The Ambassador has to go

and go quickly.

I had a rather strange idea concerning Ambassadors. No it was not that they are "honest men sent abroad to lie for their countries" as Sir Henry Wotton is alleged to have told King James. The king was not amused at the joke - perhaps because there was a grain or more of truth in it,

But Ambassadors are supposed to be diplomats. They are are supposed to be able to make conversation with anyone, communicate well, negotiate with governments and other high powered people. 

Our current man in Washington is not a diplomat. His sometimes boorish behaviour when he was Prime Minister should have been a warning he was not suited to any diplomatic post, especially one requiring a high level of delicate negotiations regarding defence and trade. 

Some people thought he might have been sent off to China. He had spent some time there in the past. He claims to speak Mandarin...well he does speak some Mandarin but he is apparently not as fluent as we were led to believe. (My neighbour should know. He is Taiwanese but is also officially recognised as an interpreter in Mandarin.) It might have worked - but I doubt it.

In politics he behaved very badly towards one of his colleagues in order to become Prime Minister. He then lost the role to our only female Prime Minister. He took that badly and constantly undermined her behind the scenes before retaking the position only to lose the next election.  He resigned and was eventually rewarded with the post in Washington. There he continues to be a problem.

It does not matter what you think of the past, present or future President of the country to which you are appointed you do not say the sort of things our man in Washington has said. I know young children (who can be devastatingly honest) who could be more diplomatic. 

It is time for this man to "retire". Perhaps the government is leaving him there for now because there is an election coming up next year. If they lose then it will be the responsibility of the incoming government to appoint someone...more diplomatic perhaps?