Editorial Monday 27 June 2016: Serial liar Boris Johnson - the Frank Sidebottom of Conservative politics

The ramifications of the advisory referendum on leaving the EU continue to manifest themselves as an heroic act of political and economic self-harm.

It is wholly clear that the Leave campaigns' leaders have simply no plan whatsoever.

Serial liar and willing accomplice in ABH Boris Johnson clearly fancies his chances as 'world king', or at least Tory party leader.

The BoJo Show's new Telegraph column today exemplifies La Rouchefoucauld's line that 'hypocrisy is the homage vice pays to virtue': he asserts  "It is said that those who voted Leave were mainly driven by anxieties about immigration. I do not believe that is so. After meeting thousands of people in the course of the campaign, I can tell you that the number one issue was control – a sense that British democracy was being undermined by the EU system, and that we should restore to the people that vital power: to kick out their rulers at elections, and to choose new ones" .

This is breathtaking bullshit.

'Oh, but it's Boris! He's so FUNNY!

'He does that thing with his hair! And jokes in Latin!

'And get's stuck on zipwires!

'Boris is a legend!

'And he's funny.'

Let's get this straight: Boris Johnson isn't funny. Check out Matthew Parris' eloquent deconstruction and Nick Cohen's bravura analysis.

No, demonstrable serial liar Boris Johnson isn't funny. He's the Frank Sidebottom of Conservative politics: a cartoon character with a huge head and swollen self-importance, with the vaguest of roots in reality.

Oh, and anyone who took the £350 million a week for the NHS bullshit seriously has been comprehensively had.

Now worrying reports are emerging of racism being empowered, if not legitimised by the referendum result.

The NHS relies hugely on overseas staff; has done for decades.

So does social care: the 2015 'Moved To Care' report shows that:
"1 in 5 of the adult social care workforce (18.4%) in England was born outside of the United Kingdom, which includes 150,000 working in residential care homes and 81,000 working in adult domiciliary care

"Non-EU migrants account for the greatest proportion of migrants working in adult social care – approximately 1 in every 7 care workers (191,000 people)

"Greater London is particularly reliant on migrant care workers with nearly 3 in 5 of its adult social care workforce (59%) born abroad

"For the most recent migrant workers joining the social care sector, the top five countries of birth are India, Poland, the Philippines, Romania and Nigeria


"Approximately 1.45 million people work in the adult social care sector in England, but it is already struggling to recruit and retain staff.  Nearly 1 in 20 (4.8%) of positions in adult social care in England are currently vacant – nearly twice the vacancy rate in UK’s labour force as a whole (2.6%). The Care Quality Commission recently warned of the effect of staff shortages on the safety and quality of social care provision."

So if the racist upswing sees even small shifts in either sector's staff leaving the NHS and the UK, that will probably trigger the NHS crisis to end all NHS crises.

More later on Labour's nervous breakdown, if time allows.