PHOTO: US State Department spokesman Mark Kirby hears the news that Boris Johnson is Britain’s Foreign Secretary
On Thursday, Boris Johnson — former Mayor of London and, in the words of US officials, “mistake-prone former journalist” — become Britain’s Foreign Secretary.
See Britain Analysis: A Buffoon as Foreign Secretary — Idiocy or A Clever Political Move?
So how did the world react?
In the US, State Department Mark Kirby struggles to hod back disbelief and laughter before pulling it together for a diplomatic response:
German Foreign Franz-Walter Steinmeier is blunt about the “irresponsible” politician who “flew the coop” after the damaging vote to leave the European Union:
Fun and laughter in London – but German Foreign Minister #Steinmeier is not amused. #Brexit #PMQs pic.twitter.com/ly7GY8WcVI
— DW | Politics (@dw_politics) July 14, 2016
French Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault uses the usually forbidden L-word, “During the campaign he lied a lot to the British people and now it is he who has his back against the wall”:
Russia State outlet RT, which has been overjoyed at the UK’s Brexit implosion, piles on the mockery:
Meet #BorisJohnson: This guy’s to run post-#Brexit Britain along with #TheresaMay https://t.co/4tByVxGEu5 pic.twitter.com/kfdY4MjHrO
— RT (@RT_com) 14 July 2016
Back home, Angela Eagle — who is trying to become leader of the opposition Labour Party — is left speechless:
But maybe the last word is with the person who put up the sign outside Johnson’s London home, seen just after the Foreign Minister gave an interview after returning from a visit to his new office:
“Sorry World”.
I want to hug Boris' neighbour. pic.twitter.com/37qbEj5ubJ
— Steve Scott (@manuscript) July 13, 2016