Rory Stewart reads a letter from Eton about Boris Johnson's conduct at school

[@cliffsmith23]

Rory Stewart wasn't joking about resigning. He formally announced that he was quitting the Conservative Party the next day. Fair play to him, I say.

[@blatherskite3009]

Imagine how spoilt and entitled you have to be to stand out as spoilt and entitled at Eton...

[@Maerahn]

Especially when you consider what other Eton schoolboys were doing with dead pigs around that time. Man, they must've been PISSED!

[@portcullis5622]

Very good point. 🤣and😥.

[@francescapowell1538]

Right!! Oh my gosh.

[@josephasghar]

Top marks to you!

[@margarettaylor5855]

Stewart is a spiteful idiot, but very useful to the media and socialist party.

[@cleverusername9369]

"Disgracefully cavalier" is the most British consecutive set of words I've ever heard in my life.

[@lordfreerealestate8302]

It's the most British thing ever, how the headmaster is politely trying to tell a parent their child is an asshole.

[@ds1868]

This was his house master. Thing is in the Eton College system the house master will know you best. All the better for an accurate judgement of character.

[@BigHenFor]

Sadly, the apple doesn't fall far from the tree. Therefore, it is unsurprising that this letter did not have the effect the House Master was looking for.

[@davidorf3921]

@@BigHenFor well given that it went to Boris' father that's hardly surprising, after all as he proved when he went off for his hols at the start of the pandemic his dad also believes the rules don't apply to him

[@no3namesalike]

@Zippy Thekid As an intelligent person with ADHD and other neurodiverse qualities, I can attest that, yes, sometimes I am too blunt and occasionally I do or say things that make me seem like an asshole. But, when I'm wrong, or simply rude, I apologize and try to consider how to behave differently in the future. ADHD, LDs and other neuropsych differences do not not give anyone license to behave like an unmitigated asshole throughout life. I wasn't properly diagnosed until 20 or so, and had a very hard time of it as a child, feeling sad and confused that I couldn't fit in with everyone else. Still learned how to not be a dick.

[@themsmloveswar3985]

Indeed. The level of understatement and politeness is fascinating. The eloquence of communicating how a brat needs a shoe up the arse, and real work.

[@tardx]

Boris’s housemaster was apparently an excellent judge of character.

[@RFC-3514]

The fact that Boris managed to stand out among all the entitled pricks at Eton does kind of make him exceptional, though.

[@manamsetty2664]

@@RFC-3514 🤣🤌

[@chrisd5964]

@@RFC-3514 I guess being 'Top Prick' would make you stand out. '

[@terryallen5328]

Brilliant, you’d think that it had been written only yesterday.

[@ds1868]

Yesterday, today, and sadly tomorrow.

[@Brit_in_Mindanao]

Indeed, leopards and spots....

[@georgielancaster1356]

Exactly so. No more sense of responsibility, still seeing the country as his own play toy, to damage or destroy, on a whim. Not a moment's guilt from grave hurt of individuals suffering under his flagrant irresponsibility. You have to ask why this exceedingly expensive school did not shut him down. Wasn't he later allowed to be headboy or somesuch? It seems Eton was grooming him to be the prime minister he has become. And as for Stanley...

[@Drnaynay]

Watching this in Feb 2022 is eerie. Funny, sad and prophetic.

[@clickrick]

Hello from July 2022.

[@MungoChutney-fe9jj]

I love the reception Rory was given,the audience must known what was coming.

[@themyrke1234]

Johnson, a man who hasn't changed since he was a kid. Some people don't grow up and remain stuck in childhood!

[@royfearn4345]

I'll confess - I'm stuck in Childhood. I'm 79 and it keeps me young at heart. But I'm retired and NOT the senior minister in charge of the government of the United Kingdom, so for me it doesn't carry any consequences. Blow-job, however, does not have my luxury, yet still he behaves not like any ordinary child but as a spoilt brat. It is disturbing to see the similarity of behaviour between johnson and trump. Both of them needed their infantile arses thrashed at an early age before it became an assumed right in perpetuity. Yet still the electorate fall for their grift. Incredible.

