Sailing close to the wind

weaviemx5

Exactly.  We also have to consider than unlike Trumps impulsive tweets, these articles have been reviewed before being released.
I'm sure these points were discussed with the editor and that a reaction was expected.  As you mentioned, he is drawing in those UKIP votes or at least trying too.

Bl4ckGryph0n

No, the funny thing is reactions such as we've seen are more likely to drive support for Johnson.

I don't have much time for the guy, but when it comes to this I'll support him over the PC mob and their faux outrage.

Iain42

Is that to hide from the geraniums?

Sonic67

Will he really gain any new support from
anyone other than those who previously voted UKIP or Conservative?  UKIP are already an irrelevance so their voters will have already looked elsewhere.

Bl4ckGryph0n

I think he will gain some support outside the Tories and UKIP.

Plus of course gaining support no matter the source is important for someone who wants to be leader.

Toko Black

It's probably a pretty safe bet that if you could find a sales list for UK purchasers and indexed that against political party support, it would be UKIP by a landslide

UKIP - you don't have to be racist* to stand for us, but it helps.

*only joking, of course you do.

The Dude

I wonder if the people making reference to 'dog whistle politics' have ever stopped to consider that they are the ones responding to the whistle?

It's 2018 folks, the age of the internet and viral politics. You don't whistle for your own dog when your know your opponents dog will run faster and bark louder.

Getting played by Boris Johnson must be almost as embarrassing as getting played by Donald Trump?

Rocinate

It's about Boris and his leadership dream, she has asked and there is no direct response as yet.

That aside, it's fine to have a debate on the subject. But he has caused offense with the bank robber and letter box terms and whenever I've unintentionally caused offense the right thing to do is to apologise...
As opinion journalist he mostly would have got away this but as Memeber Parliament, and the wider Conservative Party with it's issues with Islam, it was always going to cause trouble and tells me again the measure of Boris.

Bl4ckGryph0n

What issues with Islam in the Conservative party?

Rocinate

Baroness Warsi calls it the Conservatives bigotry black spot and has called for an inquiry for years, into Islamphobia inside the Conservative party.. Boris has highlighted this problem in blue neon lights.