Former UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson has revealed that he struggled to understand the accents of some SNP MPs during his time in the House of Commons. The Tory leader admitted that he would often make up answers to questions posed by SNP members, providing “very, very general” responses. In a recent interview with former MP Gyles Brandreth for the Rosebud podcast, Johnson shared insights from his days in parliament.
Reflecting on his school days, Johnson mentioned being a bit deaf due to glue ear, a common condition at the time. However, he claimed that he had no signs of deafness today. When it came to understanding certain SNP MPs in the House of Commons, Johnson confessed to sometimes struggling, especially with the questions posed by members of the Scottish Nationalist Party. In response, he would offer broad, general answers to navigate through the exchanges.
SNP MP Stephen Gethins highlighted that the challenge of understanding each other might have been mutual, as he found it difficult to grasp Johnson’s policies that he felt left everyone worse off. Gethins pointed out the divergence between the SNP’s pursuit of progressive ideas and Boris Johnson’s Conservative Party, which was perceived as becoming more aligned with English nationalism and the hard right.
Another SNP MP, Pete Wishart, expressed a lack of surprise at Johnson’s admission, stating that many believed Johnson often improvised his responses. Wishart emphasised that while Johnson may have struggled with Scottish accents, the people of Scotland struggled with his leadership, characterising it as chaotic and damaging, particularly in relation to Brexit.
In summary, Boris Johnson’s admission sheds light on the challenges he faced in understanding SNP MPs in the House of Commons and the broader disconnect between the policies of the Conservative Party and those of the Scottish Nationalist Party. The revelation underscores the complexities of communication and differing perspectives within the UK political landscape.