[@whatsinaname11]

Yep, big baby.

[@gemmeldrakes2758]

I am of the opinion that there is no such thing as "adult" behaviour. People often continue to display the same character traits and conduct at 40 that they did at 15. The bubbly teenager becomes the perky adult; the highschool drama queen becomes the overly dramatic co-worker. And the schoolboy who doesn't think the rules should apply to him, but yet thinks he deserves to be in charge, becomes Prime Minister of Great Britain.

[@zealashthorn]

i say to people often "Barring a traumatic experience, you are who you are by 17"

[@ratholin]

People can change if they face consequences. Shielding people from consequences has lead to a lot of spoiled children growing up to be spoiled adults.

[@everythingisscience658]

While an incredible theory, it doesn't line up with my observation of legions of boring adults. When I was in high school everyone had like passions and interests that set them apart and they followed passionately. But I feel like half my co-workers literally do nothing except work, occasionally watch Netflix, keep themselves alive and go to sleep. NOTE: I am not saying I am an exception. I used to animate in high school and now I do... literally nothing.

[@TheRealBozz]

@@everythingisscience658 “The mass of men lead lives of quiet desperation." In all of our advancement, nothing has changed.

[@jennifergriffith]

Maybe the Prime Minister, or maybe even worse the 45th President of the US...

[@TorilAzzalini-Machecler]

I love how the headmaster essentially outlines "One rule for them, another for the rest of us" at the end. Eerie foreshadowing

[@julierogers1155]

Indeed.

[@andrewhaywood3178]

Rory Stewart a thoroughly decent and honourable man. Such men were once the backbone of One Nation Conservatives. Now all we have left are chancers and con men out to feather their own nest. Concepts such as service, duty and honour have passed them by. Appalling to see what has become of Great Britain

[@jeffhubbard4688]

'A decent, honourable, courageous, and extremely capable man' - Fixed it for you! ;)

[@jodders619]

If Tory MP's were ever decent or honourable they would find themselves quickly ejected from the Tory party.

[@jeffhubbard4688]

@UCjznwvXiuRfOGQ80W36Ml2w Indeed. That only 10 or so MP's were in the chamber to hear Stewart's speech on the British hedgehog (fortunately preserved for posterity here on youtube) is a damning indictment on the standards of today. ;) Actually, the next 12 months will probably be the best of all, if as prdicted, 'Bunter' Boris is finally ejected from the tuck shop!!

[@Moonrunner58]

Conservative or Blairite Labour……….same trough, different pigs. Rory has what was understood as ‘statesmanship’, an honest man in a generally dishonest House.

[@saoirsedeltufo7436]

He was a Tory, he was part of the problem, not a 'decent and honourable man'. He was an active part of this destructive party

[@thepsychicexplorerpodcast]

(Writing this comment on the day the Sue Gray report [or at least part of it] was released) This aged so very, very well 😂😂

[@Drnaynay]

Sad, but true

[@michaelbaker7499]

Every British person should listen to this

[@jplater9191]

A true testament to his character, i would say.

[@nickbea3443]

Instilled by his parents or just his father, which in turn was perpetuated from previous generations. One wonders where the likes of the Johnson and Rees-Mogg dynasties will end up in the next 50 years and impact our future generations?

[@lesparton2069]

Everything he says is still relevant today!!

[@francescapowell1538]

I like Rory. He always comes correct. Shame Boris doesn’t.

[@saoirsedeltufo7436]

He was a vile Tory who was absolutely part of the problem

[@stuartliddle7228]

Holy cow......... Starmer needs to quote this at PMQs.

[@mrrandomperson3106]

Followed up with the question "Does the Prime Minister still feel this way today?"

[@beatrizreny5228]

This letter ages so well, the only option, at dark times, is laught

[@AndySymons]

Just a note: Martin Hammond was never Head Master at Eton; he was Boris' housemaster and, by the sounds of it, had the misfortune to (try to) teach Boris Classics. Martin's intellect is many times that of blowhard Boris.

