Opinion

Mary Kelly: We're living in a parallel world where truth is no longer expected from those who govern

Boris Johnson chairs this week's cabinet meeting with his customary decorum. Picture by Alberto Pezzali/PA Wire.
Boris Johnson chairs this week's cabinet meeting with his customary decorum. Picture by Alberto Pezzali/PA Wire. Boris Johnson chairs this week's cabinet meeting with his customary decorum. Picture by Alberto Pezzali/PA Wire.

SOMETIMES you realise you've become accustomed to living in a parallel world where truth is no longer expected from those who govern.

Imagine a Prime Minister agreeing to do an interview with Mumsnet – hardly a radical nest of lefties – and the first question is: "Why should we believe anything you say when it has been proven you're a habitual liar?"

Yet this happened, and Boris Johnson didn't angrily flounce out at this insult, because he knew it was true.

So it's no surprise that he is currently engaged in a massive deception over the NI Protocol, egged on by the European Research Group and the patsies in the DUP, who are motivated by a mixture of electoral gain and a strange sense of endangered identity.

Are they banking on the planned legislation, which breaks international law, taking its sweet time to go through parliament, maybe stretching it out until October? Then the Del Boy Secretary of State calls another assembly election where they hope to improve their vote by being the tough guys who forced the British to piss off the EU? Quite possibly.

Like the Prime Minister who only looks ahead to the next imminent crisis and how to save his own hide, the DUP can't see a long-term gain for their beloved province in having a 'best of both worlds' economy, trading with both Europe and GB.

Trade arrangements can be fixed – the EU's own proposals for a smoother route for goods to NI don't look very different from the British Red/Green channels.

A softer Brexit would have been better for the whole UK, us included, but it wouldn't have provided enough red meat for the Europe-hating ERG rump.

So we'll continue without a government at Stormont, held to ransom by the DUP and the most duplicitous Prime Minister in recent history.

And they both claim to be trying to protect the Good Friday Agreement – which of course, the DUP opposed until they tweaked it to suit their own ends at St Andrews.

Maybe Johnson won't survive to see this legislation through. But with Liz Truss waiting in the wings, by all accounts keen on an even tougher attitude towards Europe, it's hard to feel optimistic about regime change.

And she was a Remainer. But then principles are pretty elastic when you want the keys to Number 10. Just ask Boris.

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NOT content with trashing an international treaty, the UK government seems hell-bent on becoming a global pariah with its inhumane treatment of asylum seekers.

Condemned by the Archbishop of Canterbury, the heir to the throne and the United Nations, Priti Awful Patel - on the pretext of saving them from human traffickers - attempted to send refugees to Rwanda on a specially commissioned flight.

And, to the splutters of the Daily Mail, that same plane was due to fly back with 68 refugees from Rwanda. Yes, because apparently these "extremely vulnerable" refugees are safer in the UK.

It beggars belief, but that is part of the agreement signed with the Rwandan government, who can probably hardly believe their luck.

The Israelis gave up on a similar system because it proved too costly and most of the refugees escaped. But dear old Blighty needs something to shore up Boris, so 'ship 'em to Africa' is the answer to the problem.

Of course it won't succeed ultimately. But sure, it'll do as a short-term fix. Oven ready. That's how this government works.

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REJOICE - the cavalry has ridden over the hill, led by Dame Arlene on a white horse borrowed from King Billy. The Twelfth of July live coverage has been saved.

Who needs the BBC? Boo, hiss. GB News will now broadcast the parade from Armagh. Luckily it's one of the more respectable country marches, so there won't be any of the unsavoury scenes witnessed at some previous Belfast events that could challenge the Dame's commentary skills: "And here we have some members of a Temperance lodge, sampling a traditional libation known locally as Bucky."

I suppose when a right-wing channel is chasing sympathetic viewers, the Orange Order is a good match. Mind you, given their viewing figures, there's likely to be more marching than watching.

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SO leading loyalist Winkie Irvine missed his graduation at Maynooth where he was due to receive a degree in peace studies because he was remanded in custody on firearms charges. Is it just me, or does this seem like a plotline from Give My Head Peace?