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Conservative party leadership candidates Boris Johnson and Jeremy Hunt during their latest head-to-head debate PA Wire/PA Images

Boris Johnson and Jeremy Hunt hit out at 'un-British' Donald Trump tweets in final leadership debate

Both men met in another leadership debate today.

THE TWO CANDIDATES who are vying to become Britain’s next prime minister both condemned US President Donald Trump’s tweets about progressive Democrat congresswomen as “totally offensive” and “totally unacceptable”.

But front-runner Boris Johnson and Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt refused to call the tweets racist when pressed to do so during their last debate before next week’s announcement of who will succeed current Prime Minister Theresa May.

May’s spokesman had earlier said that the outgoing leader’s view was that Trump’s comments were “completely unacceptable”.

Trump’s doubled-down on a series of tweets from Sunday today, when he urged the four congresswomen of colour to “go back” to the countries they came from.

“If you’re not happy here, you can leave,” Trump told reporters at the White House.

Johnson said the original tweets expressed sentiments “that went out decades and decades ago”.

“I think the relations between the UK and US are incredibly important,” he said.

“But if you are the leader of a great multiracial, multicultural society, you simply cannot use that kind of language about sending people back where they came from.

“It’s totally unacceptable and I agree with the prime minister.”

Trump has developed a good relationship with Johnson and backs both his leadership bid and determination to take Britain out of EU.

Pressed by the moderator to call Trump’s tweets racist, Johnson said: “I’ve said what I said.”

Hunt recalled that he had three half-ethnically Chinese children who are British citizens.

“If anyone said to them, go back to China, I would be utterly appalled,” Hunt said. “It is totally un-British to say that.”

Pressed to call the comments racist, Hunt signalled that he would have were he not Britain’s chief diplomat.

“Look, I am foreign secretary, this is the president of a country which happens to be our closest ally and so it is not gonna help the situation to use that kind of language about the president of the United States,” Hunt said.

“I can understand how many people of this country would want me to use those words, and would feel that sentiment,” he added.

“But I hope I have made absolutely clear how totally offensive it is to me that people are still saying that kind of thing.”

The winner of the ballot will be announced on 23 July. The new prime minister formally assumes office the following day.

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    Mute Noel
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    Jul 15th 2019, 10:12 PM

    What if you are a Native American and you are not happy with the way your country is being run?
    Do you deport Donald back to Germany?

    304
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    Mute William Lees
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    Jul 15th 2019, 9:41 PM

    We are all ‘people of colour’.

    108
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    Mute GrahamMManning
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    Jul 15th 2019, 10:31 PM

    @William Lees: “all lives matter” too huh?

    33
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    Mute Gavin Scott
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    Jul 15th 2019, 10:36 PM

    @William Lees: until they are elected. Free for all then ensues in true Trump fashion. Un-impeachable and no real route from A to brexit. A to B seems like a stretch.

    13
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    Mute Alan Currie
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    Jul 15th 2019, 10:30 PM

    I’m not religious but if I was I wish god would intervene now and say “right that’s enough Internet for you earthlings!” and just turn it off. I doubt the long term psychological effects of humans and social media will be positive.

    56
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    Mute Graham Wilson
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    Jul 15th 2019, 9:38 PM

    The only people who don’t think the Tweets are racist are Trump and his moron supporters, who are, surprise surprise, racists themselves.

    246
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    Mute Alonzo Margate
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    Jul 15th 2019, 9:42 PM

    @Graham Wilson: And you don’t like Boris either?

    20
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    Mute Diaspora'd
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    Jul 15th 2019, 9:51 PM

    @Alonzo Margate: Would you think it normal to go out on the street and tell someone to “go back” to the “crime infested places from which they came”?

    Simple question?

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    Mute Alonzo Margate
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    Jul 15th 2019, 9:55 PM

    @Diaspora’d: No, not really. But I’ve heard similar comments made here – for example, in Ballaghaderen, where the government decided to house hundreds of immigrants.

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    Mute Alonzo Margate
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    Jul 15th 2019, 10:00 PM

    @Diaspora’d: Simple answer….

    7
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    Mute Diaspora'd
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    Jul 15th 2019, 10:02 PM

    @Alonzo Margate: Did Ireland’s President or head of the government come out with a racially charged statement like Trump’s, aimed at dividing and turning people against each other based along racial and ethnic lines?

    75
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    Mute TellingItAsItIs
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    Jul 15th 2019, 10:06 PM

    @Alonzo Margate: “No, not really” you say yet you support this animal?

