Boris must be appalled by mystery leak showing him battling for Brexit

Boris hasn’t been as front and centre of the news as usual lately. But that’s ok, because a man like the Foreign Secretary knows better than anyone how to fix that problem.

A recording of a revelatory Q&A Boris Johnson did with conservative activists this week was obtained by several outlets. He talked candidly about Russia, China, Trump, Brexit and his dear colleagues.

The actual sentiments expressed are utterly predictable, but in true Boris style, dressed up with snappy Latin and trickles of gossip. The timing too is masterful, coming just 24 hours as Davis wobbled May’s administration with resignation threats.

Speaking about Russia, Boris says the rest of the world has to be “very firm” in response, and revealed that when May is in Canada for the G7 “she will be putting forward a British plan that will have global support to set up a rapid response unit to identify Russian malfeasance… whether it’s cyber warfare, assassinations, calling it out and identifying it.”

Moving on Johnson said of China: “China is a rival. China is a rival, but China is a rival whose growth and whose incredible developing power can be used to our advantage.”

He warned of Chinese tech giants overtaking Silicon Valley.

But Johnson’s most calculating comments came when he was pressed about Brexit. He told the room that the cabinet is close to “a moment of truth.”

And in a moment of what was intended to be self effacing candour, Boris says:

“I’m not going to hide it from you, there is an argument going on.”

Huh, you don’t say.

Brexit will happen, “and I think it will be irreversible”, Johnson said. But he added: “The risk is that it will not be the one we want.”

He warned of the very real possibility that Britain would end up with an arrangement that violates his and the rest of the Brexiteers’ “red lines”, keeping it “locked in orbit around the EU, in the customs union, and to a large extent still in the single market.”

“So not really having full freedom on our trade policy, our tariff schedules, and not having freedom with our regulatory framework either.”

That outcome was being pushed by the Treasury, which in a stunning and carefully crafted soundbite he called “basically the heart of remain.”

On his personal red lines, he said he would be willing to stay close to the EU beyond the time that the UK formally leaves.

He bemoaned Remainers, who are too caught up over the short-term disruption Brexit will cause. He said they’re blind to the long term benefits.

“The fear of short-term disruption has become so huge in people’s minds that they’ve turned into a quivering wreck.”

He hastened to add, however, that “yeah, of course there will be some bumps in the road.”

“You’ve got to face the fact there may now be a meltdown. OK? I don’t want anybody to panic during the meltdown. No panic. Pro bono publico, no bloody panic. It’s going to be all right in the end.”

It’s going to be all right in the end… what a slogan.

All this amounts to Johnson grandstanding with impudent timing. But how awful is the leak! I’m sure Boris is utterly devastated at the tape revealing his hardline, no nonsense, let’s get the job done and let’s get it done well stance on Brexit to those who will select May’s successor. Utterly devastated…