A bull bumps into a plainclothes police officer Friday while being walked by British Prime Minister Boris Johnson during a visit to Darnford Farm in Banchory near Aberdeen, Scotland. Andrew Milligan/PA via AP
LONDON — The stakes have never been so high for Boris Johnson, who has vowed to steer Britain out of the European Union and lead the country forward.
But things haven’t quite gone to plan for the new prime minister. He lost control of Parliament earlier this week, then let a bull get the best of him Friday while on a trip to Scotland.
Scenes of Johnson struggling with the animal before it knocked into a plainclothes police officer at Darnford Farm reminded many on social media of the other b-word: Brexit.
Naturally, the jokes wrote themselves:
“Another police officer topples in the presence of Boris Johnson (this time a bull is involved),” wrote the Guardian’s Claire Phipps.
“And the Bull said to Boris ‘look pal, I know when someone is talking bull!'” tweeted Scottish politician Christina McKelvie.
“More bull from Boris Johnson,” wrote Labour Party lawmaker Bill Esterson.
His struggles with the beast notwithstanding, Johnson was bullish on Brexit during his visit to the farm, telling reporters he was confident he would reach a deal with the European Union on leaving the bloc and would not seek an extension of an Oct. 31 deadline.
On Thursday Johnson said he’d “rather be dead in a ditch” than request a further delay.
Friday’s episode at the farm capped a difficult week for Johnson. His brother, Jo Johnson, resigned from the government, and the new prime minister’s first formal question-and-answer session in Parliament did not go well, either. Labour Party lawmaker Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi called him out for past “racist” remarks on Muslim women and demanded an apology. The moment soon went viral.
Johnson also lost his parliamentary majority after ousting 21 rebellious politicians from his own Conservative Party, including heavyweights such as Ken Clarke and Nicholas Soames, Winston Churchill’s grandson.
In remarks on Friday, Johnson was asked if there could be an appeal process or a way back for those who were dismissed.”It grieved me deeply … these are friends of mine,” he told broadcasters. “But we have to get Brexit done.”
Johnson’s hopes of winning an early snap election and then steering Britain out of the bloc by Oct. 31 suffered a setback Friday when opposition parties in Parliament said they wouldn’t back his push for an early election.
Opposition parties insist they want an election, but first they want to ensure that Britain doesn’t exit the bloc at the end of October without an exit plan, which analysts say could lead to food and medicine shortages. They also may want to make him stew a while longer.
Ian Blackford, the leader of the Scottish National Party in Westminster, said while they wouldn’t agree to Johnson’s preferred election date of Oct. 15, an election was still imminent. “I will make you this promise, you’re not going to have a long wait,” he said.
When their support does come, Johnson will get the parliamentary majority he needs to go to the polls.
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