British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has come under heavy criticism for his speech to the opening session in the London Parliament. Speakers across all parties and many British newspapers condemned his choice of words and a remark about the murdered British politician Jo Cox, who had campaigned for Britain to remain in the European Union.
MEPs should agree to Brexit if they wanted to honor Cox, Johnson had said in the House of Commons on Wednesday night. The Labor politician had been killed shortly before the Brexit referendum in 2016 by a far right. The Daily Mirror newspaper today called the prime minister a „man without shame.“ Hardly any Prime Minister had previously given such a „shameful speech“.Sharp criticism also from the husband of the murdered
Johnson had in his speech a law to prevent unregulated Brexit, which had been passed against his will, repeatedly referred to in the lower house as a „Surrender Act“ (Surrender Act). Members of his Conservative Party and the opposition criticized this during the session as „repugnant“ and „disrespectful“. This would only fuel aggression in the Brexit dispute, it said. Many MPs have already received death threats. Johnson remained at his word choice.
Cox’s husband also condemned Johnson’s remarks. He would be sick if the name of his wife was used in such a context, wrote Brendan Cox in the short message service Twitter. Labor leader Jeremy Corbyn said Johnson’s language is barely distinguishable from the right-wing extremists.
Jo Swinson of the Liberal Democrats called the Prime Minister’s remarks a „shame.“ The party leader had declared that even one of her two small children would be threatened. Minister of Culture Nicky Morgan tweeted that the effect of words in the public must be well considered. She also received threats.
