On EU negotiations he’s already ditched the good options. His priority now is simply to deflect attention from his failings
To understand the choices Boris Johnson makes when he reaches a fork in the road, it helps to imagine the speeches he might draft in praise of each path. We know he has the verbal dexterity. In 2016, unsure whether to come out for or against Brexit, Johnson drafted two contradictory newspaper columns. He preferred the sound of himself as a leaver.
The tune was catchier in those days. It was the oompah freedom march, and Johnson sang the lead. Now he is prime minister and Brexit is a cacophony of customs declarations and standards certifications. The compromise required to keep healthy relations with Britain’s neighbours does not harmonise with the Eurosceptic melody of purest sovereignty.
