totally unjustifiable... since when has a bit of extracurricular activity been a sackable offence?
If anything, he's less of a liability than any of the others in the shadow cabinet...
BRING BACK BORIS!!
Amazing how you can get sacked for trying to keep your PRIVATE life private. One of the few politicians remaining who speaks his mind, and not the mind of the PC society that is imposed upon us
I am a Liberal Democrat voter at heart, yet I have a great deal of admiration and respect for Boris Johnson - he's one of the few politicians to be genuinely loved and respected by the public, and Michael Howard has made yet another huge mistake in sacking him. Boris will be back.
Michael Howard has fallen once again for the dirty tricks of Labour and its cronies at the News of the World. They are the scandal, not Boris. No need to apologise this time, just bring back Boris immediately.
WEven my Labour-voting friends think the Speccie article got it right about Liverpool, and everyone is backing Boris now. Michael Howard should apologise and reinstate or rather promote Boris immediately.
I live in Portugal, and the Tories used to be the only party in the world that I could believe in. When a party like the Tories is dominated by PC totalitarianism, that's not a good sign. A man's private life is a man's private life. When a political decision is based on facts regarding a man's private life, it is a totalitarian decision. Leave those to Blair. Don't make the Tories look like New Labour. Bring back Boris
Why not have a Prime Miniter with a personality? I support the idea entirely. Bring Boris to the front man's job and see how a bit of good old fashioned common sense could revolutionalise politics as we know it tody.
So Bring Back Boris, but bring him back as the PM!
Boris is one of the very few politicians I like, let alone respect. He's smart, he's witty, he's not scared to speak his mind...all of which is why the Tories had to sack him as there's no-one else who comes even close among their ranks. Bring back Boris!
One can hardly blame a chap if he inadvertantly sows a few wild oats, whilst struggling under the buirdon of editing a splendid publication such as the spectator can one...?
This man moves me in ways you cannot possibly imagine! Boris no matter what the future brings there will always be a warm little place for you in Yorkshire!
As the Conservative party slides towards oblivion this faux pas will be seen as yet another nail in the coffin. How many Conservative MPs can you name? Boris was, together with Letwin, one of the few intellectuals left.
The Conservatives really can't afford to lose Boris Johnson; he is not just they best thing they had going for them, but the ONLY thing.. Bring back Boris!
If we now sack MPs for adultery than Blunkett should be the first of a long line to go. If we sack them for being "less than frank" with the press we'd have none left at all (at least Boris' fib didnt involve 45 minutes and a couple of nuclear warheads).
As Michael Howard's office responded to me today: "The issue which has risen is one of being straightforward and honest. We know that the British public expect this from their politicians and rightly so.".
Perhaps in that case they shouldn't kick out somebody who does tend to stick by his comments and principles then...
Boris Johnson IS the future of The Conservative Party. How dare Howard get rid of him.
The guy is pure magnetism and if there were more like Boris, I would feel a bit better in my bed and walking the streets.
GET BORIS BACK ON THE FRONT BENCHES!
Boris was the one conservative that looked good in the media. Even if he did lie about he's private life, it's his private life. He wasn't killing anyone, except with laughter!
A foolish move. Really does smack of a shortsighted attempt to stiffle one of the few things that could increase support for the Tories. Says much about Howard. Oh dear
Boris is the only major Tory I have any time for, a politician with a first-rate brain and a caustic wit. Unless Howard really wants to be on the Opposition benches for the rest of his life, he's an utter fool and a coward to sack Boris Johnson. I don't see Mr. Tony sacking Blunkett for his Ugandan relations with Mr. Johnson's publisher!
I love Boris. He's the life and soul of current politics (plus I agree with his policies). Really, honestly, how can you sack him?
Without Boris, the world would be a much duller place.
I want Boris back, in any capacity, Michael Howard insults the public by pandering to a tabloid agenda, its not about an affair, its about his comments relating to liverpool which i feel were not so extreme, why is glasgow university not revoking Billy Connolley's honorary degree? because he is 'populist' and so allowed to spew foulness, Boris' boob was minor in comparison, and he has so much personality, politics is a grey wasteland, this decision further cements this
I'm sure that Boris will be more worried about losing his family than his job...but his private life has nothing to do with us or his ability as a politician..hope the family manage to get through this
He is the most important asset the tory party has, they should never have been so foolish as to sack him he was their only chance to get to power, and the only mp that was both likeable and trustable.....and he has really cool hair!
I would like to begin a website with a petition like this one. As a website designer it would be a perfect opportunity for me to use my skills. email me on gardenerstuart@hotmail.co m if anybody would like to start up www.bringbackboris.com or another such domain.
I think Boris is lovely and Micheal Howard a complete imbecile. I really hope boris does bounce back cos it will be a great shame if he doesn't.He is the only politician I fully listen to. Ever tried listening to Micheal Howard for some time without the mind wandering?
Michael Howard is a jealous man acting on the libelous accusations of a sleazy tabloid. It’s clear to everyone that Boris’s growing popularity is a threat to Howard’s position. Sacking Boris Johnson is a huge mistake that the Tories will live to regret.
I wholeheartedly agree with those *familiar* words... Boris is not just entertaining, but upholds our right to have politicians we understand, and that we trust to do the very best for us. Boris was one of a kind - and it is the Conservatives that will suffer unless he is reinstated.
Genius move by Howard. Not.
I think Howard was getting all panicky about Boris getting more popular in likable in the eyes of the people and so decided to get shut of him. Nice.
The back-stabbing that has been around in the Conservative party since 1990 really caused this - Michael Howard, having himself succesfully challenged for the leadership of the party, started to get worried about Boris' popularity. So he sacked him. Great move.
Now Boris will go down in the eyes of Daily Mail readers (the ones who didn't like him anyway), and go up in the eyes of the Sun and so on - those who normally wouldn't care. As I've said several times this evening, I doubt very much that Boris will stay down for long, and when he does he will have more support than ever before.
