We know the prime minister is a bare-faced liar, that is not in doubt. He lies constantly, prodigiously, casually, carelessly and recklessly. But on Peston last night he perpetrated what may possibly be his biggest lie yet. One that will come back to haunt him. In answer to Peston's question if we would stop talking about Brexit after the end of January he was unequivocal. The answer was a clear, yes. It was so utterly ridiculous that Peston is forced to laugh and protest "that's not true!".
Johnson wears his trademark comedian's knowing half smile and looks away, presumably at others in the room to see if they 'get' the joke. The one he has just sprung on millions (certainly hundreds of thousands) of viewers. He can't seem to look Peston or the viewers in the eye.
Here is Peston's tweet with a video clip:
.@BorisJohnson promises @Peston that after the end of January we’ll all stop talking about Brexit. Peston isn’t convinced…— Peston (@itvpeston) December 4, 2019
Watch the full interview tonight on Twitter (8pm) and ITV (11.15pm) #Peston pic.twitter.com/dRwPzGfRVQ
In a world of liars he is the mega liar. He makes Tom Courtenay's portrayal of the eponymous Billy Liar look like a paragon of truth. His lies are far beyond what an ordinary mortal can manage. They are epic in scale and sweep. Chemical Ali appears like Huw Edwards by comparison. Most of us use the occasional white lie to avoid any ill-feeling (do you like our new wallpaper?). But in most things we are scrupulous, even where it might cause embarrassment, because the consequences of being found out in a lie are too awful to contemplate. My own mother would (1907-98) would never forgive me if she thought I had ever bent the truth even slightly.
Yet, here we are, apparently on the verge of electing a 'pathological liar' (courtesy Dominic Grieve) to the highest office in the land, openly, knowingly and willfully.
Johnson approaches the lie as a hardened guilty criminal might when up before a judge, protesting his innocence with a practiced sincerity that comes from years of lying. Most serial burglars could easily appear on the West End stage to glittering reviews. The lies pour forth and are transformed into a perceived version of the truth somewhere in the short journey from the recesses of the Johnsonian mind to the muscles of his larynx. They issue from him in the same firm voice as the truth - because to him they are the truth, or so close as to be an almost identical clone.
You could strap him to a hundred lie detectors and the needles would be rock steady. There is not the slightest change of pulse, breathing, blood pressure or perspiration. The answer to the control question (a probable lie) is the same as the truth because to the PM they are the same. A lie and the truth are simply tools to convince someone. It doesn't matter to him in the least which is which.
Next year, presuming we are indeed saddled with the charlatan, will anyone pick him up on this lie? Probably not because there have been so many. Perhaps this is his secret. Not only do people forgive him they watch in awful fascination for the next lie and the next.
He knows he is lying and the public knows it too, but they are going to vote for him anyway.
But to the millions who think he is lying to get into office in order to help them or to 'get Brexit done' are going to be brutally disappointed sooner or later. The betrayal will be all the worse because they knew he was a liar but they somehow trusted him to be honest with them personally.
Crazy isn't it.
The Metro report it HERE.
