TS Eliot wrote that the citizens of Margate are “The humble person expects nothing“. This seems to include their expectations of Prime Minister Boris Johnson.
In the past few weeks, news about the blockade of the Christmas party has been exposed. Some people accused him of lying during the renovation of the Downing Street apartment and claimed that he ordered dogs and cats to be given priority in the evacuation in Afghanistan. Johnson’s approval rating was in the polls. decline.
And this seaside town is undoubtedly a place he can rely on. Voters in the North Thanet and South Thanet constituencies resolutely supported leaving the European Union in 2016, and in 2019, the two Conservative MPs, Sir Roger Gale and Craig Mackinlay, obtained a substantial majority.
However, the icy wind blowing over Margate Beach may blow towards the Prime Minister.His supporters seemed indifferent to the recent scandal, but some of them voted for Brexit and conservative It is now believed that Johnson is not suitable for governing.
In the old town, John Graves used a curse to describe Johnson. “He is a very, very smart man, but I regret to say that he knows nothing,” he said. The local businessman Graves raised funds for the local Conservative Party and participated in local politics for a period of time.He is very happy Brexit Happened and believed that “you need the Conservative Party to make money, and the socialists tell you how to spend it.” He worried that people seemed to no longer care about each other. He thought that the Christmas party and wallpaper were irrelevant, but he was very frustrated with Johnson. “He needs to walk,” he said. “He can’t represent this country. After completing Brexit, he entered 10th place. He was ranked 10th, he completed Brexit, and now he is there and he finds that he doesn’t want to be there.”
After the Turner Contemporary Gallery, the beach is almost completely empty.In the Wetherspoons bar on the waterfront, Mike Simmons is enjoying a pint of beer and a lunchtime beer telegraph. A few weeks later he will be 77 years old and no longer talk about Christmas parties and wallpapers, even though he is Claim that animals have priority over people During the evacuation in Kabul.
“I owe a lot of credit to my wife-she is so influential,” he said, referring to Carrie Johnson. “My son-in-law has been to Bosnia and Iraq-I like dogs, but I have to put people first.”
Gale described Party 10 as “another Barnard Castle Moments“But Simmons thinks the prime minister’s problem is that he can’t deal with consultants like Dominic Cummings. “Well, that idiot should go to Specsavers instead of driving anywhere, but anyone with a right mind will control him.
What about Johnson’s future? “If he goes on like him, I don’t see him going for the next two years. But who will take his place? I don’t think Dominic Rab can do it. [Michael] Gove is smart, but he is like poison. “
Alan Hatton did not vote in the recent election, even though he was a Conservative voter who supported Tony Blair and believed that Jeremy Corbyn’s nationalization plan was reasonable. This is by far the strongest support for Johnson.
“I don’t care about wallpaper at all,” he said. “I don’t understand why he can’t get government funding to redecorate Downing Street. Most politicians don’t earn high salaries.” He was also very happy for the past Christmas party. “This may be an impromptu party. No one fully abides by the Covid rules. He completed Brexit. I don’t know why he is being criticized now. He just needs to find someone to work.”
On the street, Johnson received further support. “It’s one year old,” Roger Newton said when it came to the Christmas party. “Downing Street is his home. I don’t think we should hang out there.”
He is generally satisfied with the handling of the pandemic and the latest announcement on the adoption of “Plan B” measures against Covid, as well as the overall direction of the government.He hesitated No 10 apartments refurbished“It’s a bit tricky,” he said. “They gave him £30,000. You would think it was enough. But I think working-class people might like him. Even if he is a loose cannon.”
It is not difficult to find people who dislike the Prime Minister in Margate. Mike Keslake said Johnson “let the country’s reputation fall into the gutter”, while retired teacher Carol Harder adopted Kyle Starmer’s “little person” description.
However, if the Labour Party leader hopes that these sentiments can be translated into votes, he may struggle. Lynne Jardine does not vote, she said, and is fatalistic about Christmas parties. “It’s not surprising,” she said. “Last Christmas, I contracted the new crown virus and had to spend a week alone. I slept most of the time.”
However, her situation got worse. Her 17-year-old son fell off a cliff and broke his back and was paralyzed. They have an inappropriate wheelchair and must wait two years for the local government to adjust their rented house. She said the money spent on Downing Street was “disgusting.” “We don’t get any help.” However, her anger is not limited to the ruling party. “None of them kept their promises. They were all lying.”
