Keeping promises is a hard thing for politicians - sometimes it seems that Lars Von Trier is more likely to direct a romantic comedy than a politician will manage to keep their campaign promises. However, no official has been in quite such a predicament as UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson. In September, he said he "would rather be dead in a ditch" than request that the European Union delay Brexit - and lo and behold, on 19 October he sent a letter to Brussels seeking an extension to Brexit. Netizens rushed to accuse the extravagant politician of failing to make good on his promises.
Boris Johnson found dead in a ditch outside Parliament. #BrexitVote pic.twitter.com/6fWS5f9HWG
— Eileen Foster (@EileenC_Foster) October 19, 2019
REVEALED: Boris Johnson's latest genius ruse to avoid requesting a Brexit extension. #BrexitCrisis pic.twitter.com/4goQpZQOsB
— HallowEan Burnett (@garwboy) October 19, 2019
Despite the fact that Johnson was forced into a corner, he is continuing to fight back. Johnson sent a photocopy of the letter with a request to delay Brexit, which he did not sign, while at the same time he sent a letter in which he stressed that prolonging Brexit is damaging for both London and Brussels. The news of the unsigned letter stirred the pot.
Summary: Downing Street sends letter requesting extension (and other pieces of paper) to EU... pic.twitter.com/4Wos4nlwAu
— David Blevins (@skydavidblevins) October 20, 2019
Downing Street:
— David Schneider (@davidschneider) October 20, 2019
We won’t sign the letter. We’ll photocopy it. We’ll attach other letters. That’ll confuse everyone. No-one will be able to act on the letter. We’ll have won!
EU: https://t.co/XChz3mMsUq
Some users suggested that this strategy could be used in other ways – to pay the 39 billion pound Brexit divorce deal or file tax returns.
Can we get away with sending an unsigned cheque for £39bn to the EU? #AskingForAFriend #BrexitDeal #borisletter
— Kevin (@KevinTheSwan) October 19, 2019
Gotta send a cheque to HMRC if I don't sign it i'm sure that will be okay #borisletter
— Karl (@MarxRight) October 20, 2019
Other users said they would use Johnson’s strategy when signing Christmas cards.
This year, I’m going to apply Boris Johnson’s EU extension letter method to Christmas cards. pic.twitter.com/KJmfTHTy55
— Dan Rebellato (@DanRebellato) October 20, 2019
Still others were furious over a grammar mistake that the prime minister made in the letter to the EU.
Boris Johnson should be taken to court just for getting this apostrophe wrong. pic.twitter.com/sM8fe7PpDT
— Dave Rich (@daverich1) October 20, 2019
There is a lot that is wrong with Johnson's letter to the EU, but the use of an apostrophe to pluralise a word is unforgivable. pic.twitter.com/x2MpAuSwbd
— James Connolly (@DrJamesConnolly) October 20, 2019
