Boris Johnson on Greed: In general a good thing. In football a bad thing
Boris Johnson has spoken out against the new football European Super League, widely condemned as putting the greed of a few already very wealthy football clubs above the interests of the sport.
It’s a particularly Johnsonian intervention.
Just recently he was heard to exclaim that the production of COVID-19 vaccines was motivated by greed for the profits they might make and this underlined capitalism was a good thing.
He back tracked from that remark but in fact he has a record of praising greed. Here for example is a summary of part of a speech he made when he was London Mayor in 2013:
In an attempt to shore up his support on the Tory right, as he positions himself as the natural successor to David Cameron, the London mayor called for the “Gordon Gekkos of London” to display their greed to promote economic growth.
https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2013/nov/27/boris-johnson-thatcher-greed-good
Sonia Purnell’s biography of Johnson, Just Boris, confirms he is a rugby not a football fan and a Downing St spokesperson confirmed (20.4) that Johnson does not support a football team.
Slamming greed in football does not therefore seem consistent with a Johnsonian worldview unless one understands that Johnson’s position on many things varies depending on what he thinks will be popular. Principle is very much a second best.
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