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Boris Johnson as Britain's Foreign Secretary Is Bo Joke!

© AP Photo / Jonathan ShortMadame Tussaud's London mark Boris Johnson's victory in the London mayoral election by giving him a post-party makeover.
Madame Tussaud's London mark Boris Johnson's victory in the London mayoral election by giving him a post-party makeover. - Sputnik International
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Is it a bird, is it a plane? No, it's Britain's new Foreign Secretary, BoJo.

Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May has dropped a bombshell and appointed the former Mayor of London and leader of the Leave campaign Boris Johnson, the cabinet position of Foreign Secretary.

​That means, Boris Johnson will be responsible for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office which includes maintaining relations with foreign countries, British overseas territories and Commonwealth nations. And of course — promoting British interests abroad.

​So, what kind of track record does the career politician, sorry, Secretary of State, have when it comes to foreign relations?

​BoJo is well known for his newspaper columns and journalistic wit — and recently turned his hand to a bit of poetry, penning a petty limerick about Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

​Foreign affairs commentator Ian Bremmer has suggested Britain's "special relationship" with the US has now turned into a "special needs" relationship.

​Johnson recently came under fire for his racist comments about US President Barack Obama, referring to him as a "part-Kenyan president" who had an "ancestral dislike of the British empire."

"It's a slightly strange appointment after a series of huge mistakes and gaffes, including referring to Barack Obama's Kenyan ancestry and his remarks about the Turkish Prime Minister," Shehab Khan, political commentator told Sputnik.

"But fundamentally he's a Brexiteer — and you need a Brexiteer — so it's understandable Theresa May has gone for him."

​"His international record as mayor of London is positive — at times he was fantastic and brilliant at selling London. He's a brilliant sales man — but not the greatest statesman — but he's charismatic," Khan told Sputnik. 

​"People do like him. You only have to look at the response from Russia, US, Turkey and Australia who all describe him as controversial and how he handles himself now will dictate Britain's place in the world," adds Khan. 

​"We don't know how Britain will be perceived abroad now and Boris will have to become more of a statesman," said Khan. 

​The Foreign Secretary, yep, Boris Johnson, also has responsibility for Britain's secret intelligence service (MI6) and the Government's Communications Headquarters (GCHQ) is also directly accountable to BoJo.

​Critics of the cabinet appointment of Boris Johnson suggest PM Theresa May is taking a rather large gamble — however BoJo's new job could turn out to be no joke.

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