes), Ross Samson (Jebel Ali Dragons), DuRandt Gerber (Exiles), Saki Naisau (Dragons), Andrew Powell (Hurricanes), Emosi Vacanau (Harlequins), Niko Volavola (Dragons), Matt Richards (Dragons), Luke Stevenson (Harlequins), Josh Ives (Dubai Sports City Eagles), Sean Stevens (Saracens), Thinus Steyn (Exiles)

SPEC%20SHEET%3A%20APPLE%20IPHONE%2015%20PRO%20MAX
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The%20Genius%20of%20Their%20Age
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Switching%20sides
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A State of Passion

Directors: Carol Mansour and Muna Khalidi

Stars: Dr Ghassan Abu-Sittah

Rating: 4/5

COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Company%20profile
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The%20specs
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Living in...

This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.

Jetour T1 specs

Engine: 2-litre turbocharged

Power: 254hp

Torque: 390Nm

Price: From Dh126,000

Available: Now

Tank warfare

Lt Gen Erik Petersen, deputy chief of programs, US Army, has argued it took a “three decade holiday” on modernising tanks. 

“There clearly remains a significant armoured heavy ground manoeuvre threat in this world and maintaining a world class armoured force is absolutely vital,” the general said in London last week.

“We are developing next generation capabilities to compete with and deter adversaries to prevent opportunism or miscalculation, and, if necessary, defeat any foe decisively.”

Racecard

6pm: Al Maktoum Challenge Round 2 Group 1 (PA) $55,000 (Dirt) 1,900m  

6.35pm: Oud Metha Stakes Rated Conditions (TB) $60,000 (D) 1,200m  

7.10pm: Jumeirah Classic Listed (TB) $150,000 (Turf) 1,600m  

7.45pm: Firebreak Stakes Group 3 (TB) $150,000 (D) 1,600m  

8.20pm: Al Maktoum Challenge Round 2 Group 2 (TB) $350,000 (D) 1,900m  

8.55pm: Al Bastakiya Trial Conditions (TB) $60,000 (D) 1,900m  

9.30pm: Balanchine Group 2 (TB) $180,000 (T) 1,800m   

'Gold'

Director:Anthony Hayes

Stars:Zaf Efron, Anthony Hayes

Rating:3/5

Racecard

6pm: Mina Hamriya – Handicap (TB) $75,000 (Dirt) 1,400m

6.35pm: Al Wasl Stakes – Conditions (TB) $60,000 (Turf) 1,200m

7.10pm: UAE Oaks – Group 3 (TB) $150,000 (D) 1,900m

7.45pm: Blue Point Sprint – Group 2 (TB) $180,000 (T) 1,000m

8.20pm: Nad Al Sheba Trophy – Group 3 (TB) $200,000 (T) 2,810m

8.55pm: Mina Rashid – Handicap (TB) $80,000 (T) 1,600m

India team for Sri Lanka series

Test squad: Rohit Sharma (captain), Priyank Panchal, Mayank Agarwal, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, Hanuma Vihari, Shubhman Gill, Rishabh Pant (wk), KS Bharath (wk), Ravindra Jadeja, Jayant Yadav, Ravichandran Ashwin, Kuldeep Yadav, Sourabh Kumar, Mohammed Siraj, Umesh Yadav, Mohammed Shami, Jasprit Bumrah.

T20 squad: Rohit Sharma (captain), Ruturaj Gaikwad, Shreyas Iyer, Surya Kumar Yadav, Sanju Samson, Ishan Kishan (wk), Venkatesh Iyer, Deepak Chahar, Deepak Hooda, Ravindra Jadeja, Yuzvendra Chahal, Ravi Bishnoi, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Harshal Patel, Jasprit Bumrah, Avesh Khan

Cricket World Cup League 2

UAE results
Lost to Oman by eight runs
Beat Namibia by three wickets
Lost to Oman by 12 runs
Beat Namibia by 43 runs

UAE fixtures
Free admission. All fixtures broadcast live on icc.tv

Tuesday March 15, v PNG at Sharjah Cricket Stadium
Friday March 18, v Nepal at Dubai International Stadium
Saturday March 19, v PNG at Dubai International Stadium
Monday March 21, v Nepal at Dubai International Stadium

Key facilities
  • Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
  • Premier League-standard football pitch
  • 400m Olympic running track
  • NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
  • 600-seat auditorium
  • Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
  • An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
  • Specialist robotics and science laboratories
  • AR and VR-enabled learning centres
  • Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
The specs

Engine: 5.2-litre V10

Power: 640hp at 8,000rpm

Torque: 565Nm at 6,500rpm

Transmission: 7-speed dual-clutch auto

Price: From Dh1 million

On sale: Q3 or Q4 2022 

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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets

Our House, Louise Candlish,
Simon & Schuster

Water waste

In the UAE’s arid climate, small shrubs, bushes and flower beds usually require about six litres of water per square metre, daily. That increases to 12 litres per square metre a day for small trees, and 300 litres for palm trees.

Horticulturists suggest the best time for watering is before 8am or after 6pm, when water won't be dried up by the sun.

A global report published by the Water Resources Institute in August, ranked the UAE 10th out of 164 nations where water supplies are most stretched.

The Emirates is the world’s third largest per capita water consumer after the US and Canada.

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'Skin'

Dir: Guy Nattiv

Starring: Jamie Bell, Danielle McDonald, Bill Camp, Vera Farmiga

Rating: 3.5/5 stars

Updated: November 25, 2021, 2:17 PM`