[@ajw9533]

Sad that he's better known for this than his translation of the Iliad.

[@speleokeir]

My hamster has an intellect many times that of blowhard Boris.

[@davidunderhill2106]

Wow! That teacher got it right! well done Rory to smart to finish with " Proof positive that a leopard never changes its spots".

[@punypixel2795]

Has anyone ever enjoyed reading the letter more?

[@ingeborgwood8057]

Britain is not so great anymore ! If people like Rory are resigning from the Conservatives ,than it must be bad.

[@josephasghar]

The question remains: how did an individual with such admirable human qualities as Rory Stewart ever become a Tory in the first place.

[@johnstygall860]

There are Tories who have put country before party, but sadly the party does no longer tolerate decency honesty and above all the public good.

[@tinynijman9077]

Yes it is a good question but I do not believe that every Tory MP is a bad person but just at the moment we have a really bad lot in Government.

[@jezzer1969]

He voted for austerity and needless deaths. He’s as bad as the rest of them.

[@scooby1992]

I am no Tory Joseph , but I did believe at one point that most Conservatives were ordinary people like you and me who wanted the best for their country and the world etc...as do we and that the only difference between them and us is how we achieve it in the . I am sure there are some Conservatives who are still like that , but alot of the higher profile ones like Rory have been driven from the party which has now become the English National Party. the parliamentary party does have some honourable exceptions , but by and large most Tory MPs are nodding dog , voting fodder ' Boris ' backside kissers and that is definitely true of the second rate cabinet .

[@saoirsedeltufo7436]

Because he's a nasty, self-interested man who managed to do his PR just right to get useful idiots to believe he was 'one of the good guys'

[@ericthompson3982]

Coming as a shock to literally no one.

[@greghill7759]

I think we''l be hearing more from Mr Stewart. For a former Conservative MP, he's a refreshingly interesting man, if only for the fact that he seems to possess the rare combination of intelligence, honesty, and a sense of humour. He also appears to have a pretty good tailor.

[@wuffothewonderdog]

He's also the epitome of th nasty wriggling creatures that have undermined any last remaining political ethics in Britain. What is he for, apart from self-enhancement? But then that identifies him as one of all MPs for the last forty years.

[@greghill7759]

@@wuffothewonderdog Not a fan, then? Not surprising, I suppose if this "nasty wriggling creature has undermined any last remaining political ethics in Britain". Tell me more, please. (Although I was referring to his work outside the Conservative party.)

[@Elitist20]

@@wuffothewonderdog Rubbish - he was one of the few with any ethics or commitment to public service. So he had to be purged.

[@Drnaynay]

For any MP, not just Conservative. Why limit yourself?

[@gcrawford9816]

I wish! He ran for PM alongside BJ. He's one of the increasingly rare decent Tories. He was far too decent and didn't get much of a word in edgeways during the election debates and was pushed out far too early for such an intelligent and thoughtful man. UK politics has descended further into the gutter since then and I, for one, miss Rory Stewart's iconoclastic, realistic and intelligent approach. We are much the worse for his leaving the GB political scene, but he could hardly stay, with such a scoundrel in charge. :-(

[@Kevin-mx1vi]

And he is still just an overgrown schoolboy who seems to think that everything he does is just a prank that he should suffer no consequences for.

[@stephenconlon653]

I love Rory Stewart

[@whatsinaname11]

Priceless

[@davidpearn2484]

Rory Stewart, the best prime minister the tories could have had.

[@deepindercheema4917]

Leader not PM. Never ascribe the ghastly prospect of any Tory PM until it happens

[@zsuzsablom8731]

I so appreciated your book The Places in Between. You have courage for making the trek and the words for conveying your experiences. Never forgot that reading.

[@thewisestman1]

The best Tory Prime Minister that never was. A true 'one nation' Tory of the old school, who many people who currently feel totally disenfranchised, could have voted for with a clear conscience and solid hopes for something of value to emerge. Woe is us that we lost this valuable asset to our political class.

