British prime minister Boris Johnson, the man president Donald Trump has dubbed “Britain Trump,” is taking up residence in 10 Downing Street this afternoon, and is completely unfit to be there. 

The similarity between the two leaders is striking. The hair, the racism, the unapologetic attitude and unconventional methods are the same. Both have had disastrous pasts and somehow have managed to rise to the most powerful position in their countries regardless. They both went to the most prestigious schools, were born into wealthy families and appeal to a population that wants change. They both have precarious relationships with the press, though in different ways. Perhaps the only difference is that Johnson speaks the King’s English, quite articulately. I think it’s fair to say that Trump does not speak the American equivalent. 

Johnson started off his career as a journalist, a position he got through family connections, and was fired from his job at “The Times” for making up a quote and attributing it to his godfather. He is accused of fabricating quotes during his time covering the EU in Brussels to serve his own political beliefs and sell stories. His lack of interest in facts and transparency that are important values for a government official, though admittedly rare in politics, raise a concern for his being fit for the highest office.

Along with his questionable journalistic ethics, more serious allegations have emerged about Johnson through his time in the public eye. In the 1990s, Johnson attempted to help a former classmate of his from Eton, Darius Guppy, gain information about a journalist who wrote negative stories about him. Guppy intended to hire people to have the journalist “beaten up.”  Along with that, Johnson was accused of having an extramarital affair with an employee of “The Spectator,”of which he was editor at the time in 2004. 

The most recent scandal was in June of this year. Johnson’s neighbors called the police to his girlfriend’s apartment after a row between the two of them. Johnson refused to publicly comment. Controversies bordering on criminal offenses should be a cause for concern when choosing a party’s candidate; however, this appears not to be the case. 

Perhaps the biggest red flag of them all is the repeated insensitive, racist, sexist, homophobic comments written in his columns and editorials throughout the years. He has compared Africans to “tribal warriors” with “watermelon smiles,” gay marriage to polygamy and beastiality, blamed Liverpudlians for the Hillsborough disaster, compared Hillary Clinton to a “sadistic nurse in a mental hospital” and described Muslim women who wear burkas as looking like “letter boxes” and “bank robbers.” You can see why he and Trump may get along. Not only are these comments completely inappropriate, but when in a position of international importance, comments like these could have much worse consequences. Americans have seen this during the Trump presidency.

Politicians like Johnson and the ideas he supports have no place representing the British. The rich culture of politeness and diversity are not manifested in a leader like Johnson; however the arrogance is covered tenfold. 

The British people need to look at where the U.S. is now and decide whether they want that to be their countries future, then put their votes where they belong.