    36
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    Mute Alonzo Margate
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    Jul 15th 2019, 10:07 PM

    @Diaspora’d: Apart from the fact that the world wouldn’t notice if they had – isn’t POTUS entitled to say what he chooses, whether you like it or not?

    12
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    Mute Diarmuid Hunt
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    Jul 15th 2019, 10:14 PM

    @Alonzo Margate: Yup but he’s not ‘entitled’ to be POTUS, that is circumstantial.

    36
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    Mute Alonzo Margate
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    Jul 15th 2019, 10:16 PM

    @Diarmuid Hunt: Not elected then?

    7
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    Mute Diarmuid Hunt
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    Jul 15th 2019, 10:20 PM

    @Alonzo Margate: Glad you went for that line, of course he is elected, he is not entitled to that position. He has been elected, that doesn’t mean he gets to do and say whatever he likes and retain that position.Look up the meaning of entitled.

    43
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    Mute Alonzo Margate
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    Jul 15th 2019, 10:26 PM

    @Diarmuid Hunt: That’s your view. Who’s going to stop him – nobody so far?!

    8
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    Mute Diarmuid Hunt
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    Jul 15th 2019, 10:30 PM

    @Alonzo Margate: Nope, that’s reality, not about feelings or perspective. Being the POTUS does not give you the entitlement to say whatever you want and retain the position. I’m not saying that what he has said so far is enough to impeach him, but there is a line that if he crosses it he will be impeached, he is not entitled to say whatever he wants, I ask you again to look up the word entitled and not use it so frivolously.

    37
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    Mute Alonzo Margate
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    Jul 15th 2019, 10:34 PM

    @Diarmuid Hunt: Don’t patronise; I know the word’s meaning. Answer my question.

    8
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    Mute Diaspora'd
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    Jul 15th 2019, 10:34 PM

    @Alonzo Margate: Normally a President is elected to lead and unite the country. Trump is a populist that got elected by fearmongering convincing his base to be afraid of those ethnically and racially different. Convincing them to build walls and impose travel bans.

    In the coarsest way he generalized and called Mexicans r@pists, he called Muslim people terr0rists. His comments attract the most right wing supremacist support

    Statistically crime and immigration has actually decreased in the last 15 years yet he has been able to racebait and scaremonger his base into believing this not to be the case

    60
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    Mute Declan Leonard
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    Jul 15th 2019, 10:36 PM

    @Alonzo Margate: you’ve spent time in “Ballaghaderen” ?

    18
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    Mute Alonzo Margate
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    Jul 15th 2019, 10:37 PM

    @Diaspora’d: Unemployment, taxation, inflation, immigration is down too. More employed than ever – and GDP up. Yes – an awful fool¡¡

    9
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    Mute Diarmuid Hunt
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    Jul 15th 2019, 10:40 PM

    @Alonzo Margate: Who’s going to stop him, you want that answered, sorry I can’t tell the future, he may never be impeached. I was pointing out the fallacy of the statement ” he is the POTUS he entitled to say whatever he likes whether you like it or not”. I’m not patronising, if you make a statement like that you are showing that either you don’t know the meaning of the word entitled or you think that Trump inherently deserves to be POTUS regardless of his words and actions, I chose the lesser of the two blunders to attribute to you.

    26
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    Mute Alonzo Margate
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    Jul 15th 2019, 10:49 PM

    @Diarmuid Hunt: Please read what I typed. It was a question – not a statement! Good night, dimbo.

    6
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    Mute Diaspora'd
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    Jul 15th 2019, 10:49 PM

    @Alonzo Margate: After the previous GOP administration, the economy was already on a trajectory upwards 2 years into Obama’s presidency.

    You’ve not been able to answer it before, but why did Trump always call the Fed’s positive economic statistics when Obama was president as fake news and ‘bogus’, yet now he quotes them like their gospel truth, the same reports from the same agencies?

    48
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    Mute Andrew Dillon
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    Jul 15th 2019, 10:50 PM

    @Alonzo Margate: the US’s national debt is up also.

    31
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    Mute Diarmuid Hunt
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    Jul 15th 2019, 10:51 PM

    @Alonzo Margate: It was quite obviously a rhetorical question, but thanks for trying to worm your way out of it and not stand by the sentiment of what you said, quite enjoyable to watch.

    28
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    Mute Alonzo Margate
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    Jul 15th 2019, 10:56 PM

    @Diaspora’d: How the b l e e e p do I know? You don’t dispute any of my economic points though.

    2
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    Mute Alonzo Margate
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    Jul 15th 2019, 10:57 PM

    @Andrew Dillon: Correct.

