Hopping on the criticism train, former prime minister Gordon Brown bombarded the government of the incumbent PM with criticism.
Not only did he touch upon the acute economic and social issues, but also offered an unpleasant Peppa Pig flashback.
'War' With America?
Speaking with Sky News's Beth Rigby Interviews, Brown took issue with Johnson's government, particularly focusing on the approach to the Northern Ireland Protocol.
"We're at war with America over Ireland because America will not sign a trade treaty with Britain as long as we cannot sort out the issues related to Ireland," Brown said.
His remarks come in the wake of London's plans to tear up the Northern Ireland Protocol, unilaterally introducing amendments to the deal that helped avoid a hard border with Northern Ireland. The UK's intention to change the agreement have been slammed by US President Joe Biden, with several prominent UK figures, including former PM Theresa May, also weighing in on the criticism.
The Northern Ireland Protocol plans also did not help with reviving the stalled free trade agreement with the United States - one of Britain's most anticipated aspirations after leaving the European Union.
The legislation looking to amend the Northern Ireland Protocol has already passed its first Commons hurdle.
According to Brown, the move to change the protocol will further affect trade relations with the US, as well as with the European Union.
"And that's very much part of our future because if we cannot export to the leading markets in the world, and cannot do so successfully with these new industries and new technologies, then the cost-of-living crisis will be with us for years and not just temporarily," Brown continued.
Cost of Living Crisis
With the lack of a trade deal fueling the economic hardships faced by the country, Johnson's government does not "seem to have a clue" on how to tackle the cost of living, Brown claimed.
"You cannot go through a winter when people are being asked to take the biggest cut in their standards of living in 50 years and not ask people to understand what you're trying to do, and give them a plan for what do we do."
The former PM noted that lack of government action on important issues may undermined Britain's reputation in the world.
"I think Britain has got to be very careful that we have got respect in the world because we are a country that has valued the rule of law, democracy, freedom, liberty," he said. "If we appear to be riding roughshod over treaties that we've agreed to sign, over laws we've asked other countries to sign up to, over rules that historically all British governments have accepted… then it is difficult to persuade other countries to listen to the advice that we're giving."
Going further into the economic crisis faced by the UK, Brown took a dig at the Bank of England, chastising it over lack of action to help the country "get back to stable prices", noting that "stable prices may be 2% or 3% or 4%."
"But to get there they've got show us a pathway to it - and unless there's a pathway then people will be excused for thinking inflation could be 11% this year, 12% next year or 13% the year after - and the Bank of England has not done that."
In wake of harsh anti-Russian sanctions imposed against Moscow over its military operation in Ukraine, Britain's annual inflation hit 9.1%. Naturally, it fueled the already rising cost of living, but Johnson still pledged to continue with the sanctions and military aid to Ukraine.
A Blast From the Past
Brown also noted that the incumbent PM had "talked about Peppa Pig instead of talking about an industrial strategy," referencing the infamous CBI speech last November, in which Johnson offered his accolades for Hampshire’s Peppa Pig World. He was widely mocked after the speech over being "unprofessional" and lacking "seriousness".
With Johnson currently facing mounting calls to resign amid his alleged lies about the "partygate" scandal and Tories' by-election loss, Brown said he would "caution Boris Johnson against going further, if you like, in ignoring the rule of law."