“A MATTER OF TIME! You can write that as my quote,” a young woman shouted over her shoulder as she pushed her baby’s stroller through the pedestrianized downtown. “Well, she sure has charisma, but she didn’t convince me,” she noted. an elderly woman, sitting on a bench with her husband as they snacked on sandwiches. “I read today that it might take a few flushes before it finally goes away,” joked Lisa McKay, a social worker, “and I really think so. There’s so much arrogance – it’s unbelievable, really, that it was still there.” It can sometimes be a challenge to get shoppers and passers-by to share their views with reporters, especially when the questions are about politicians. Not Johnson, not on the day it was confirmed his fireworks premiership would come to an end. As shoppers wandered in the bright afternoon sun through the streets around Uxbridge’s striking art deco tube station, everyone had a view of the departing PM. However, while many recognized the hoax of the last few days, a topic that many could discuss in detail, opinions on Johnson’s fate differed. Many were happy with his exit, but others were outraged that those around him had made a good prime minister. “It’s a shame,” said Ian, a retired banker who, although reluctant to give his surname, was happy to share at length his thoughts on the cabinet’s treacherous treatment of the prime minister. “I think he’s had a rough ride and I think he’s been stabbed in the back.” The Pincher scandal, the latest disaster and the one that had precipitated Johnson’s departure, “happened a while ago and it’s not a matter of resignation,” Ian said. “Why do they always pick him?” Caroline Tyrrell: “I thought it was a breath of fresh air for the Tories.” Photo: Linda Nylind/The Guardian As prime minister, wasn’t Johnson ultimately responsible? “He cannot be held responsible for everything. How many hours are there in the day?’ “Oh no!” Sue Snell, a retired civil servant, gasped when told of the resignation. It was the media’s fault that Johnson had been downplayed, he felt. Did he think the prime minister had done a good job? “Well, everyone has their faults. But at the end of the day, whoever they put in now, the conditions in the country are not going to change, are they?’ For all the strong views on both sides – and Uxbridge is far from a safe seat for the Tories, with Johnson’s majority just 7,210 – perhaps the most commonly expressed view was an outraged acceptance that it should to leave now, even among those who had supported the Prime Minister and hoped he would. “I voted for him, I’ll be honest,” said a former florist, Caroline Tyrrell. “I thought it was a breath of fresh air for the Tories. And I think he came into power at a really difficult time with Brexit, Covid and the economy. Everything has gone crazy. “He’s a bit of an idiot, though.” Tyrrell was one of many unsure of what would happen next and skeptical that whoever succeeded Johnson would be any better. But there was also an apparent lack of great enthusiasm for Labor as an alternative. “I haven’t seen enough real evidence of leadership from Labor to seriously consider it,” said Drew, who works in the film industry and described himself as an “independent voter”. “But I also don’t see much of that from the Conservatives.” He and his friend Mike, sharing a coffee at a sidewalk cafe, discussed the events in detail and knew exactly what they were thinking. “I think he’s done some good things for the country, but he’s made some very serious mistakes and he’s completely lost credibility,” Mike said. “On reflection, it’s a shame, but it was always going to happen.” Should Johnson resign now instead of waiting until the fall? “It would be much better if he did.” Michael Li: “The word ‘clown’ always comes to mind. Photo: Linda Nylind/The Guardian Michael Lee, a computer engineer lunching with a friend in the sun, thought it was “fantastic news” that Johnson had resigned. “The word ‘clown’ always comes to his mind and I don’t think he’s the kind of person who should be running the country,” he said. For some, though, the joke stopped being funny a long time ago. Meriem Bouzaiene, a local elementary school teacher, was happy and relieved to see Johnson go, “but I’m not sure how it’s going to change, because the party is still the same.” For her the crisis in the cost of living was the overwhelming question of who was next in charge. “I see hungry children entering school [having had] no breakfast because mom and dad don’t have money at home for food. I’ve never seen this before. A child without shoes. “Well, yeah, hopefully we’ll have a better future now.” Subscribe to First Edition, our free daily newsletter – every morning at 7am. BST