    2
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    Mute GrahamMManning
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    Jul 15th 2019, 11:00 PM

    @Alonzo Margate: what they collect from taxation is certainly down cos he has given himself and his richer mates a tax break. Immigration is following the trend started at the end of Bushs term, continued throughout Obama’s and into Trumpys (no it hasn’t increased under him) so not a orange victory. Yawn…normally I’d go pt for pt debunking ya but what’s the pt? Ull just spout fake news, ignore facts and repeat urself ltr like it never happened. Ur insulated, fact free/skewed, tangerine world must be kinda comforting I guess. Njoy

    33
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    Mute Alonzo Margate
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    Jul 15th 2019, 11:05 PM

    @GrahamMManning: If only you could mature, spell, work – and control your primal urge to insult. And having – to have so journal names¡¡

    3
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    Mute Graham Wilson
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    Jul 15th 2019, 11:07 PM

    @Alonzo Margate: ^^^^ gargled.

    16
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    Mute Diaspora'd
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    Jul 15th 2019, 11:11 PM

    @Alonzo Margate: I don’t dispute them? How do you know they are not fake and bogus like Trump said they were before?

    21
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    Mute Diarmuid Hunt
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    Jul 15th 2019, 11:12 PM

    @Alonzo Margate: Also all these single thumbs up, anyone ever tell you self-praise is no praise? I’d rather stand by 0 thumbs believing I’m right than be so insecure as to have to give myself a thumbs up to comfort my ego.

    26
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    Mute GrahamMManning
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    Jul 15th 2019, 11:15 PM

    @Graham Wilson: ah other Graham ya beat me to it. Mature? No thanks, over-rated and dull. Spell? After that post ya really wanna go there? Mine are, largely, deliberate. Please tell me that mess wasn’t? Work? Will do. At the end of August and not before. Jealousy will get ya giggled at. Only respond to insults with same and truth. As ever please tell me who else I am, tis well funny.

    5
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    Mute GrahamMManning
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    Jul 15th 2019, 11:16 PM

    @Diarmuid Hunt: there’s one for ya

    4
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    Mute GrahamMManning
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    Jul 15th 2019, 11:17 PM

    @Diarmuid Hunt: agreed but there’s one for ya anyway.

    5
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    Mute Barra O Brien
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    Jul 16th 2019, 2:44 AM

    @Alonzo Margate: Not really? Whatabouttery ensues. That’s all you do here.

    7
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    Mute Anthony Doyle
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    Jul 16th 2019, 3:15 AM

    @Alonzo Margate: would you shout fire on a packed airplane

    6
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    Mute Rob Cahill
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    Jul 16th 2019, 11:00 AM

    @Alonzo Margate: We are blue in the face disputing them, You still repeat them every chance you get. Tax is up for most working class people and the unemployment figures are because people are working 2 or 3 jobs to make ends meet. The GDP would be up if a cat was in the whitehouse.

    4
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    Mute Al.Dunne
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    Jul 16th 2019, 11:45 AM

    @Graham Wilson: where were all these racists when they voted Obama in Twice?

    Just came out of the forest to vote trump I take it!

    2
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    Mute Gary Kearney
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    Jul 16th 2019, 12:14 PM

    @Alonzo Margate: Tax cuts for he rich. Medicare and Medicaid being destroyed, veterans homeless. Fracking been accepted/ Pollution rising and don’t forget Clean Coal!!!
    The gains made were made from 8 years of good financial management which the GOP never do.

    1
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    Mute Jake Kelly
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    Jul 15th 2019, 10:37 PM

    Telling someone to go back to where they came from is Un-British, the British way used to be to where these people came from, take over and make the natives lives miserable

    88
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    Mute GrahamMManning
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    Jul 15th 2019, 10:41 PM

    @Jake Kelly: operative words in your sentence “used to be”

    19
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    Mute Cal Mooney
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    Jul 16th 2019, 11:27 AM

    @GrahamMManning: Apparently the UN has demanded that the english leave the Island in the Indian ocean (You know the one where they ethnically cleansed the island in 1967). The english are arguing that they were within their rights to clean the Island of its indiginous population. Operative words, the english ARE refusing to return the Island to the indiginous population.

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    Mute GrahamMManning
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    Jul 16th 2019, 11:42 AM

    @Cal Mooney: tis a bit more complicated than that but…yeah ok ur rite. Clocks twice a day and all that. Why not occasionally apply the same logic to non Brit bashing topics?

    4
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    Mute Just Some Guy
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    Jul 15th 2019, 10:14 PM

    I’m no fan of Donald Trump but he doesn’t care if he offends people. He never turns around and apologise for his comments.

