Boris Johnson quotes Lenin in CBI speech
Boris Johnson has been quoting Lenin (and Peppa Pig) in a speech to a CBI conference this morning.
The Guardian described the speech as ‘unusually rambling’ which gives some idea of what it was like. Some might see this as reflecting the chaotic nature of Johnson. Others might spot a clever device to avoid being pinned down on specifics..
During the speech Johnson quoted Lenin to the effect that Soviet Power equals Communism plus electrification. Johnson does not want to introduce Communism but rather suggested that an (undefined, forthcoming) industrial revolution would involve Green Power plus electrification.
It seems unlikely that Johnson is familiar with the voluminous works of Lenin (Keir Starmer may have glanced at a few in his 1970s Trotskyist period but would undoubtedly now claim he hadn’t) so we may assume that the quote comes from a speech writer. Johnson has after all attracted some ex-leftists (or people who claimed to be ex-leftists) as advisors.
Lenin did indeed say the words btw in a report on the work of the Council of People’s Commissars on December 22nd 1920.
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