Boris Johnson's Turkish cousin has warned that his relative could become the worst prime minister in history.
Sinan Kuneralp, 72, told MailOnline that his distant cousin's premiership would end in failure if the Conservative leader does not shake off his 'dogmatic' views'.
The Istanbul-based historian joked that he was 'part delighted, part appalled' by his younger cousin's meteoric rise to Number 10.
But although he appeared sceptical about Britain's new prime minister, Mr Kuneralp praised his other cousin Jo Johnson as a 'great statesman' who could take on the top job after his brother Boris.
Boris Johnson's Turkish cousin Sinan Kuneralp says Britain's new PM will need to be a political genius' to sort out Brexit - and backed him cope in a Borisian way and astonish everybody.' Pictured Sinan (left) and his wife Rukiye (right) enjoy dinner with Boris in Istanbul in 2016
In a wide-ranging interview with MailOnline, he added it was 'very exciting' Boris had got the top job but that he had to stop being so provocative if he wanted to succeed.
'He's now one of the world’s top ten most important people,' he said. 'I am of course delighted but I feel at the same time sorry for him as he faces a daunting and thankless job.
'It is a superhuman task and if he can do it he will be a political genius. I think he will cope with it in a Borisian way and astonish everybody.'
Boris and Mr Kuneralp share the same ancestor, the flamboyant Turkish politician - and Anglophile - Ali Kemal Bey who spent time in Britain and married before returning to Turkey. Kemal Bey was Mr Kuneralp's grandfather and Johnson's great-grandfather
Ali Kemal Bey (pictured with his first wife Winifred Brun, seated) had an eye for the ladies, according to his grandson Mr Kuneralp, 72, who is a first cousin Boris's father Stanley
Mr Kuneralp joked that he was 'part delighted, part appalled' by his younger cousin's meteoric rise but thought his Churchillian charm would see him through. Pictured: Boris's great, great, great grandfather, a Circassian chief
Boris and Mr Kuneralp share the same ancestor, the flamboyant Turkish politician - and Anglophile - Ali Kemal Bey who spent time in Britain and married before returning to Turkey.
Mr Kuneralp, 72, said Boris, whose colourful private life is never far from the news, inherited his eye for the ladies from his Turkish great-grandfather.
'I think it's a family trait,' he said.
'My grandfather and his great-grandfather was, he was a lady's man, definitely… He [Boris] was always interested in clever and good-looking women – we all have inherited that interest.'
Mr Kuneralp (above) said it was 'very exciting' Boris had got the top job and has a clear choice on how to lead the UK out of Europe
Twice married Boris is now in a relationship with Carrie Symonds, 24 years his junior, who watched him make his first speech as prime minister outside No 10 on Wednesday.
Mr Kuneralp, based in Istanbul, who is first cousins with Boris's father Stanley and 17 years older than Boris, said the new PM had a clear choice on how to lead.
'He has two options – to be either a great Prime Minister or a great failure. I wish for him to become a great Prime Minister.
'I do hope he will grow into the position and become more pragmatic, not so dogmatic as he now sounds.
'If he goes on this way, he will end up by being a contestant for the position of worst Prime Minister.
'He likes to be provocative. His great-grandfather did exactly the same. He needs to be careful.'
Drawing parallels with Winston Churchill, he added: 'They both employ the use of a good turn of phrase, a sentence - and the capacity of rebounding after each failure and each defeat.'
Mr Kuneralp, who specialises in diplomatic relations, said his younger relative had become the front-runner early on because he was so much more exciting.
'All the other candidates are so dull, and he's so flamboyant...
'With Boris, you'd know that you'd have fun. I talk of this from experience. I don't think I'd have fun with Mrs May or David Cameron, or, heaven forbid, Corbyn.'
Drawing parallels with Winston Churchill and Boris (pictured on the steps of Number 10 Downing Street on Wednesday), Mr Kuneralp said: 'They both employ the use of a good turn of phrase, a sentence - and the capacity of rebounding after each failure and each defeat'
Mr Kuneralp, who specialises in diplomatic relations, said his younger relative had become the front-runner early on because he was so much more exciting. 'All the other candidates are so dull, and he's so flamboyant...' Above: Boris with his father Stanley, Mr Kuneralp's first cousin
Twice married Boris is now in a relationship with Carrie Symonds, 24 years his junior, who watched him make his first speech as prime minister outside No 10 on Wednesday
Mr Kuneralp and his wife Rukiye last saw Boris in the autumn of 2016, when the then Foreign Secretary made an official visit to Turkey.
The cousins caught up over dinner in Istanbul, where the bon viveur made sure he was an entertaining guest.
'He was very witty, very charming… At the end of the dinner, when we were kissing goodbye, my wife turned to Boris and said: 'In your career, you should have been an entertainer, not a politician. You would have been a great success.' I don't know that he appreciated it.'
Boris has regularly made political capital out his Turkish roots. Earlier this month made a reference while at a hustings event in Nottingham: 'I speak as the proud great-grandson of a Muslim immigrant.' Pictured: His great-grandfather Ali Kemal Bey
Boris has regularly made political capital out his Turkish roots and earlier this month made a reference while at a hustings event in Nottingham: 'I speak as the proud great-grandson of a Muslim immigrant.'
They date back to the early 20th century when Ali Kemal Bey came to the UK as a political refugee and founded the Anglophile Society of the late Ottoman Empire.
He charmed and married British-Swiss Winifred Brun, but after she died, he returned to Turkey and married an Ottoman's pasha's daughter before he was arrested, seized by a mob and lynched at the age of 55.
A young Boris decided to trace his Turkish family by staying with the Kuneralp family in Istanbul in the early 80s.
'He came to Turkey as a young adult with his girlfriend Allegra, whom he married later and I was really impressed – he was 18, 19 at that time.
'He was so focused and so I was pretty sure he would go far; it was quite obvious he would make a name for himself then.'
A young Boris decided to trace his Turkish family by staying with the Kuneralp family in Istanbul in the early 80s. Mr Kuneralp said: 'He was so focused and so I was pretty sure he would go far; it was quite obvious he would make a name for himself then'
Mr Kuneralp is optimistic one of the family can do even better: 'Someone whom I hope will 5 or 10 years time will step into the shoes of Boris is his brother Jo, Jo Johnson (right). He has the calibre of being a great statesman'
Mr Kuneralp, who was educated in Switzerland and believes Brexit is a 'disaster' thinks the issue could finish his cousin's career.
'From what I follow in British politics, an early general election will take place in the next 18 months, and it will be a fiasco for the Tories.
'Pessimistic interpretations see it as the splitting of the Tories into smaller fractions. [If that happens], it will be the end of Boris as a politician.'
But he is optimistic one of the family can do even better: 'Someone whom I hope will 5 or 10 years time will step into the shoes of Boris is his brother Jo, Jo Johnson.
'He has the calibre of being a great statesman.'
link
https://textbacklinkexchanges.com/boris-johnsons-turkish-cousin-says-he-is-part-appalled-that-his-relative-has-become-pm/
News Photo Boris Johnson's Turkish cousin says he is 'part appalled' that his relative has become PM
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