France’s former ambassador in blistering attack on Boris ‘Lies as instrument of power’

Boris Johnson is an 'opportunist' says Bermann

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Speaking to France24 on Tuesday, Sylvie Bermann, who was France’s ambassador to the UK until 2017 and authored the book “Goodbye Britannia”, launched a blistering attack on Boris Johnson. In her book, she claimed the Prime Minister had been using misinformation as an “instrument of power” since before the Brexit referendum. Ms Bermann continued in her attack labelling Mr Johnson as someone who was “not supposed to be a Brexiteer”.

The former diplomat added: “He was not supposed to be a Brexiteer.

“Of course we know what he wrote when he was in Brussels as the correspondent of the Telegraph what was called the Euro myth.

“It was an invention, of course, it showed that the EU was absurd and so on.”

Ms Bermann branded the Prime Minister as an “unrepentant liar” in the interview along with a string of attacks on his character.

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The former French diplomat also suggested that Mr Johnson “lies as an instrument of power” and suggested:  “I think he wanted to be PM, that was his aim.”

She added: “So when you have such a politician (as Johnson) of course it legitimises what was before the position of Farage.”

Her comments come as Europe spirals further into a vaccine crisis which earlier this week resulted in the suspension of the AstraZeneca vaccine.

The bloc feared the jab is causing blood clots despite clear messages from the World Health Organization (WHO) and the European Medicines Agency (EMA) saying there is no indication of a link between the vaccine and blood clots.

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In a statement to EU leaders, Health Commissioner Stella Kyriakidis urged member states to meet their vaccination targets as the bloc continues to lag behind the UK, US and Israel.

 Europe also faces the threat of a backlash from the Netherlands in the countries elections this week.

The Dutch will use the vote as both a referendum on PM Mark Rutte’s handling of the pandemic but it will also be an opportunity for them to express their feelings towards the EU.

In an earlier interview with Euronews, Maria Demertzis, from think-tank Bruegel said: “The UK departure has really meant that the Dutch have lost an ally in the way they think and operate (within the EU).

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Ms Demertzis added: “With the UK gone a very important voice is going within all matters European.

“There is only now a Franco-German agreement that is required in the EU for things to progress.”

She continued to voice her concern that this Franco-German voice would be “all it takes and others will not be heard” in decision making and therefore this issue will be a key focus of the Dutch elections.

She added that as a result, the Dutch at the election will “want to make sure that others are also listened to (in the EU).”

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