    26
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    Mute TellingItAsItIs
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    Jul 15th 2019, 10:24 PM

    @Just Some Guy: He doesn’t because he’s an arrogant egotistical tool.

    118
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    Mute Alonzo Margate
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    Jul 15th 2019, 10:31 PM

    @TellingItAsItIs: Who made the US become the world’s biggest oil producer! Most would take egotistical arrogancy…

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    Mute Graham Wilson
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    Jul 15th 2019, 10:33 PM

    @Just Some Guy: Such an admirable characteristic.

    19
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    Mute GrahamMManning
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    Jul 15th 2019, 10:34 PM

    @Just Some Guy: is that a plus somehow?

    21
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    Mute Graham Wilson
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    Jul 15th 2019, 10:34 PM

    @Alonzo Margate: What has being the biggest oil producer got to do with anything? Let alone this article.

    31
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    Mute GrahamMManning
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    Jul 15th 2019, 10:36 PM

    @Alonzo Margate: relevance? You sure it’s a plus?

    17
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    Mute TellingItAsItIs
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    Jul 15th 2019, 10:40 PM

    @Alonzo Margate: What are you on about you absolute bigoted brainwashed fool?

    35
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    Mute Alonzo Margate
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    Jul 15th 2019, 10:42 PM

    @GrahamMManning: No other POTUS managed it! Relevance is – competency.

    4
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    Mute Diaspora'd
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    Jul 15th 2019, 11:03 PM

    @Alonzo Margate: Again…US oil production has been on a steady rise since 2008 at least 8 years before the arrival of Trump

    https://tradingeconomics.com/united-states/crude-oil-production

    35
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    Mute GrahamMManning
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    Jul 15th 2019, 11:06 PM

    @Alonzo Margate: no other president has lied as much, assaulted as many women (that we’re aware of), screwed as many porn stars (that we’re aware of), given richer people than him as much of a tax break, fellated as many dictators, oogled on his daughter (that we’re aware of) etc etc. these all competence proving too honey?

    32
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    Mute Alan Currie
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    Jul 15th 2019, 11:13 PM

    @Just Some Guy: nobody has the right to not be offended.

    3
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    Mute Lily Martin
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    Jul 16th 2019, 1:27 AM

    @Just Some Guy: how is it a positive thing to unapologetically offend and insult people who disagree with you? Particularly in the political sphere where diplomacy and reasoned argument and debate are crucial.

    7
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    Mute Anthony Doyle
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    Jul 16th 2019, 3:21 AM

    @Just Some Guy: there’s only 24 hours in a day

    1
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    Mute Paul Shepherd
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    Jul 15th 2019, 11:26 PM

    Of course Johnston won’t condemn the comments as racist. He’s auditioning to be Trump’s b*tch when (if?) the U.K. rides off into the sunset.

    37
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    Mute WoodlandBard
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    Jul 15th 2019, 11:48 PM

    @Paul Shepherd: I think they both have dreams of selling the NHS to Trump and getting a nice financial kick back for their efforts.

    16
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    Mute Barry Buckley
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    Jul 16th 2019, 1:56 AM

    God help the brits, soon to become the next state of the USA

    16
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    Mute Seán Dillon
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    Jul 16th 2019, 3:13 AM

    Not great for Post Brexit trade deals. Imports are going to be dear and exports cheap, not good for the British economy. Both afraid to say what needs to be said, can’t blame them when the UK is going cap in hand to them and every other country to get deals.

    13
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    Mute Dave Phelan
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    Jul 16th 2019, 6:50 AM

    @Seán Dillon: absolutely on the money with that comment. Abandoning the EU and now scrubbing about looking for “friends” is just scary. Sadly neither clown has the balls to call the whole fiasco off. Afraid of losing face.

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    Mute GrahamMManning
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    Jul 15th 2019, 10:37 PM

    Not a fan of either by

    11
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    Mute GrahamMManning
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    Jul 15th 2019, 10:38 PM

    @GrahamMManning: any stretch but objectively speaking how could Boris possibly be your first choice?

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    Mute Declan Leonard
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    Jul 15th 2019, 10:31 PM

    Yet they both shat it for calling him out as they were afraid they would lose votes….

    15
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    Mute Mark Fields
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    Jul 16th 2019, 4:53 AM

    Brexit is the ultimate in telling the rest of the EU to go back to where they came from.

    8
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    Mute GrahamMManning
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    Jul 16th 2019, 11:44 AM

    @Mark Fields: but aren’t the brits are the ones leaving????

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    Mute WoodlandBard
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    Jul 15th 2019, 11:38 PM

    Doing that Kraftwerk live impersonation again.

    7
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