[@graceygrumble]

I am a socialist. This man, although I believe his politics to be mistaken, is an honest man. He has intellect and principles; attributes which are alien to the present government. You could talk with this man, without the conversation descending into vile bile.

[@thewisestman1]

@@graceygrumble Absolutely agree. Stewart recently gave an interview where he observed that until our political class understood that it had to be about more than winning and holding power - that actually doing what was *right* for the country had to come into it - we would never move forward as a nation.

[@graceygrumble]

@@thewisestman1 I hear you. The 'us' and 'them' narrative which is prevalent among the western, 'educated' world is so tribal. There is no thought; there is no discussion; there is no reflection; there is no pragmatism. I find it ironic that I have more in common with you than the people who are 'on my side'. That is how twisted politics is.

[@thomasmccarthy9758]

Rory Stewart is an honest man, I'm an Irish nationalist and he served in the British army but I respect and trust him ,that may bring ridicule to both of us and I view Britain as the villain in Ireland but trust and peace can only be created by truthful men. Boris Johnston isn't one of them, he's an habitual deceiver incapable of telling the truth , jingoistic in language and dangerously inept inter nationally and not to be trusted. I'm sorry Rory didn't get to win the leadership as deals can only be done with men you respect and I doubt anyone anywhere respects Boris the baffoon. A Winston Churchill he is not, his word means nothing its the wind blowing. If Stewart gave me his word I'd take it as coin.T

[@Richard-pe4cx]

totally agree with you how did we find ourselves here .

[@elainekerslake6865]

Rory was my choice and he would have done a great job in comparison to all the other candidates. An opportunity wasted by the selfish Tory MPs.

[@KevanRCraft]

I feel appauled what Britian has done to Ireland and shame even but not all Brits are evil some are good men and women but have been led astray by right-wing jingoists, flag wavers. Working class Brits have been sold up the river by Tory politics and so share a similar plight to our Irish cousins. Its called betrayal all in the name of politics. But more than that we have an elite minority class who rule a majority without their consent. The only way is to expose them, their corruption and vote them out en-mass!

[@sheilamashali6426]

Great to hear this being read by Rory Stewart, someone who could have made a great Prime Minister but his failings were he had to much honesty and integrity, unlike the person the letter was about.

[@brigeen1]

He hasn't changed much then.

[@clickrick]

This has just popped up in my recommendations. Thanks KZbin :)

[@jonathonjubb6626]

There's a much more damning one than that! Even more accurate too...

[@johnferguson7052]

Someone should read this letter out at pm question time.

[@themyrke1234]

Well put, Roy. Yes, childhood ways are important to keep yourself young and guard yourself against a lot of boring stagnant adult behaviour. Think- narrow minded nationalism and Brexit! However, some of the worst aspects about teenage years are the selfishness and lack of regard for others apart from just yourself.

[@michaelirwin7250]

Blimey that turned out to be vaguely foreshadowing.

[@michellebyrom6551]

Vaguely?!? The scoundrel was clearly set in his habits for life.

[@jorgepeterbarton]

Consistently foreshadowing for every week of his damn life and not just a recent scandal (i hope you mean)

[@marcuscoquer5958]

I think that all potential PMs should have to have their school reports read out on BBC1 during their election campaigns.

[@Tia-Marie]

1:15 - Those three words are the best fit for Boris ever.

[@irefi64]

Rory Stewart is extremely likeable, and actually appears to have principles and a sense of humanity. If he joined another party he could potentially end up as Prime Minister one day.

[@shey2444]

Love it!!

[@lizclegg7556]

Before lockdown, but the reference to Johnson believing that he is an exception to the rules which govern everybody else is astonishingly prescient.

[@stevetheduck1425]

- and should have instantly removed him from any access to power, like a ban from driving is given to any habitual, unchanging, dangerous, drunkard.

[@MrPaddy924]

Views as true today as they ever were!

[@johnsim3722]

Feb 2022 - The only difference now is that he's the "Captain" of the UK, but otherwise shows the same disregard to his responsibilities. And the same cavalier attitude to your welfare, and that of the UK. He has, without doubt, excelled at being the worst Prime Minister in history.

