Boris and Fortress Britannia

But if Johnson moved quickly, that’s because he had no choice. Before the 100-day grace period that a new prime minister normally enjoys is up, October 31 will be upon us. That’s the day when Boris, as he’s universally known, has promised to deliver Brexit, “do or die.”

Given that the European Union came out on top in three years of negotiations, the odds of achieving that are steep. But if he doesn’t, the joke will be on the famously irreverent Johnson — and Britain’s Jewish community as well. A general election could well deliver Jeremy Corbyn’s semi-socialist, Israel-baiting, anti-Semitism-flavored Labour government.

So what strategy will Boris use to pull off Brexit? Here is a pocket guide to the drama ahead.

1.

Meet Boris For the first time since Tony Blair stepped down in 2008, Britain now has a prime minister with global name recognition, as I discovered last week in a Jerusalem electric store. Sitting opposite a bank of widescreen TVs playing Israel’s election politics, all the salesman wanted to talk about was “Boris.” Ever one to recognize a fellow winner, the US president has spoken approvingly of “Britain Trump.” Unsurprisingly, EU leaders aren’t as enamored of Johnson; they see him as an unserious clown, who has been lampooning Brussels since his stint covering the EU as a journalist in the ’90s.