‘Boris Johnson is a dumb person’s idea of a smart person’

John Oliver mentions the People's Vote March. Photograph: HBO. - Credit: Archant

American television host John Oliver has taken down Boris Johnson and his Brexit Halloween deadline as he explained another tumultuous week in British politics.

Branding the prime minister “a dumb person’s idea of a smart person”, Oliver told his Last Week Tonight audience he had insisted there would be no delay to Brexit, and that he would rather be “dead in a ditch”.

“Dead in a ditch!” said Oliver, who originated from Birmingham in the UK. “Now that might sound dramatic, but honestly it’s an easy enough transition for someone’s who hair, wardrobe and general aesthetic might be described as big ditch energy.”

Explaining how Saturday brought a new vote on a new Brexit plan, Oliver highlighted the hundreds of thousands who turned out to march for a People’s Vote.

As the camera honed in on one sign that said “I am so tired”, the presenter claimed: “I have to say I don’t think I’ve ever identified so much with a protest sign as that one”.

Showing protesters celebrating the vote ending in another Brexit delay, Oliver explained: “What this means is he is now required to request a three month extension delay, you know the thing he would rather be dead in a twist than do”.

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The presenter explained how Johnson did eventually send a letter requesting an extension, but pointed out he did not sign the letter.

“I know it’s not the point here, but how are signatures still a thing that matters anyway? We live in an era where robots exist, but if you want to make something official you have to write your name weirdly.”

Oliver went on to point out that MPs did eventually support his bill “in principle” – mocking those who went on TV to agree with it without even reading it.

“That’s what N*Sync did in the 90s and this guy stole millions of dollars from them,” said Oliver.

Attention then turned to a December election, where one person voxpopped by Channel 4 News said they would not vote again.

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“Oh for fucks sake,” said the presenter. “This is the most consequential thing to happen to Britain in a generation, and it seems the current sides are now ‘I am so tired’, ‘I haven’t read it’, ‘I can’t be bothered’, and ‘I’d rather be dead in a ditch’. Good luck Britain!”