[@Ztandard32]

Spot on!

[@peterdenham]

I can't wait for you to upload the Taika Waititi ones!! Also the Asim Chaudhry ones!

[@1969Kismet]

The sound is so low on this video!

[@emmanear-myths4200]

This has aged brilliantly😂

[@lairddougal3833]

Gods, I hope we see Rory in a position of leadership again.

[@Just_Sara]

I'm here because he just resigned. I'm not glad that countries other that the U.S have this sort of problem, but it nice to know it's not ONLY us.

[@goodshipkaraboudjan]

It's common place world wide. Wait until you look at Australian politics, one party and 3 PMs in one term isn't unusual.

[@richardgoldsmith1903]

It could have been written yesterday.

[@velvetindigonight]

Where 'ego' gets you! PS Rory for PM!

[@richardbradley1532]

Someone should read that out at PMQs

[@judeirwin2222]

Boris is a classic case of arrested development.

[@curlykipper]

Johnson's children will be proud of their father.

[@kmw4359]

Would love to know how that letter came into the public domain: did Boris’s parents save it and were they the ones who published it? Did the headmaster save a copy? He couldn’t still be working in 2022 if he was a professional adult near the top of his career (one does not start off as a headmaster) when Boris was a child. Therefore, did he keep a file of his letters to parents? Did it stay with the school or did he keep personal copies? Did he publish it or did the school? What kinds of issues had to be worked in order to publish a letter in the current day when the subject of the letter is now quite famous and in a position of political power (goes beyond pure privacy and fact that Boris was at the time a minor)?

[@TheWantedWoman]

Can you please upload Florence's as well xx Would be greatly appreciated

[@uberseehandel]

An acquaintance sent her son to the same prep school as Johnson. I am informed that from the outset his behaviour was lamentable. Eventually the school staff were relieved to pass him on to an unsuspecting Eton.

[@lesliewatts7537]

Well read............................................

[@KesselRunner606]

Quite frankly, Mr Johnstone, if he wasn't dead, I'd have him expelled.

[@davidlf1492]

Has there ever been any follow-up reporting on the source of the Eton/Boris letter? … how did it happen to fall into his hands so fortuitously just days after he was so unceremoniously defenestrated by the Whip? (the news was relayed via sms lol).

[@carabiner7999]

This aged well.

[@Maerahn]

So... no change since those schooldays, then? As in, horrifyingly LITERALLY no change?

[@delancyj67]

On the plus side, Boris stayed true to himself over the course of his life.

[@sapphoslips]

[@grahamtrave1709]

Rory Stewart is a great guy.

[@danjames4086]

It must have been like nectar for Rory to deliver this. I noticed something very telling in the letter..It is addressed to 'Stanley' and is signed off 'Martin'. Imagine a scathing report from a state school. Surnames and titles would be used. Although the report was critical, there was an offhanded casual friendliness to it. The sort of language two old chums would use. Why is this not a surprise?

[@sharonwashington8150]

Sounds about right. Some mothers sure do have them!

[@SharonGitau]

This; is how it's done.

[@epincion]

So true as we now know very well in feb 2022

[@michaelwilliams3232]

Wait till you get to February 2023...oh wait.

[@juliehanns802]

What a pity that the headmaster of Eton never felt a desire to enter politics.

[@no_one_of_that_name_here]

Please let this trend o almighty algorithm

[@nevillewalker6299]

Rory....Superboy,,,,,where is he today ?

[@corinachan8533]

This would be a termly report written to parents/guardians by a Housemaster - in Boris' case, the 'Master-in-College' as Boris was a King's Scholar living in 'College' - and not by the Head Master.

[@garyt123]

The problem with this reading is as follows: Most Daily Sun Mail Express readers, voters for Mr. Kemal De Pfeffel, don't understand over 50% of its content. Those of us who do, undoubtedly have never voted for this person, ever.

