Boris Johnson compared to rambling uncle at wedding for error-filled NI border explanation

The prime minister entered into a rambling and erroneous explanation of his deal’s border processes after the local party vice president asked him whether there would be checks on goods between the UK and Northern Ireland.

The explanation, which wandered across tariffs, potato crisps, and Jeremy Corbyn, went viral after the host organisation, Manufacturing NI, shared it “without comment”.

As listeners shuffled their feet and looked decidedly awkward, Johnson laboured his way through his explanation before promising that “there will not be checks”.

“And the great thing that’s been misunderstood about this is there will not be checks, there will not be checks, I speak as the prime minister of the United Kingdom, and a passionate unionist, there will not be checking on goods going from Northern Ireland to Great Britain.”

The video is shared without comment for obvious reasons!
— Manufacturing NI (@ManufacturingNI) November 7, 2019
 

The deal states there will be checks on goods going from Northern Ireland to Great Britain.

The prime minister also continued to claim that the EU had agreed because he had threatened to leave without a deal, despite the fact that the Benn Act had made this impossible; before veering to an attack on Jeremy Corbyn.

This was good enough for NI Tory Vice president Irwin Armstrong, who tweeted that the explanation was “a relief”, but he seemed to be the only one.

He tweeted: “PM Boris Johnson confirms at NI Conservatives event this evening that there will not be duties, paperwork or form filling on goods produced in NI going to GB. This is a relief to many local companies who make small shipments to GB.

Trade and customs expert Dr Anna Jerzewska tweeted at Manufacturing NI: “I hope there is someone within your organisation who can explain to you why this is not the case.”

Manufacturing NI responded: “The video is shared with comment for obvious reasons!”

It wasn’t just the untruths that aroused comment on social media.

Twitter user Paul Talbot said: “Non-family member makes miscalculated impromptu speech at wedding reception.”

While another Twitter user Arun Joshi said: “That uncomfortable silence when a distant uncle drinks too much at a family gathering and won’t shut up.”

Broadcaster Toby Earle said: “You’re at a wedding & a boozed-up uncle starts making a rambling speech & everyone is too transfixed to intervene.”