Belligerence Toward Russia Likely to be Boris Johnson's Only Lasting 'Achievement'

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) - Along with formally withdrawing the United Kingdom from the European Union and setting the stage for an uneasy post-Brexit relationship with the bloc, outgoing Prime Minister Boris Johnson's hostile bearing toward Russia regarding the Ukraine crisis is likely to be his most lasting and important legacy, experts told Sputnik.

Johnson resigned on Thursday over a sexual misconduct scandal involving a senior party lawmaker. He stepped down after more than 40 members of parliament of his own ruling Conservative party abandoned his government and called on him to resign, thus ending his three-year tenure, during which he steered the country through a hard version of Brexit and engineered the nation's response to the Ukraine crisis.

Johnson will continue to fulfill the role of party leader and prime minster until his successor is appointed.

Enduring Hostility

"Johnson's key legacy likely to be followed by any successor is a belligerent approach towards Russia which passes as one of the few 'achievements' with which almost all British commentators are prepared to credit him," former UK ambassador to Syria and political commentator Peter Ford told Sputnik.

Johnson's confrontational policies toward Russia look likely to endure, whoever his successor is, the former diplomat cautioned.

"Johnson fell not over important policy issues but over relatively trivial issues of conduct. His successor is therefore under no obvious pressure to change Johnson's stance on Brexit, Russia and Ukraine," he said.

A British and an United States soldier stand side by side after a press conference on the military exercise 'Defender 2020' in Brueck, Germany, Wednesday, Feb. 26, 2020. The exercise with 37000 participants from a total of 18 nations will take place in Europe between January and about June 2020.

© AP Photo / Soeren Stache

At least Johnson's strident tone of rhetoric toward Russia, especially over the Ukraine conflict was likely to subside as his successor would not need it to detract from scandals as the departing prime minister had, Ford suggested.

"The only slight glimmer of hope comes from the fact that Johnson's successor should be less tempted to grandstand over Ukraine in order to deflect attention away from scandals," he said.

However, Johnson's successor is going to face a legacy of economic mismanagement, Ford continued.

"It must be reckoned highly likely that Johnson's successor will fail to make much progress on reducing inflation before the next elections. This is because of Johnson's poisonous economic legacy: devastating lockdowns, eye-wateringly high money creation to pay for them, backfiring sanctions on Russia provoking an energy crisis, and ludicrously unrealistic climate policies," he said.

Nevertheless, the opposition Labour Party was unlikely to do much better if it won the next UK general election, Ford predicted.

"Accordingly it must be highly likely that [Keir] Starmer's Labour, which has equally bad policies on all these issues, will lead the next government," he said.

Continuing Muddle

Former US Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs Chas Freeman agreed with this gloomy assessment.

"The muddle will continue," he told Sputnik.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson speaks to media next to 10 Downing Street in London, Thursday, July 7, 2022

© AP Photo / Alberto Pezzali

Irish political commentator Finian Cunningham also saw the UK's hostile policies to Russia in subservience to the United States as certain to continue.

"With Johnson out, however, I don't see much improvement in UK policies towards Russia or China. The British establishment is in lockstep with US imperial warmongering towards Russia and China. Boris is a clown but the circus goes on with the same ringmasters," he said.

Cunningham also agreed with Ford that nothing would change even if Starmer and his Labour Party took over.

NATO Stooge

"That goes for the Labour puppet Keir Starmer. He is a NATO stooge just as much as Johnson only with tidier hairstyle, suits and prose," he said.

The UK would also remain committed to its policy on the Irish problem, Cunningham continued.

"I don't see much improvement in Irish relations either. The Irish question will always remain problematic as long as Britain continues its interference in Ireland's national rights in the form of its imposed border and partition of the island. The only viable and righteous solution is a united Ireland. No British politician on today's scene has the intelligence, understanding, or principles to conclude that," he said.

Nevertheless, Johnson's departure is to be welcomed, Cunningham assessed.

'Madcap, Fleeting Moment In British History'

None of Johnson's claimed successes would either endure or pass scrutiny in future, Cunningham believes.

"Legacy: a conman and charlatan who inflicted British people with his arrogance and incompetence. Like many overrated things, Johnson will be soon forgotten and remembered only if at all with a bemused smile as a madcap, fleeting moment in British political history," he said.

Johnson had been grappling with calls to resign after a series of revelations showed that several social gatherings were held at his offices throughout 2021, flouting COVID-19 social distancing rules.

The situation was aggravated by the reports that two more parties were held on April 16 last year, right before Prince Philip's funeral, when the UK still maintained COVID-19 restrictions and was in national mourning. Johnson later apologized and said he had paid the fine issued by the Metropolitan Police.

Nevertheless, Johnson was taken down by another scandal. He was accused of being in the know of sexual misconduct allegations against Christopher Pincher, while still appointing him as deputy chief whip of the Conservative Party. Pincher resigned in late June over allegations that he groped two men at a private members' club.