The American businessperson Jennifer Arcuri was a beneficiary of more than £126,000 in public money, £11,500 of which came from a City Hall-funded agency during Boris Piccaninny Watermelon Letterbox Cake Bumboys Vampires Haircut Wall-Spaffer Spunk-Burster Fuck-Business Fuck-The-Families Get-Off-My-Fucking-Laptop Girly-Swot Big-Girl’s-Blouse Chicken-frit Hulk-Smash Noseringed-Crusties Death-Humbug French-Turds Johnson’s tenure as mayor of London.
On 24 September, a friend of Arcuri vouchsafed to the Daily Mail that Turds had visited the webmistress’s pole-encrusted flat in the afternoons, appointments that remain pointedly undeclared in Turds’s diplomatically redacted mayoral diary, but only for “technology lessons”. Ah! I remember my first technology lesson as if it were yesterday. I had saved up to visit the Paris rep cinema that had been screening, for the previous 17 years, the full-length cut of Sergio Leone’s Once Upon a Time in the West. Otherwise unviewable in those pre-digital days, it was venerated rightly by spaghetti cineastes as a holy relic and I thought I needed, more than anything on Earth, to see it.
I made my way south from the Gare du Nord along the Rue St-Denis, where, a revelation to my innocent eyes, freelance technological instruction was openly available everywhere. The tutors draped themselves over elegantly distressed ironwork balconies, taunting potential customers with Commodore Amiga 1000 manuals and disconnected Hewlett-Packard Vectra keyboards. It was, in 1985, the most decadent sight I had ever seen. My technological ignorance weighed heavily upon my adolescent mind and, I do declare, I pooled my summer savings and took some lessons there. Lie la lie! Lie la lie lie lie la lie!
It was not my finest technological experience, but it was my first. And a huge and terrible weight was lifted from me. In the end, I had to wait a further two decades to see that definitive Leone cut. And the delay, as I learned in the intervening years on my own terms, only made the experience sweeter.
As many have pointed out, whether our prime minister had a sexual relationship with a woman he then recommended for public funding isn’t the story here. Neither is the fact that Arcuri’s alleged “best friend”, the former Steve Bannon protege and disgraced alt-right agitator Milo Yiannopoulos, maintained to the Daily Mail last week that he had seen bruised evidence of the couple’s encounters. Well, he would, wouldn’t he? Milo is $2m in debt and likes attention.
Neither is the story Arcuri’s claim, on 5 October, to the Daily Mirror, that she could “make men trip over their dicks”, and the attendant mystery of who these clumsy men might be, with their freakishly long, and yet hazardously flaccid, penises? The real story, and I say this as someone who is by no means Turds’s greatest fan, is that in abandoning his purported relationship with Arcuri, our obviously emotionally tortured prime minister may be throwing away his one true chance for happiness. Like the doorstepped passersby provoked by Turds’s name into uncharacteristic profanities – “That filthy piece of toerag!” – Turds’s uniformly betrayed ex-wives and unspecified child-rearing former mistresses can now barely mention him without vomiting into empty cradles.
And any moments of supposed tenderness we are encouraged to witness between Turds and his current partner are crudely stage-managed. The notorious garden furniture long-lens tableaux vivant, released the day after Get-Off-My-Fucking-Laptop-gate, saw Turds’s blond bob became mysteriously much longer overnight, like a magic cress tub sown with human hair.
But compare these dreary images to footage of joint public appearances by Turds and Arcuri, at various technology events. Observe the barely suppressed giggly hysteria and infatuated eye contact of two young people totally and undeniably head over heels in love. No footage of Turds with any other woman matches these stolen moments for pure untrammelled emotion. Even as a rampant Remainiac, would you allow your political prejudices to deny the restless Turds perhaps his only chance at such obvious and incalculable joy?
Love is like lightning. It burns everything it touches and it rarely strikes twice. What gnawing need is there in the void of Turds’s soul that drives his corrosive ambition, immolating his family, his friends and even the nation he purports to represent?
Satan, in Milton’s Paradise Lost, acknowledges “only in destroying I find ease” and releases Sin and Death into the world out of spite, just as Turds has unleased the forces of Brexit. Could the love of Arcuri plug the black hole in Turds’s heart that is sucking us all to our doom, and making our nation the most hated, and pitied, on Earth? Unless Turds steps back from the void he himself has opened, he will grow old to be remembered as the worst prime minister Britain ever had, a competition in which, at last, he will finally triumph over his old Etonian rival David Cameron, who is merely the second worst prime minister we ever had.
Like the lonely audio-diarist of Beckett’s Krapp’s Last Tape, will a defeated Turds, still in tragic denial, continue to resist the truth that Arcuri could, maybe, have been the one that saved him? “Perhaps my best years are gone. When there was a chance of happiness. But I wouldn’t want them back. Not with the fire in me now. No, I wouldn’t want them back.”
Like Edward VIII, another famous lover and sometime friend of fascists, Turds could walk away from the ambition that will never fulfil him, and may consume us all, and take instead eternal comfort in the arms of love. In time, the axe wounds of Brexit can and must heal. In the meantime, Turds would do well to reflect on the wise words of that undying romantic Philip Larkin: “What will survive of us is love.”
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Fowkes81, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Al Murray, Comedian
Al Murray, Comedian
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Idrie, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Brighton Argus
Brighton Argus
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Mearecate, Youtube
Mearecate, Youtube
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Chez, Chortle.com
Chez, Chortle.com
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Funday’schild, youtube.
Funday’schild, youtube.
Jamespearse, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Stuart, Chortle
Stuart, Chortle
Leach Juice, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
Rudeness, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Bosco239, youtube
Bosco239, youtube
98rosjon, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Tokyofist, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
Wharto15, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Keilloh, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Etienne, Chortle.com
Etienne, Chortle.com
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Pudabaya, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Joycey, readytogo.net
Joycey, readytogo.net
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Kozzy06, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
Len Firewood, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Hiewy, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Richard Herring, Comedian
Richard Herring, Comedian
Sidsings000, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Shit Crit, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Peter Ould, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Anamatronix, Youtube
Anamatronix, Youtube
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Jackmumf, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
John Robins, Comedian
John Robins, Comedian
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, westhamonline.com
Anon, westhamonline.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Mpf1947, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Danazawa, Youtube
Danazawa, Youtube
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Visualiser1, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Peter Fears, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Tin Frog, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Z-factor, Twitter.
Z-factor, Twitter.
Borathigh5, Youtube
Borathigh5, Youtube
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube
FBC, finalgear.com
FBC, finalgear.com
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph