Boris Johnson

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[[File:Boris johnson (cropped).jpg|thumb|right|165px|The result of what would happen if {{wpl|Draco Malfoy}} got into British politics and developed a drinking problem]]
{{UKpolitics}}
{{cquote|The historian Peter Hennessy once called Mr Johnson the greatest threat to Britain’s “good chap” model – a system built not on law but shared decency. That model is broken. What’s needed is real bite, not the toothless oversight committee that Labour rightly scrapped. The evidence points to high office used for gain. If not highly irregular, it is morally corrupt – and corrosive to public life.|||Editorial by ''The Guadian'' following the a data leak by US non-profit Distributed Denial of Secrets in 2025<ref>[The Guardian view on Boris Johnson’s post-PM life: this is a test of public standards – Britain must not fail it] (10 Sep 2025 14.05 EDT) ''The Guardian''.</ref><ref>[https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/series/the-boris-files The Boris Files] (Septmeber 2025) ''The Guardian''.</ref>}}
{{cquote|You're a nasty piece of work, aren't you?|||Eddie Mair to Johnson<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oTAClNQUUeE Eddie Mair tells Boris Johnson: "You're a Nasty Piece of Work" - The Andrew Marr Show, BBC 1, 24 March 2013.] (Oct 29, 2019) ''YouTube''.</ref>}}
{{cquote| Idiots love Johnson's contrived, clownish TV persona, and so will vote for him even if his policies mean they'll be living under a flyover and cooking rats over a brazier.|||An amusingly accurate description from ''The Daily Mash''.<ref>[http://www.thedailymash.co.uk/news/arts-entertainment/britain-demands-amusing-prime-minister-2012091140666 "Britain demands amusing Prime Minister"] (Daily Mash)</ref>}}
{{cquote|'''Camilla Tominey''', journalist: Do people misunderstand you?<BR>
'''Johnson''': They understand me too well.<BR>
'''Tominey''': So when people criticize you as a buffoon? Another criticism is that you are a pathological liar?<ref>[https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2024/10/10/boris-johnson-book-unleashed/ Boris Johnson just published his political memoir. It’s unbelievable.] by William Booth (October 10, 2024 at 11:01 a.m. EDT) ''The Washington Post''.</ref>}}

'''Alexander Boris de Pfeffel "Great Supine, Protoplasmic Invertebrate Jellies"<ref>[http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-21572766 "Mayor calls London Assembly members 'invertebrate jellies'"]. ''bbc.co.uk''. Retrieved on 26 June 2016.</ref> 
who sucks his own
 Johnson''' {{lived|1964}}, is a smooth talking wannabe [[authoritarian]] who served as Mayor of [[London]] (2008-16), Foreign Secretary (July 2016–July 2018), and — somehow — former [[Prime Minister of the United Kingdom]], succeeding [[Theresa May]] as Leader of the [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative Party]] on 24 July 2019, and then securing a massive majority on 12 December 2019.<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VOhIeX9PeBU "Boris Johnson's Conservative party wins big in U.K. election" Via CBS Evening News].</ref><ref>[https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2019/jul/24/boris-johnson-becomes-pm-with-promise-of-brexit-by-31-october Boris Johnson becomes PM with promise of Brexit by 31 October], ''The Guardian'', 24 July 2019</ref> He has at times been described as a [[libertarian]]<ref>[https://www.theweek.co.uk/instant-opinion/952336/boris-johnson-transformed-libertarian-lockdown ‘Boris Johnson has transformed from libertarian buccaneer to lockdown bureaucrat’] (23 Mar 2021) ''The Week''.</ref><ref>[https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2021/may/11/johnson-civil-libertarian-voter-id-card-fraud-tories Johnson the civil libertarian wants to have his voter ID card and eat it: The solution to the virtually nonexistent problem of voter fraud just happens to be one that favours the Tories] by Marina Hyde (11 May 2021 09.52 EDT) ''The Guardian''.</ref>, and at other times as “looking like a crackhead's sofa”. A former columnist who got in trouble for [[yellow journalism]], the man was elected mayor because he was funny once on ''Have I Got News For You'' and climbed the ladder from there. Johnson wants to be [[Winston Churchill]] so badly it hurts,<ref>''The Churchill Factor: How One Man Made History '' by Boris Johnson (2015) Hodder & Stoughton. ISBN 1594633983.</ref> despite having neither the political acumen nor leadership qualities of Churchill.  <!-- Though allegedly he does try to drink like Churchill, and oh how I wish I could remember where I read it. -->

Despite (or perhaps because of) his buffoonish attitude, Boris has a knack for soothing the media, always managing to dodge scandals that would sink other, less skilled spin doctors.

Before the [[Brexit]] vote, he drove up and down the country in a [[Irony|German-made]] bus [https://archive.is/OJ2On liveried] with demonstrable lies.<ref>Cowburn, Ashley, [http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/brexiteers-condemned-for-not-backing-350m-nhs-amendment-to-eu-withdrawal-bill-a7570336.html "Brexiteers condemned for not backing £350m NHS amendment to EU withdrawal bill"], ''Independent'' 2.8.17. Well, he wanted it on a bus, not on a bill!</ref> Presumably, then, his career in politics is over?  Of course not, he was handed one of the great offices of state: Foreign Secretary, the British equivalent of CIA Director/Secretary of State.<ref>Thomas Penny. [https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-07-13/boris-johnson-appointed-u-k-foreign-secretary-in-may-government "Boris Johnson an Undiplomatic Pick as Britain’s Top Diplomat"]. ''Bloomberg''. Retrieved on 15 July 2016.</ref> He resigned from this post in July, 2018, to 
completely avoid any responsibility for the gigantic mess that he had been crucial in creating
 protest the way [[Theresa May]] intended to deliver Brexit.<ref>{{Cite web|url= https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2018/jul/08/david-davis-resigns-as-brexit-secretary-reports-say|title= Brexit secretary David Davis resigns plunging government into crisis|last= |first= |date= |website= |archive-url= |archive-date= |dead-url= |access-date= }}</ref> 

Johnson became the freshly-minted Prime Minister of the UK following the resignation of [[Theresa May]], when he won a contest "decided by a 160,000-strong Tory membership that is 70% male, 97% white, 86% social class ABC1, 50% of whom read the Telegraph or the ''[[Daily Mail]]'' and who have an average age of 57".<ref>
Travis, Alan (15 June 2019). [https://twitter.com/alantravis40/status/1139949707982180353 "Britain's next PM will be decided by a 160,000-strong Tory membership that is 70% male, 97% white, 86% social class ABC1, 50% of whom read the Telegraph or the Daily Mail and who have an average age of 57, according to @ProfTimBale's presentation to an Oxford conference today."]. ''twitter.com''. Retrieved on 20 June 2019.
</ref>
[[Meritocracy]] and [[democracy]] doing well in Britain, as always (Boris too can call himself a "democratically-elected leader"). He started really well, by losing his first 
seven
<ref>https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/commons-vote-rejected-parliament-recess-boris-johnson-news-latest-today-a9121486.html</ref> '''more than'''<ref>https://www.theguardian.com/politics/ng-interactive/2019/oct/19/brexit-deal-how-did-your-mp-vote-on-the-letwin-amendment</ref> eight<ref>https://www.theguardian.com/politics/live/2019/oct/17/eu-leaders-gather-for-summit-as-boris-johnson-scrambles-to-get-backing-for-brexit-deal-politics-live?page=with:block-5da860f48f08c78d1cb4e169#block-5da860f48f08c78d1cb4e169</ref> parliamentary votes and a Supreme Court case that ruled he (or more accurately his pet Victorian [[Jacob Rees-Mogg]]) lied to the Queen.<ref>https://www.theguardian.com/law/2019/sep/24/boris-johnsons-suspension-of-parliament-unlawful-supreme-court-rules-prorogue</ref> He allied his party with "[[neo-Nazi]] and [[Islamophobia|anti-Muslim]] parties across Europe."<ref>[https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/boris-johnson-tory-neo-nazi-anti-islam-hitler-conservative-party-b1254794.html Boris Johnson condemned for ‘appalling’ Tory alliance with neo-Nazi and anti-Muslim parties across Europe]</ref>

==Bigotry==
[[File:Hot Totty.png|thumb|right|165px|Johnson's sexism on display while he was a "[[journalist]]" at the ''[[Daily Telegraph]]'']]
Johnson has made multiple [[sexist]], [[racist]] and [[homophobic]] comments throughout his career, for which he would like to keep getting a free pass each and every time because he was '[[just joking]]'<ref name=bienkov>[https://www.businessinsider.com/boris-johnson-record-sexist-homophobic-and-racist-comments-bumboys-piccaninnies-2019-6 Boris Johnson called gay men 'tank-topped bumboys' and black people 'piccaninnies' with 'watermelon smiles'] by Adam Bienkov (Nov 10, 2019, 1:48 AM) ''Business Insider''.</ref> — or perhaps just because he's a Tory.<ref name=glossary>[https://web.archive.org/web/20191114202649/http://www.edlis.org/conservativeglossary/ Conservative Glossary] ''Critical Thinking'' (archived from November 14, 2019).</ref> Examples of his bigotry include:<ref name=bienkov/><ref name=glossary/>
*Multiple uses of "hot totty" (i.e., women) and "tottymeter" (i.e., penis) and other inappropriate attempts at sexualizing and demeaning female politicians
*Accusing the [[Labour Party]] of teaching homosexuality in schools, comparing [[gay marriage]] to [[bestiality]] in his 2001 book ''Friends, Voters, Countrymen'', calling the former First Secretary of State Peter Mandelson's supporters "tank-topped bumboys"
*Referring to African as "piccaninnies" with "watermelon smiles" in 2002, comparing [[Muslim]] women in [[burqa]]s to "letter boxes" and bank robbers in 2018, and saying that [[Islamophobia]] is a natural reaction for non-Muslims in 2005

==Background and personal life==
[[File:Haha fest.PNG|thumb|180px|"Oxford Union Becomes Ha-Ha Fest": What else is to be expected when Boris is elected President?]]
{{cquote|I never really knew the meaning of the word "shameless" until I beheld the career of Boris Johnson.|4=Robert Harris<ref>Harris, Robert (Robert___Harris). "I never really knew the meaning of the word "shameless" until I beheld the career of Boris Johnson https://t.co/vqzHOpXxsh". 27 Sep 2016, 21:01 UTC. [https://twitter.com/robert___harris/status/780874960642445312 Tweet].</ref>}}
Boris Johnson was born on 19 June 1964 in New York, USA, educated at Eton, (King's Scholar) and Balliol College, Oxford (Brackenbury Scholar in Classics).<ref>[http://www.boris-johnson.com/about/ About Boris], boris-johnson.com, accessed 23 August 2008.</ref> The pollster [[Frank Luntz]] has claimed that while at Oxford Johnson touted himself as a supporter of the Social Democratic Party, then a dominant current at the university, as a strategy to win the Union presidency, though Johnson denies he was more than the SDP's preferred candidate.<ref>[http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/columnists/pandora/a-youthful-flirtation-comes-back-to-haunt-boris-410843.html "Pandora column: A youthful flirtation comes back to haunt Boris"], by Henry Deedes The Independent, 9 August 2006. Retrieved on 23 August 2008.</ref> Along with [[David Cameron]], he was a member of Oxford's Bullingdon Club, a student dining society known for its raucous feasts that often involved trashing everything and then paying cash for the damages.<ref>[http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-435875/Camerons-cronies-Bullingdon-class-87.html Cameron's cronies in the Bullingdon class of '87], Daily Mail 13 February 2007</ref> In 2008, he claimed to have [[Cannabis|smoked "dope"]] and that he "was once given [[cocaine]]" while at university, "but I sneezed and so it did not go up my nose. In fact, I may have been doing icing sugar."<ref>Dawar, Anil (4 April 2008). [https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2008/apr/04/boris.london08 "Johnson admits using cocaine as a teenager "]. ''The Guardian''. Retrieved August 14 2018.</ref>

He is an old-fashioned [[Tory]] Boy™ by genetics, i.e. distantly related to the royal family. He's classically liberal in the British sense: socially liberal, but with an appreciation for traditional institutions, e.g. the inevitability of a ruling class.<ref>Gimson, Andrew (2012). ''Boris: The Rise of Boris Johnson'' (second ed.). Simon & Schuster. p. 342</ref> However, BoJo's past comments on [[homosexuality]], [[race]], the [[British Empire]] and its [[Commonwealth]], the [[War on Terror]], and [[Islam]] suggest an altogether different kind of Tory.<ref>Williams, Zoe. [http://gu.com/p/xb5eq/stw "Be afraid. Be very afraid"]. (1 May 2008). ''The Guardian''.</ref>

After graduating in 1987, Johnson became a trainee reporter with the Times newspaper but was sacked within a year for falsifying a quotation from his godfather Colin Lucas.<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/6901161.stm Boris Johnson's media scrapes] BBC News, 17 July 2007.</ref>

Over a decade and a half later, then-Conservative leader Michael Howard sacked Johnson as shadow arts minister in 2004 for lying about an affair with ''Spectator'' journalist Petronella Wyatt.<ref>[http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article391143.ece Boris Johnson sacked for lying over affair], by Andrew Porter and Nicholas Hellen, The Sunday Times, 14 November 2004.</ref>

During his time as Mayor of London, he repeatedly did favours for US businesswomen Jennifer Arcuri, with whom he was having a four-year affair, inviting her on three overseas trade missions despite not her being qualified and giving her business a total of £126,000 of public money.<ref>https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2019/sep/23/johnson-under-pressure-over-friend-receiving-public-funds</ref><ref>https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2019/nov/17/arcuri-says-johnson-cast-her-aside-like-one-night-stand</ref> He is now being reinvestigated<ref>https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2019/nov/18/boris-johnson-jennifer-arcuri-investigation-to-review-affair-with-another-woman</ref> for the appointment of another woman he was having an affair with (who had his child!) Helen Macintyre,<ref>https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2010/jul/20/boris-johnson-mayor-2012-macintyre</ref> another women who he didn't declare an interest with as Mayor of London, a scandal which he barely escaped censure from in 2010.<ref>https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2010/dec/15/no-censure-boris-johnson-city-hall-adviser</ref>

As recently as 2015, while he was Mayor, he was a [[climate change]] denier. More recently he has become a delayer, which is only slightly less bad.<ref>[https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2021/sep/21/johnson-climate-denial-delay Johnson says he has changed his mind on the climate – but he’s still dragging his feet] by Adrienne Buller (21 Sep 2021 09.15 EDT) ''The Guardian''.</ref>

==Brexit campaigner==
{{cquote|[[Donald Trump]] is popular because he seems so like the sort of figure who’d appear in a drama about a big-hitting businessman who takes on the political establishment and wins the presidency. It’s also why his campaign ads feel like something you’ve seen somewhere before but in another dimension...Boris Johnson’s main selling point is that he feels like how someone would be portrayed in a comedy drama about an eccentric good egg tripping up the establishment and becoming prime minister.|||Armando Iannucci<ref>Ianucci, [http://www.newstatesman.com/politics/uk/2016/06/trump-boris-i-wouldn-t-write-thick-it-now-politics-already-feels-fictional "From Trump to Boris, I wouldn’t write ''The Thick of It'' now – politics already feels fictional enough"], ''New Statesman'' 6.9.16.</ref>}}
{{cquote|My policy on cake is pro having it and pro eating it.|||Johnson's strategy on Brexit<ref>[https://www.politico.eu/article/a-brief-history-of-having-cake-and-eating-it/ A brief history of having cake and eating it: How an old expression became one of the key phrases of Brexit.] by Paul Dallison (August 31, 2017 7:23 pm) ''Politico''.</ref>}}

BoJo did a number on London: He helped make it a haven of the [[Plutocracy|super-rich]],<ref>Booth, Robert, [https://www.theguardian.com/society/2014/oct/02/boris-johnson-approve-affordable-london-flats-rent "Boris Johnson to approve ‘affordable’ London flats for rent at up to £2,800 "], ''[[Guardian]]'' (10/2/14 at 13:17 EDT, modified 5/7/16 at 6:41 EDT). ''Psst....he doesn't think that these flats are affordable at all.''</ref> then ran a campaign saying ''[[Reaganism|Don't listen to the super-rich in London]]''.<ref>Mortimer, Caroline, [http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/eu-referendum-boris-johnson-claims-elites-want-to-remain-in-europe-to-keep-hold-of-power-a6999306.html "EU referendum: Boris Johnson claims elites 'want to remain in Europe to keep hold of power'"], ''Independent'' 4.25.16</ref>

He was originally pro-[[European Union]].<ref>Wright, Oliver, [http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/boris-johnson-accused-of-breathtaking-hypocrisy-over-eu-referendum-flip-flop-a7020396.html "What Boris Johnson said about EU security two years ago - and what he is saying now"], ''Independent'' 5.9.16.</ref>  Then he, Michael Gove (former MP and News Corp columnist), and [[Nigel Farage]] (UKIP Leader) rode the backlash at UK working conditions out of Europe, each one surfing on the backs of empty promises about trade, immigration and national devices. (NHS etc.)<ref>Stone, Jon, [http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/eu-referendum-result-nigel-farage-nhs-pledge-disowns-350-million-pounds-a7099906.html "EU referendum: Nigel Farage backtracks on Vote Leave's '£350m for the NHS' pledge hours after result"], ''Independent'' 6.26.16. But they are men of the people! How can they be so deceitful??</ref> Boris later became the figurehead of a successful campaign to kick [[David Cameron|Cameron]] out,<ref>Lewis, Kayleigh, [http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/brexit-boris-johnson-prime-minister-david-cameron-resigns-eu-referendum-news-latest-updates-a7100121.html "Boris Johnson becomes bookies' favourite to be next UK Prime Minister"], ''Independent'' 6.24.16.</ref> but Gove managed to torpedo Johnson's own effort to replace Cameron.<ref>[https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2016/oct/25/michael-gove-denies-stabbing-boris-johnson-back-conservative-leadership-campaign "Michael Gove denies stabbing Boris Johnson in the back" The Guardian 25.10.16.</ref>

==First crack at the Tory leadership==
Boris announced his withdrawal from the leadership race, after Gove, who is more weasel than man, threw his own hat in the ring despite an agreement to support Johnson. This bit of political treachery sabotaged Johnson's bid, leaving Gove, whom everyone had just seen knifing his colleague in the back, going head to head with [[Theresa May]].<ref>[http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/boris-johnson-withrawal-from-tory-leadership-race-how-it-happened_uk_57752420e4b0d18f7514b591 "How Boris Johnson's Leadership Dream Crumbled"]. ''Huffington Post''. 30 June 2016. Retrieved on 1 July 2016.</ref><ref>[http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/boris-johnson-tory-leadership-not-run_uk_5774fe46e4b08b8610d78b58 "Boris Johnson Will NOT Run For Tory Leadership Election"]. ''Huffington Post''. 30 June 2016. Retrieved on 1 July 2016.</ref> The tories plumped for May over the treacherous backstabbing weasel. In the long run, Gove had done Johnson a favour as the premiership became something of a poisoned chalice immediately after Brexit. Until the next opportunity, Johnson had to console himself with Foreign Secretary.

==Barack Obama==
Boris Johnson endorsed [[Barack Obama]] in [[2008 US Presidential Election|2008]], but nine years later said that:<ref>Weaver, Matthew, [http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2016/may/11/boris-johnson-no-regrets-obama-part-kenyan-remarks "Boris Johnson: No Regrets Over Obama 'Part-Kenyan' Remarks"], ''Guardian'' (5/11/16 at 6:23 EDT).</ref>

{{quotebox|Something mysterious happened when Barack Obama entered the Oval Office in 2009 … It was a bust of Winston Churchill — the great British wartime leader. It was a fine goggle-eyed object, done by the brilliant sculptor Jacob Epstein, and it had sat there for almost ten years. But on day one of the Obama administration it was returned, without ceremony, to the British embassy in Washington … Some said it was a snub to Britain. Some said it was a symbol of the '''part-Kenyan President's ancestral dislike of the British empire''' — of which Churchill had been such a fervent defender.<ref>[http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/politics/7095695/UK-and-America-can-better-friends-than-ever-Mr-Obama-if-we-LEAVE-the-EU-says-Boris-Johnson.html "Boris Johnson: UK and America can be better friends than ever Mr Obama… if we LEAVE the EU"]. ''thesun.co.uk''. 22 April 2016. Retrieved on 26 June 2016.</ref>}}

These comments mentioning Obama's Kenyan ancestry  were described by Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell as "another example of [[dog whistle politics|dog whistle]] racism from senior Tories" and the worst of [[Tea Party]] rhetoric.<ref>[http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-36112694 "Obama hits back at Boris Johnson's alleged smears"]. ''bbc.co.uk''. Retrieved on 26 June 2016.</ref> ''The Washington Post'' noted that Johnson's comments "mentioned a [conspiracy] theory, prominent among some right-wing Americans, that Mr. Obama is motivated by a radical anti-imperialist agenda and that 'the part-Kenyan president’s ancestral dislike of the British Empire' motivated the removal of the bust";<ref>[http://www.nytimes.com/2016/04/23/world/europe/boris-johnson-the-sun-brexit.html "Boris Johnson’s Essay on Obama and Churchill Touches Nerve Online"]. ''The New York Times''. 23 April 2016. Retrieved on 26 June 2016.</ref> this led ''Financial Times'' columnist John Gapper to ironically tweet: "So is Boris Johnson against the European Union because he's part-Turkish?"<ref>{{cite web |title= [https://twitter.com/johngapper/status/723466615610814464 Tweet Number 723466615610814464] |author= John Gapper |date= 22 April 2016|accessdate= 26 June 2016 |quote= So is Boris Johnson against the European Union because he's part-Turkish? https://t.co/JnIX0EjujQ |work= [[Twitter]] }}</ref>

On the actual content of what Mr. Johnson had said, the allegation about Churchill's bust being removed from the White House was debunked as early as July 2012;<ref>[https://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2012/07/27/fact-check-bust-winston-churchill "Fact Check: The Bust of Winston Churchill"]. ''whitehouse.gov''. 27 July 2012. Retrieved on 26 June 2016.</ref> the bust of Churchill was placed outside the Treaty Room on the second floor of the house, where Obama claimed to have looked at it every day.<ref>Pickard, Jim. (22 April 2016). [http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/784d3716-088e-11e6-b6d3-746f8e9cdd33.html "Boris Johnson accused of racism in Obama row"]. Retrieved on 15 July 2016 &ndash; via Financial Times.</ref> Clearly, this is not enough for Boris — only once per day!? That commie, Empire-hating bastard! And this irrational fear of the old [[Colonialism|colonies]] rising up&nbsp;— which was exacerbated by [[Cold War]] hysteria about national liberation movements in South Africa — is exactly the type of fearmongering which led to [[Thatcher]] denouncing [[Nelson Mandela]]'s ANC as "a typical terrorist organisation".<ref>Smith, David (28 November 2010). [http://www.theguardian.com/world/2010/nov/28/nelson-mandela-margaret-thatcher-meeting "Nelson Mandela and Margaret Thatcher: the meeting that never was"]. ''theguardian.com''. Retrieved on 26 June 2016.</ref> Indeed, one of those people fighting against the British in Kenya — as mentioned in passing by [[Nigel Farage]] in regards to defending Johnson's comments<ref>[http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/president-obama-has-a-grudge-against-britain-because-his-family-is-from-kenya-says-nigel-farage_uk_571a2285e4b018a884dcc8c7 "Obama Has A 'Grudge' Against Britain Because His 'Family Is Kenyan,' Says Farage"]. ''huffingtonpost.co.uk''. 22 April 2016. Retrieved on 26 June 2016.</ref> — was his grandfather Hussein Onyango Obama, who was imprisoned and tortured by the British during Kenya's Mau Mau Uprising.<ref>Bowcott, Owen (3 December 2008). [http://www.theguardian.com/world/deadlineusa/2008/dec/03/obama-grandfather-maumau-torture "Revealed: Britain's torture of Obama's grandfather"]. ''theguardian.com''. Retrieved on 26 June 2016.</ref> Even if Obama had removed Churchill from the White House — which he patently did not — then one cannot really blame him for this.

==Foreign secretary==
===Appointment===
[[File:Boris Johnson Rhodesia.jpg|thumb|250px|First day in the Foreign Office.]]
{{cquote|In the light of the Foreign Secretary's display of chronic "foot-in-mouth" disease, when deciding on Cabinet positions, does the Prime Minister now regret that pencilling "FO" against his name should have been an instruction, not a job offer?|||Peter Dowd MP, displaying an excellent sense of [[Fun:Humeur|humeur]].<ref name="Dowd">[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JbCTLvXxB9I Watch] on YouTube or [http://bit.ly/339rTvt read] in Hansard.</ref>}}
Johnson was made Britain's Fine Foreign Secretary (FFS)<ref name="Dowd" /> in July 2016 by Theresa May. This decision was made in order to make him a figurehead with little power.<ref>References:
*Hutton, Robert. [https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-07-13/boris-johnson-appointed-u-k-foreign-secretary-in-may-government "Boris Johnson Appointed U.K. Foreign Secretary in May Government"]. Bloomberg L.P. Retrieved 13 July 2016.
*Stephen Bush (14 July 2016). [http://www.newstatesman.com/politics/staggers/2016/07/sending-boris-johnson-foreign-office-bad-britain-good-theresa-may "Sending Boris Johnson to the Foreign Office is bad for Britain, good for Theresa May"]. New Statesman. Retrieved 14 July 2016.</ref> and ensure that he would be out of the country most of the time, unable to mobilise backbenchers against her premiership and forced to take responsibility for problems related to Brexit, i.e. a {{wpl|whipping boy}}.<ref>References:
*Thomas Hüetlin (14 July 2016). [http://www.spiegel.de/politik/ausland/boris-johnson-als-britischer-aussenminister-der-muellmann-von-number-10-kommentar-a-1102927.html "Boris Johnson als Außenminister: Der Prügelknabe"] [Boris Johnson as Foreign Secretary: The whipping boy]. ''Der Spiegel'' (in German). Retrieved 14 July 2016.
*John Cassidy (13 July 2016). [http://www.newyorker.com/news/john-cassidy/the-huge-challenge-facing-theresa-may "The Huge Challenge Facing Theresa May"]. ''The New Yorker''. Retrieved 14 July 2016.</ref>

Johnson's appointment was seen by many (including former Swedish Prime Minister {{wpl|Carl Bildt}}) as a sick joke.<ref>References:
*Bonnie Malkin; Philip Oltermann; Tom Phillips (14 July 2016). [https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2016/jul/14/maybe-the-brits-are-just-having-us-on-the-world-reacts-to-boris-johnson-as-foreign-minister "'Maybe the Brits are just having us on': the world reacts to Boris Johnson as foreign minister"]. ''The Guardian''. Retrieved 14 July 2016.
*Holton, Kate; Pitas, Costas (14 July 2016). [https://www.reuters.com/article/us-britain-eu-wrapup-idUSKCN0ZU1HE "May builds new-look Brexit cabinet to steer EU divorce"]. Reuters. Retrieved 14 July 2016.</ref> Labour MP {{wpl|Angela Eagle|Angela Eagle's}} was fighting her own to be leader of the Labour Party (and topple [[Jeremy Corbyn]]) at the time of the announcement; her live reaction and quick turn away from the camera to swear is [http://www.standard.co.uk/news/politics/they-made-him-foreign-secretary-angela-eagles-horrified-reaction-to-boris-johnsons-new-cabinet-job-a3295456.html very amusing].

Johnson has been criticised by journalists and foreign politicians for his statements about other countries, including:<ref>References:
*[https://www.bbc.com/news/world-36790977 "Boris Johnson is foreign secretary: The world reacts"]. ''BBC News''. 14 July 2016. Retrieved 14 July 2016.
*[https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-36792746 Boris Johnson: How Britain's new foreign secretary has insulted the world]. ''BBC News''. 14 July 2016. Retrieved 2 August 2019</ref>
*Saying that the Commonwealth "supplies <nowiki>[</nowiki>[[Queen Elizabeth II]]<nowiki>]</nowiki> with regular cheering crowds of flag-waving piccaninnies". In this column, he described the Congo as follows: "No doubt the AK47s will fall silent, and the pangas will stop their hacking of human flesh, and the tribal warriors will all break out in watermelon smiles to see the big white chief touch down in his big white British taxpayer-funded bird."
*On the effects of colonialism in Uganda: "If left to their own devices, the natives would rely on nothing but the instant carbohydrate gratification of the plantain."
*Equating [[Papua New Guinea]] with "orgies of [[cannibalism]] and chief-killing."
*Reciting a colonialist poem for no reason but causing offence whilst in Yangon's most sacred [[Buddhist]] site, where his own ambassador to Myanmar had to tell him to stop several times.<ref>[https://www.theguardian.com/politics/video/2017/sep/30/boris-johnson-caught-on-camera-reciting-kipling-poem-in-burmese-temple-video 'Not appropriate': Boris Johnson recites Kipling poem in Myanmar temple - video] (Sat 30 Sep 2017) ''Channel Four'' via ''The Guardian''.</ref>
Which of course makes him an excellent choice to be Foreign Secretary...

===Diplomacy Time™===
Johnson's visit to Turkey in May 2016 was somewhat tense due to his having won a poetry competition about the President of Turkey, [[Recep Tayyip Erdoğan]], four months earlier, which went as follows:
{{cquote|There was a young fellow from Ankara<br />
Who was a terrific wankerer<br />
Till he sowed his wild oats<br />
With the help of a [[goat]]<br />
But he didn't even stop to thankera.<ref>Douglas Murray. [http://blogs.spectator.co.uk/2016/05/boris-johnson-wins-the-spectators-president-erdogan-offensive-poetry-competition/ "Boris Johnson wins The Spectator’s President Erdogan Offensive Poetry competition"]. (18 May 2016). ''The Spectator''.</ref>}}


In a [[stopped clock]] moment in in December 2016, he said that [[Saudi Arabia]] was "puppeteering and playing proxy wars" throughout the Middle East, which caused a rift between him and Theresa May.<ref>References:
*[https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-38245902 "Boris Johnson accuses Saudi Arabia of 'playing proxy wars'"]. ''BBC News''. 8 December 2016. Retrieved 4 May 2017.
*[https://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/industry/defence/11455304/Charted-the-worlds-biggest-arms-importers.html "Charted: The world's biggest arms importers"]. ''The Telegraph''. Retrieved 4 May 2017.
*Dominiczak, Peter (8 December 2016). [https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/12/08/boris-johnson-theresa-may-odds-pm-rebukes-foreign-secretary/ "Row over Saudi Arabia comments blows open rift between Theresa May and Boris Johnson"]. ''The Daily Telegraph''.
*[https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-38248316 "Boris Johnson's Saudi 'proxy wars' comment 'not UK's view'"]. ''BBC News''. 8 December 2016. Retrieved 4 May 2017.</ref> Despite this, Johnson supported the Saudi Arabian-led intervention in Yemen and refused to block UK arms sales to Saudi Arabia, stating there was no clear evidence of breaches of international humanitarian law  by the Saudis in Yemen.<ref>References:
*[https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/boris-johnson-urged-to-back-probe-into-international-law-violations-during-yemen-war-a7321496.html "Boris Johnson urged to back probe into international law violations in Yemen"]. The Independent. 21 September 2016.
*[https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/sep/05/mps-to-urge-ban-on-uk-arms-sales-to-saudi-arabia "Boris Johnson defends UK arms sales to Saudi Arabia"]. ''The Guardian''. 5 September 2016.</ref>

In November 2016, Johnson told the Foreign Affairs Select Committee that {{wpl|Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe}}—a British-Iranian dual citizen serving a five-year prison sentence in Iran allegedly for "plotting to topple the Iranian government"<ref>References:
*[https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-37321030 "UK-Iranian mother Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe 'jailed on secret charges'"]. ''BBC News''. 10 September 2016. Retrieved 7 November 2017.
*Trew Cairo, Bel (10 October 2017). [https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/british-mother-nazanin-zaghari-ratcliffe-facing-16-more-years-in-iranian-jail-x0vwk6h6f "British mother Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe facing 16 more years in Iranian jail"]. ''The Times''. Retrieved 12 October 2017. <small>(Subscription needed)</small></ref> by running "a BBC Persian online journalism course which was aimed at recruiting and training people to spread propaganda against Iran"<ref>Saeed Kamali Dehghan (6 November 2017). [https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2017/nov/06/boris-johnson-mistake-could-harm-case-for-nazanin-zaghari-ratcliffe-say-family "Boris Johnson 'mistake' could harm case for Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, say family"]. The Guardian. Retrieved 14 November 2017.</ref>—had been "simply teaching people journalism".<ref>[http://data.parliament.uk/writtenevidence/committeeevidence.svc/evidencedocument/foreign-affairs-committee/oral-evidence-from-the-foreign-secretary-november-2017/oral/72573.html "Oral evidence: Oral Evidence from the Foreign Secretary November 2017, HC 538"]. House of Commons. UK Parliament. 1 November 2017. Q73. Retrieved 6 November 2017.</ref> These remarks appear to have put her at risk, prompting condemnation from politicians across the spectrum including Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn and London Mayor Sadiq Khan, leading to calls for Boris Johnson to be sacked.<ref>Helm, Toby; Quinn, Ben; Dehghan, Saeed Kamali (12 November 2017). [https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2017/nov/11/boris-johnson-jeremy-corbyn-iran "Sack Boris Johnson for shaming our nation, Jeremy Corbyn tells PM"]. ''The Observer''. ISSN 0029-7712. Retrieved 12 November 2017.</ref> Zaghari-Ratcliffe had said that her visit had been made simply for her daughter to meet her grandparents. Johnson stated he had been misquoted and that nothing he said had justified Zaghari-Ratcliffe's sentence.<ref>References:
*[https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-41890885 "Fears for Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe after Boris Johnson remark"]. ''BBC News''. 6 November 2017. Retrieved 7 November 2017. 
*Rawlinson, Kevin (7 November 2017). [https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2017/nov/07/boris-johnson-to-call-iran-in-wake-of-comments-about-jailed-briton "Boris Johnson to call Iran in wake of comments about jailed Briton"]. ''The Guardian''. Retrieved 7 November 2017.</ref>

In April 2017, Theresa May had to convince the EU that Britain wasn't preparing for war with Spain due to comments made by Johnson and other senior politicians.<ref>[https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-39475127 "Brexit and Gibraltar: May laughs off Spain 'war' talk"]. ''BBC News''. 3 April 2017. Accessed 2 August 2019.</ref> In May 2017, during the 2017 United Kingdom general election, he was apprehended by a woman in a Sikh gurdwara for discussing alcohol and ending tariffs on Indian whiskey there (alcohol is forbidden in Sikhism).<ref>[https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/election-2017-39952616/boris-johnson-criticised-by-sikh-woman-over-whisky-comment-in-gurdwara "Boris Johnson criticised by Sikh woman over whisky comment in Gurdwara"]. ''BBC News''. 17 May 2017. Retrieved 25 March 2019.</ref>

In September 2017, Johnson reiterated his "£350m a week" red bus lie in a ''Telegraph'' op-ed. This led Sir David Norgrove (chair of the non-partisan UK Statistics Authority) to call this a "clear misuse of official statistics".<ref>Asthana, Anushka (17 September 2017). [https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2017/sep/17/boris-johnson-slapped-down-statistics-chief-fresh-350m-brexit-claim "Boris Johnson left isolated as row grows over £350m post-Brexit claim"]. ''The Guardian''. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 18 September 2017.</ref>

Johnson promised while in Northern Ireland that Brexit would leave the Irish border "absolutely unchanged" but declined to say how.<ref>[https://www.newstatesman.com/politics/uk/2019/06/how-would-boris-johnson-solve-irish-border-problem "How would Boris Johnson solve the Irish border problem?"]. ''New Statesman''. 12 June 2019.</ref> However, in February 2018, Johnson said Northern Ireland may have to accept border controls after Brexit,<ref>Maidment, Jack (28 February 2018). [https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2018/02/28/boris-johnson-accuses-remainers-trying-use-irish-border-issue/ "Boris Johnson accuses Remainers of trying to use Irish border issue to stop the UK leaving the EU"]. The Daily Telegraph.</ref> which is absolutely a change.

