‘I’m glad he’s gone’ – Birmingham voters give their verdict as Boris Johnson steps down

Shoppers and workers in the centre of Birmingham had mixed views on whether Boris Johnson had done a good job as Prime Minister, and even some of his own supporters described him as a liar.

Voters crossing the square around the city’s St Philip’s Cathedral included Stephen Petts, originally from the Lake District, who now lives in France.

The 69-year-old told the PA news agency: “I will remember him as an out-and-out liar. He’s a farce. The guy is a liability. He’s not to be trusted. Since he’s been Prime Minister he’s just proved that he is a liar.

“He only thinks about himself and he thinks he’s invincible. Well he isn’t.” Mr Petts added: “I live in France. Over there people laugh about Boris Johnson – just what an idiot is. Brexit has been a disaster for the UK in my view, looking at it from the outside. I’m proud to be British but what Boris Johnson has done is absolutely destroyed the reputation of the UK.”

‘He had no option left’

Jonathan Galbraith said he had a bit of sympathy for the Prime Minister but conceded that he had no option but to resign.

He said: “He perhaps always had his shortcomings. He had his qualities as well, but at the end of the day it just wasn’t going to work.

“I think it’s probably fair to say that after all the resignations of this week, he had no option left.”

Passer-by Donna Shipstone agreed it was time for the Tory leader to step down.

She said: “He’s lost the opinion of all the country really.

“I don’t know if he’s told lies as such. I think he’s perhaps not been fully in the picture.

“So he’s just done the best he can. He’s done a good job really getting us through Brexit, getting us through Covid.

“But his time’s come to go now. It was always going to end in a shambles – this is Boris we are talking about.

“It’s been chaotic at times but I think he did the job he was meant to do – and now it’s time for him to move on.”

Rollie Wilson, who was sitting on a bench in the square, said: “Boris going was inevitable with all that’s gone he didn’t stand a chance.

“What he has done for the country has been good but unfortunately you have got to have standards and he didn’t have the standards to stay in power.

“He is a liar. I don’t think he understands the difference between truth and lies.”

Speaking near Birmingham’s Snow Hill station, health worker Emma Mason said: “I think he’s stuck to his guns and fought to the end but I think now he’s probably exhausted and he needs to go definitely.

“It’s a mess that we’re in really.

“He’s had a massive job to take on – there is elements where he’s been OK.”

But Ms Mason added: “He’s lied to us. He’s done partygate. He’s proven himself to be not an honest Prime Minister.

“I am glad he’s gone, definitely.”

Asked for her view of partygate, Ms Mason said: “Absolutely disgusting, absolutely terrible.

“I think deep down we kind of knew there was stuff going on.

“All these families were losing family members. The funerals… and that Queen moment where she was sat on her own for her husband’s death. That really hit a nerve.

“I think all that was absolutely disgusting. It was a tough time when they were all just drinking wine and having their best life. I’m glad he’s gone.”

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