Boris Johnson says Libyan city has bright future 'once they clear the dead bodies'

[TubbersUK]

Foreign Secretary shocks Tory activists with risque joke about tourism potential in former Islamic State stronghold

Boris Johnson has prompted outrage after he said a Libyan city could be transformed into the new Dubai once "they clear the dead bodies" away.

The Foreign Secretary’s off-colour comment drew gasps and shocked laughter from the audience at a global trade fringe event at the Conservative conference.

Theresa May was urged to sack him for his latest gaffe, which critics said proved that Mr Johnson - arguably the UK's top diplomat - was not fit to represent Britain on the world stage.

"There's a group of UK business people actually, I don't know whether you will have come across this, wonderful guys, who want to invest in Sirte on the coast, near where Gaddafi was actually captured and executed, as some of you may have seen.

“They have a got brilliant vision to turn Sirte, with the help of the municipality of Sirte, into the next Dubai.

“The only thing they’ve got to do is clear the dead bodies.”

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/boris-johnson-libya-dead-body-comments-new-dubai-tory-conference-2017-a7981551.html

Our bargain basement Trump strikes again - I'm hoping this will finish him off.

[monmouth4]

1. Are we sure he and trump are not related? n/t

[WinkyDink]

7. Have you seen Boris's hair?!

[monmouth4]

10. Oh yes..What a coif..LOL..n/t

[dhill926]

2. fuck is wrong with this guy

tar and feather the fucker…

[HipChick]

4. Same as Trump...Brothers from a different mother..

[TubbersUK]

3. Some context re Sirte

Shadow Foreign Secretary Emily Thornberry condemned the comments as "unbelievably crass, callous and cruel" after thousands of civilians and hundreds of government soldiers were killed when Sirte was captured from the Islamic State less than a year ago.

[Beakybird]

5. Purely monstrous

A veritable Trump with a vocabulary.

[malaise]

6. English prep school boys yearn for the good old days

of empire and imperialism. The bad news is he may replace the Theresa

[TubbersUK]

8. Spot on

The other day he was caught reciting Kipling's 'The Road to Mandalay' in a Myanmar temple

Boris Johnson caught on camera reciting Kipling in Myanmar temple

Foreign secretary’s impromptu recital of colonial-era poem was so embarrassing the UK ambassador was forced to stop him

The foreign secretary has been accused of “incredible insensitivity” after it emerged he recited part of a colonial-era Rudyard Kipling poem in front of local dignitaries while on an official visit to Myanmar in January.

Boris Johnson was inside the Shwedagon Pagoda, the most sacred Buddhist site in the capital Yangon, when he started uttering the opening verse to The Road to Mandalay, including the line: “The temple bells they say/ Come you back you English soldier.”

Kipling’s poem captures the nostalgia of a retired serviceman looking back on his colonial service and a Burmese girl he kissed. Britain colonised Myanmar from 1824 to 1948 and fought three wars in the 19th century, suppressing widespread resistance.

Johnson’s impromptu recital was so embarrassing that the UK ambassador to Myanmar, Andrew Patrick, was forced to stop him. The incident was captured by a film crew for Channel 4 and will form part of a documentary to be broadcast on Sunday about the fitness of the MP for Uxbridge and South Ruislip to become prime minister.

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2017/sep/30/boris-johnson-caught-on-camera-reciting-kipling-in-myanmar-temple

[malaise]

9. Good effin' grief

They are sick