[@lindajackson4190]

That was a bit arrogant of you , I think everything said was extremely plain and even a nurse who sometimes has read a non broadsheet paper could understand

[@garyt123]

@@lindajackson4190 Totally arrogant I know, but also totally true! *_"Most"_* Daily Sun Mail Express readers don't understand *over **_50%_* of its content. Keywords being *Most* and *50%* So maybe you are _actually proving_ my arrogant supposition as I have had to clarify this for one of the _hard of reading_ You could just as easily have positioned oneself in the lesser, "not-most" and "understood 100%", groups and then got on with _nursing_ but no, you totally missed it! I'm beginning to suspect that the _"sometimes read a non broadsheet paper"_ isn’t actually very accurate (as you feel somehow alluded to by my comment). Thanks for your assistance and practical demonstration.

[@johnstewart2656]

I wish people were a little more kind.

[@garyt123]

@@johnstewart2656 I wish people were less racist and a little bit smarter. Then they would be able to see through Mr. Kemal Bey De Pfeffel and his band of goons.

[@johnstewart2656]

I think we want to encourage people to be better versions of themselves. I'm not sure wishing people to be smarter will achieve that. I think that the best reaction to the Boris is to be the opposite.

[@ThatSockmonkey]

It's a pity the audio level is so low on this on. Three mikes and this is what they recorded? Otherwise, that was cool.

[@jeremyphillips7827]

There's a problem with the volume on this upload. I had to crank all of my volume settings up to maximum and lean in really close to the laptop just to make out what he was saying.

[@sygad1]

So basically, we had decades of warning

[@jobandknock427]

Did you never watch HIGNFY? They warned us for a long time - then Lonmdonm still voted for him as Mayor

[@sygad1]

@@jobandknock427 I didn't watch it, felt like it was scripted too much

[@daianamastrocola7286]

Upload albarn's performance please!

[@petersone6172]

Written proof “a leopard doesn’t change its spots”

[@spacehopper7]

And the leopard does indeed not change it's spots ...

[@deepindercheema4917]

Imagine my distress when I discovered there really was a 'Slough Grammar'.

[@cavendish009]

Shows how immature he was and IS STILL TODAY.

[@unvergebeneid]

People don't change.

[@rachelclare8795]

I think there’s been a misprint. Shouldn’t this read 9389 not 389?

[@keith_5584]

I totally read Elton, not Eton. I was a bit disappointed to not hear of this imaginary blunder of Boris Johnson and Sir Elton John having a bit of tea and/or party. Of course missing the chaos that would follow.

[@filmsforsmartpeople3587]

Oh, Eton the school...I thought the letter was from Elton John.....nevermind...

[@skogsjarvenab7958]

Boris has always been Boris.

[@spudsmith]

Worse still, you can bet your life Stanley Johnson took umbrage to that letter.

[@heliotropezzz333]

He would take umbrage at it.

[@ds1868]

He would have disregarded it.

[@JLaw954]

Give me a boy until he is 7 and I will give you back the man.

[@hannofranz7973]

How did you or he get this letter?

[@miaremma2781]

Benedict’s please

[@silversurfermusicco5263]

Classic selfish narcissist but dangerous too as hes pm. Caused many deaths from covid blunders etc

[@ice9tom]

The last decent Tory, gone.

[@neilbarnes7537]

Boris Johnson is the world’s best advert for abortion

[@MrStoneyburke]

Once a FOOL always a FOOL.

[@daviddack1595]

How two faced they can to get what they want!, you voted for Brexit.

[@jeffhubbard4688]

Who? Certainly not Stewart, he voted Remain in 2016. He did support May in her EU withdrawal agreement because he is a believer in democracy and he did what he could to find a formula that would work. He then became the runner up in the leadership contest which Boris won. You should try reading about Stewart's life and achievements. If you haven't already you are most definitely in for a major surprise!!

[@greghill7759]

Forgive me, David, but you're not making much sense.... have another go when you're less tired and emotional.

[@Cristobels-Green-Boots]

Dough-faced, pot-bellied Boris Bunter; ‘I say, you chaps - politics, a bit of a wheeze, what?’