In March 2018, Johnson apologised for his "inadvertent sexism" after being reprimanded by the Speaker of the House of Commons for calling Shadow Foreign Secretary Emily Thornberry by her husband's surname (Nugee).<ref>[https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-43557516 "Speaker tells Johnson off for 'sexism'"]. ''BBC News''. 27 March 2018. Retrieved 27 March 2018.</ref>

In June 2018, Johnson was reported as having said "fuck business" when asked about corporate concerns regarding a hard Brexit.<ref>References:
*[https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2018/06/23/eu-diplomats-shocked-boriss-four-letter-reply-business-concerns/ "EU diplomats shocked by Boris's 'four-letter reply' to business concerns about Brexit"]. ''The Daily Telegraph''. 23 June 2018. Retrieved 24 June 2018. 
*[https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2018/jun/24/tide-turning-brexit-will-of-people-boris-johnson "Enough already: in the national interest, we must stop a hard Brexit"]. ''The Guardian''. 24 June 2018. Retrieved 24 June 2018. 
*[http://www.thenational.scot/news/16310206.EU_diplomats_reveal_Boris_Johnson_said__f__k_business__over_Brexit_fears/ "EU diplomats reveal Boris Johnson said 'f**k business' over Brexit fears"]. ''The National''. 23 June 2018. Retrieved 24 June 2018. 
*[https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-44618154 "Johnson challenged over 'Brexit expletive'"]. ''BBC News''. 26 June 2018. Retrieved 27 June 2018.</ref>

==Prime Minister==
{{cquote|I am [[Adolf Hitler|the führer]]. I'm the [[king]] who takes the decisions.|||Johnson, according to one of his advisers<ref>[https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2023/apr/22/i-am-the-fuhrer-im-the-king-new-book-lifts-lid-on-life-inside-boris-johnsons-chaotic-no-10 ‘I am the führer. I’m the king’: new book lifts lid on life inside Boris Johnson’s chaotic No 10: PM blamed both Dominic Cummings and his wife to disguise his own reluctance to take difficult decisions, author claims] by Michael Savage (22 Apr 2023 11.36 EDT) ''The Guardian''.</ref>}}
Finally, Boris got his heart's desire, replacing Theresa May as Prime Minister on 24 July 2019 after winning a leadership election against Jeremy Hunt. During his campaign, he had promised both tax cuts and spending increases, which would normally be contradictory (less income plus more outgoings equals problems), so it wasn't exactly clear how he was going to run the country.<ref>[https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-49097133 Do Boris Johnson's tax and spending plans add up?], BBC News, 5 Aug 2019</ref> On entering office, he rapidly set about remodeling the government, sacking many loyal to May and Hunt.<ref>[https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2019/jul/28/boris-johnson-plots-high-risk-brexit-with-war-on-doubters Johnson plots a high-risk Brexit with war on the doubters], Toby Helm, The Observer (via Guardian website), 28 July 2019</ref> It emerged that his plan for [[Brexit]] was to drop out without a deal, despite the bad effect that would have on British industry.<ref>[https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2019/aug/05/no-deal-brexit-is-boris-johnsons-central-scenario-eu-told Boris Johnson has no intention of renegotiating Brexit deal, EU told], The Guardian, 5 Aug 2019</ref>

===Mainstreaming the extremists===
While Cameron and May were already far-right by any sane measure, Johnson's first cabinet reshuffle threw out everyone who explicitly opposed him regardless of how conservative they already were. He packed his cabinet with racist nutjobs and elitist hardliners, such as Priti Patel (a former supporter of capital punishment) as Home Secretary, in charge of policing and immigration.<ref>[https://www.newstatesman.com/politics/uk/2019/07/cabinet-audit-what-does-appointment-priti-patel-home-secretary-mean-policy Cabinet audit: What does the appointment of Priti Patel as Home Secretary mean for policy?], New Statesman, 25 July 2019</ref> Other appointments included [[Margaret Thatcher|Thatcherite]] ex-banker Sajid Javid as Chancellor of the Exchequer (replaced by Rishi Sunak in February 2020 after a falling out over special advisors), staunch Brexiteer Dominic Raab as Foreign Secretary, fellow leaver [[Michael Gove]] as chancellor of the duchy of Lancaster (a sort of all-purpose fixer position), and another Leaver, Steve Barclay, remaining as Brexit secretary.<ref>[https://www.politico.eu/article/boris-johnson-new-cabinet-whos-in/ Meet Boris Johnson’s new Cabinet], Politico.eu, 25 July 2019</ref>

His special advisers come partly from his time as Mayor of London but also from pro-Brexit group Vote Leave, hard-right institutions like the [[TaxPayers' Alliance]] and the Legatum Institute, and from right-wing and right-libertarian publications like Guido Fawkes and [[Spiked]]. Dominic Cummings, formerly master strategist at Vote Leave, became his de facto chief of staff (a move that seemed to presage an early election). The head of his policy unit is Munira Mirza of [[Spiked]] magazine and before that communist-turned-libertarian magazine ''Living Marxism''; she advised him on arts policy while he was Mayor. Johnson's political secretary is Danny Kruger, a former Tory parliamentary candidate who called for a "period of creative destruction in the public services", as well as working for Vote Leave, the Legatum Institute, as a leader writer for the Daily Telegraph, and a speechwriter for David Cameron before his 2010 election win. Ross Kempsell, a former journalist for TalkRadio and Guido Fawkes with no policy experience, is advising Johnson on public policy reform. Chloe Westley, formerly of the TaxPayers' Alliance, Vote Leave, and right-wing student organisation [[Turning Point UK]], is another adviser.<ref>[https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2019/aug/05/boris-johnson-ushers-in-radical-new-era-of-special-advisers Boris Johnson ushers in radical new era of special advisers], The Guardian, 5 Aug 2019</ref><ref>[https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2019/jul/29/boris-johnson-vote-leave-eu-exit The Vote Leave gang now running Britain do not want to govern. They want to win], Matthew D'Ancona, The Guardian, 29 July 2019</ref>

===National infrastructure===
Johnson has long supported infrastructure development, so long as he gets to take credit for it and doesn't have to do anything.

