Boris Johnson’s ‘tight ship’ exchange with Ursula von Der Leyen is peak Brexit cringe

John Plunkett. Updated December 10th, 2020

As you’ll know by now, Boris Johnson travelled to Brussels for dinner with the president of the EU Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, in a bid to reach a last-minute Brexit deal before the end of the year.

There were lots of funny takes – you can read 14 of the funniest here – but the reason we’re here is this exchange between the two which, if it’s not peak cringe, is somewhere very close.

WATCH: @BorisJohnson “do we keep our masks on Ursula?@VonDerLeyen “keep distance”@VonDerLeyen: “You have to put it (mask) back on…”@BorisJohnson: “Put it back on immediately? You run a tight ship here, Ursula, and quite right too”

Imagine dinnerpic.twitter.com/HabClUt2kN

— Darren McCaffrey (@DarrenEuronews) December 9, 2020

And here are our favourite things people said about it.

Johnson is a national embarrassment. https://t.co/y8T0IhZ7P9

— Tim Walker (@ThatTimWalker) December 9, 2020

So he’s decided to turn up as the clown. Not really a surprise. It’s the only role that really suits him.

— wolfpaw (@wolfpaw_UK) December 9, 2020

All the style and grace of a toddler with a full nappy…. https://t.co/FO9BaXrdQO

— Brexitshambles (@brexit_sham) December 9, 2020

Big Merkel-Trump vibes. pic.twitter.com/lOTmplU1Q4

— Diffident Republican (@DiffRep) December 9, 2020

Mum ushers child along https://t.co/W9WKPDZ8re

— Spanish Dan (@SpanishDan1) December 9, 2020

She is used to dealing with children.

— FriendofBrenda (@FriendofBrenda) December 9, 2020

https://twitter.com/nicktolhurst/status/1336774543013269505?s=20

That man is all of us, tonight, at that meeting, in front of the whole world’s press.

— Neil Fawcett (@BarristerNF) December 9, 2020

https://twitter.com/GraemeDemianyk/status/1336784263740444672?s=20

Source @DarrenEuronews @andrewiconnell