A bench plaque in memory of the former prime minister Boris Johnson has decreased.
The Tory politician’s popularity went up and down, but as scandals piled up this year, it took off until he eventually resigned.
And it seems that for the people of Atherton, Wigan, his legacy is not good.
Last week a plaque was spotted on a bench in Market Street that read: ‘In horrible memory of Alexander ‘Boris’ De Pfeffel Johnson. Prime Minister June 2019 to July 2022. Forgotten but not gone.’
But according to Wigan Today, the epitaph has been removed as of today. No one knows who installed or uninstalled it.
Anita and Brian Thomas, whose Dry Clean Center store has the bank right outside, said the plaque was something of a tourist attraction.
“Everyone is coming now, two bobbies came and one was tying their shoelace on the couch when I asked them if they had seen the plaque, they were shocked,” Anita said.
“It seems to be getting famous. People come to the city to watch it.
“We have no idea who set it up. However, it wasn’t us. I like Boris but I giggled. Now that it’s online, everyone has come down.’
For husband Brian, Johnson’s tenure was “one of the worst premierships in history.”
‘But he had to process a lot. We didn’t put up the sign, but we laughed when we saw it,” he said.
Anita added that the plaque is “one of the strangest things” the couple has ever seen in the city center in the family’s 46 years of existence.
Residents aren’t quite sure what to make of the bench dig at Johnson, let alone the ex-Tory leader himself.
A local, Lauren White, said: ‘I think it’s a waste of money for someone to voice an opinion. But I think people did it to really get the mick.
“A couch like this is normally for something sad or a death. I just thought it was brilliant, in a funny way, when I saw it.’
Her friend Susan Street said she’s not a “fan” of Johnson at all.
“I think a lot of people in the Northwest feel that way about him. He should have gone earlier,’ she said.
“I think he should have gone right away. They have waited so long to resolve this cost of living crisis [while they had a leadership election].
“I can’t see anything good that has come from him, he was a bit of a laughing stock. Everyone from all over the world looks at him and thinks he’s a joke, so this pretty much sums him up.”
Johnson’s political journey from journalist to leader of Britain came to an end when nearly 60 Minutes stopped in July for his association with Chris Pincher.
Although he gave his party a landslide majority of 80 seats and delivered Brexit, his downfall was his own fault.
These include several parties breaking the lockdown, Wallpapergate, who seemingly had no idea what to do after the UK left the EU and said he would rather see’bodies pile up‘ then put the country into a third lockdown.
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