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Liam O'Dell
Jul 09, 2022
Related video: Madame Tussauds trolls Boris Johnson after resignation
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At the end of one of the wildest weeks in politics – complete with mass resignations, Boris Johnson finally stepping down as prime minister and a new education minister giving the public the middle finger – loyalist MP Peter Bone has been handed a ministerial role.
Yes, really.
As Mr Johnson rushed to fill the remaining vacancies in his “caretaker” government on Friday, he decided to give the Wellingborough MP the job of deputy leader of the House of Commons.
Mr Bone will now support the current Commons leader Mark Spencer in a position last occupied by paymaster general Michael Ellis QC MP from 2016 to 2018.
The decision by the outgoing PM to bring back the old role has since raised eyebrows on social media, as people can’t quite believe the depths to which this crumbling Tory government will sink.
Then again, this week has been pretty unbelievable as a whole.
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\u201cThe historic moment that Peter Bone becomes deputy leader of the Commons\n\nTruly the government of all the talentless\u201d— John Crace (@John Crace) 1657298362
\u201cPeter Bone is a minister. There\u2019s no depths satire can\u2019t reach\u201d— Chris Bryant (@Chris Bryant) 1657298592
\u201cLadies and gentlemen, Peter Bone is a minister\u201d— Tim Shipman (@Tim Shipman) 1657298246
\u201cPeter Bone is a minister and it\u2019s not even one of the 10 funniest moments in British politics this week\u201d— Jim Pickard (@Jim Pickard) 1657300084
\u201cPeter Bone dep leader of the commons. We are into the panto season early\u201d— Mark Copsey \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\udde6 \ud83d\udc1f (@Mark Copsey \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\udde6 \ud83d\udc1f) 1657299055
\u201cBoris Johnson's appointment of Peter Bone, to a paid ministerial job that didn't exist before today, is a clear sign if it were needed that his upcoming resignation honours are going to be absolutely shameless\u201d— Adam Bienkov (@Adam Bienkov) 1657300340
\u201cPeter Bone *and* Andrea Jenkyns in government. Truly, Britain is blessed.\u201d— jon henley (@jon henley) 1657314342
\u201cFuck me, I just saw Peter Bone is now a minister. Jeez.\u201d— Prof Paul Bernal (@Prof Paul Bernal) 1657313864
\u201cPeter Bone is a minister. London has fallen.\u201d— James Oh Brien (@James Oh Brien) 1657299106
Mr Bone’s appointment was announced alongside several junior ministerial appointments, including Andrea Jenkyns becoming a minister over at the Department for Education.
This would be pretty unremarkable news for us to report on, if she hadn’t made a rude gesture at protestors on her way into Downing Street, and made a bizarre address to the public on her way out.
The ultra-loyalist West Yorkshire MP, who is part of the European Security Committee, appeared to tell the crowd on Thursday: “Those who laugh last, laugh loudest.”
“Wait and see,” she added.
Yes, this MP is now partly responsible for the education of our country’s children – at least she’s getting a sense for the people she represents by making childish remarks to the general public.
And lord knows we’ve already done a lot of waiting, Andrea.
The former Mayor of London confirmed on Thursday that a timetable for selecting his replacement as Conservative Party leader – and thus, the new prime minister – will be announced “next week”.
“I’ve appointed a cabinet to serve, as I will, until the new leader is in place,” he said.
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