Johnson’s EU grand tour leads nowhere

Despite the smiles and bonhomie on Boris Johnson’s trip to Europe last week, it was clear that the European leaders were not for turning

Boris Johnson told Angela Merkel that she had set a ‘blistering timetable’ of 30 days Picture: Getty

Boris Johnson was thrown under a bus when he went to visit German chancellor Angela Merkel in Berlin last week. And while he picked himself up and smiled to conceal the bruising, he then flew on to Paris to repeat the experience with French president Emmanuel Macron. No amount of fancy talk or fake smiles will change the cold reality of Johnson’s first European road trip.

He was like a small boy in ...