This post was originally published on this site
James Bond or Homer Simpson? Brits split over Brexit are even more divided on how they view their colorful prime minister, latest research shows.
If Boris Johnson were a fictional character, supporters who backed the U.K. leaving the European Union see him as James Bond, according to a report by political consulting firm Britain Thinks.
Respondents describe him as a “figure in control of the situation” with one suggesting “he’s trying to get things done . . . and there are loads of obstacles in the way.”
But forget suave gentleman spy, remain supporters could not have a more different view.
They see him as a confused Homer Simpson describing him as a ‘bit like a buffoon. Homer Simpson, in the power plant, thinking what do I press here? What do I do?”
READ: ‘The Simpsons’ troll the president in clip panned as ‘worse than Trump himself’
Getty Images Jeremy Corbyn?
The divisive issue of Britons decision to leave the EU in the 2016 referendum has split the country down the middle and pitched the two sides against each other.
Parliament has been unable to function and it is this paralysis that has triggered next month’s crunch election which the ruling class hopes will unlock the log jam.
Johnson’s faces fierce competition from Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn, who has been described by opponents as a Marxist, and the Liberal Democrat’s Jo Swinson, who wants to cancel Brexit.
While Brexit party leader Nigel Farage has fielded candidates to fight the election, he is not standing in the poll himself.
READ: Pound climbs as Johnson cements lead in U.K. polls
Britain Thinks has been conducting surveys on how people experience the Brexit process since 2017 by quizzing the opinion of a nationally representative survey of 2,019 adults.
Respondents were asked the same question about the Labour leader: “If Jeremy Corbyn was a fictional character who would he be?”
The answer was no less flattering. Corbyn is seen as shying away from big debates, the report shows, leading to comparisons to Waldo of “Where’s Waldo” fame. (In the U.K. the disappearing cartoon character is known as Wally.)
The report says: “Labour under Corbyn is felt by both leave supporters and remain supporters to be putting off making a decision on Brexit, damaging their credibility.”
Corbyn says he favors renegotiating the withdrawal agreement with the European Union and then putting that deal to a second referendum.
