header-logo header-logo

Home Login E-newsletter About us

All Out War (Pt V): The irrepressible rise of the Father of Lies

© Copyright LexisNexis 2025. All Rights Reserved.
02 January 2020
Categories: Features , Brexit
printer mail-detail
It is no accident that Brexit has proved to be so politically toxic & divisive

I could not dig; I dared not rob:
Therefore I lied to please the mob.
Now all my lies are proved untrue
And I must face the men I slew.
What tale shall serve me here among
Mine angry and defrauded young?

A Dead Statesman, Rudyard Kipling

There is now a website dedicated to documenting the falsehoods that Boris Johnson has relied upon as he has deployed his “irrepressible knack for failing upwards” during the Brexit process (boris-johnson-lies.com). The list is already an impressive length, kicking off with Vote Leave’s controversial 2016 EU referendum slogan “We send the EU £350 million a week, let’s fund the NHS instead”.  Dmitry Grozoubinski, a commentator on the international trade aspects of Brexit policy has stated: “The Johnson Government now has to deliver the Brexit it promised voters. Moreover, it must do so without the excuse of being hamstrung by Parliament or the rhetorical trump

If you are not a subscriber, subscribe now to read this content
If you are already a subscriber sign in
...or Register for two weeks' free access to subscriber content

MOVERS & SHAKERS

Read All
Sponsored by
Quillon Law—Neil Dooley

Quillon Law—Neil Dooley

Disputes firm expands fraud and investigations practice with partner hire

Charles Russell Speechlys—Vadim Romanoff

Charles Russell Speechlys—Vadim Romanoff

Firm strengthens corporate tax and incentives team with partner hire

Burges Salmon—Gary Delderfield & Alec Bennett

Burges Salmon—Gary Delderfield & Alec Bennett

Partner and senior associate join pensions team

NEWS
Read All
NLJ this week: Delegation or dereliction?
Mazur v Charles Russell Speechlys [2025] EWHC 2341 (KB) has restated a fundamental truth, writes John Gould, chair of Russell-Cooke, in this week's NLJ: only authorised persons can conduct litigation. The decision sparked alarm, but Gould stresses it merely confirms the Legal Services Act 2007
NLJ this week: FCA faces its toughest test yet
The government’s decision to make the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) the Single Professional Services Supervisor marks a watershed in the UK’s fight against money laundering, says Rebecca Hughes of Corker Binning in this week's NLJ. The FCA will now oversee 60,000 firms across legal and accountancy sectors—a massive expansion of remit that raises questions over resources and readiness 
NLJ this week: Instructing the right expert
The High Court's decision in Parfitt v Jones [2025] EWHC 1552 (Ch) provided a striking reminder of the need to instruct the right expert in retrospective capacity assessments, says Ann Stanyer of Wedlake Bell in NLJ this week
NLJ this week: Striking back at SLAPPs
Paige Coulter of Quinn Emanuel reports on the UK’s first statutory definition of SLAPPs under the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023, in NLJ this week
NLJ this week: When high rates fall flat
In this week's NLJ, Sophie Houghton of LexisPSL distils the key lesson from recent costs cases: if you want to exceed guideline hourly rates (GHR), you must prove why
Copyright © 2025 LexisNexis
back-to-top-scroll