The TfL and DfT developed plans for {{wpl|CrossRail}} between 2001 and 2007, whilst Labour were in Government and Ken Livingstone was Mayor of London. The CrossRail Act 2008 was passed by the Labour-led Parliament in July 2008. Boris likes to take credit for all of this, having become Mayor of London in May 2008.

He loves infrastructure so much that on becoming Prime Minister he launched the {{wpl|High Speed 2#Oakervee Review|Oakervee Review}} of [[HS2]], which inconveniently concluded that HS2 was still much-needed and shouldn't be cancelled. Reading the room, he spent 2020 arguing that HS2 would create jobs, "fire up the economy" and become "the spine of our country's transport network".<ref>[https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2020/09/04/boris-johnson-hs2-will-deliver-20000-new-jobs-fire-economic/ Boris Johnson: HS2 will deliver 20,000 new jobs, and 'fire up' economic growth], 4 Sept 2020</ref>

However, Johnson doesn't like spines (being a Great Supine, Protoplasmic Invertebrate Jelly himself). In November 2021 he cancelled the Eastern Leg of HS2 to Leeds, as well as Northern Powerhouse Rail. This made northern councils and leaders very angry.<ref>[https://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/news/politics/rail-plan-andy-burnham-hits-back-at-dont-bite-the-hand-that-feeds-you-advice-3552360 Integrated Rail Plan: Andy Burnham hits back at 'Don't bite the hand that feeds you' advice from Tory MP, Yorkshire Post, Feb 2022]</ref><ref>[https://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/news/politics/integrated-rail-plan-not-in-norths-best-interest-says-new-tfn-chair-3541719 Integrated Rail Plan 'not in North's best interest', says new TfN chair Patrick McLoughlin, Yorkshire Post, Jan 2022]</ref><ref>[https://www.levelupnortheast.org/transport-for-north-stripped-of-powers/ Transport for North stripped of powers, 22 Nov 2021]</ref><ref>[https://www.thelondoneconomic.com/news/transport-for-the-north-has-funding-cut-following-furious-reaction-to-revised-rail-plans-301925/ Transport for the North has funding cut following furious reaction to revised rail plans, The London Economic, 21 Nov 2021]</ref>

Just 6 months later in May 2022 at the opening of CrossRail, Johnson stated:
{{quote|Better transport grows the economy, levels up opportunity, and creates jobs ... The real thing for us now is to think about Crossrail 2, the old Chelsea-Hackney line.| Boris Johnson, shortly after de-funding TfN and TfL}}

Determined to stick the knife in, he claimed that the new cross-London line would "benefit the whole country".<ref>[https://www.thenational.scot/politics/20145796.boris-johnson-thinks-elizabeth-underground-line-will-boost-whole-uk/ Boris Johnson thinks Elizabeth underground line will boost the whole UK], 17th May 2022</ref>

A week later he cancelled the HS2 Golborne Link.<ref>[https://railinsider.co.uk/2022/06/07/hs2-golborne-link-to-the-north-and-scotland-to-be-scrapped/ HS2 ‘Golborne Link’ to the North and Scotland to be scrapped], 7 June 2022</ref><ref>[https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2022/jun/07/rail-bosses-outraged-as-hs2-golborne-link-quietly-scrapped Rail industry groups outraged as HS2 Golborne link quietly scrapped], 7 June 2022</ref><ref>[https://www.newcivilengineer.com/latest/hs2-dft-confirms-21km-golborne-link-will-be-scrapped-07-06-2022/ DfT confirms 21km Golborne link will be scrapped], 7 June 2022</ref> Later that month, the RMT union led a strike of railworkers from both the mainline network and the London Underground, protesting massive redundancies, poor working conditions, a 50% cut to safety inspections and the de-funding of improvement projects.<ref>[https://www.rmt.org.uk/news/national-rail-and-london-underground-strikes/  National Rail & London Underground Strikes], 20 June 2022</ref><ref>[https://www.openaccessgovernment.org/whats-the-rail-strike-all-about-rmt-transport-inflation-government/138420/ What is the RMT rail strike all about?], 24 June 2022</ref><ref>[https://news.sky.com/story/rail-strikes-third-day-of-industrial-action-set-to-cause-weekend-chaos-with-no-trains-running-in-some-popular-seaside-towns-12640108 Rail strikes: RMT union 'won't hesitate' to take further industrial action as third walkout causes weekend disruption], 25 June 2022</ref><ref>[https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/mick-lynch-rmt-rail-strike-poll-b2112260.html Public now support rail strikes after Mick Lynch TV studio tour, poll finds], 29 June 2022</ref>

===Trump-style chaos===
Johnson's premiership was fueled by disruption, [[chaos]], lies, boorish behavior, grift, and a cheerful contempt for ordinary norms, expectations and rules — which, from some people's perspective, was a positive "feature" of Johnson's government, not a "bug".<ref>[https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2021/sep/17/boris-johnson-politics-chaos-reshuffle-conservatism "In the past, chaos brought down governments. Why not this one?"] by Andy Beckett, Guardian, 2021 September 17</ref><ref>[https://www.politico.eu/article/boris-johnson-let-the-bodies-pile-high-in-their-thousands-scandal/ "Boris Johnson stays afloat in a swirl of scandal"] by Esther Webber, Anna Isaac, and Emilio Casalicchio, Politico EU, 2021 April 26</ref><ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/2022/02/07/opinion/international-world/boris-johnson-conservatives.html "How British Conservatives Lost Their Way"] by Andrew Marr, New York Times, 2022 Februrary 7</ref> Nonetheless, one can only run a chaotic administration, marked by constant staff turnover<ref>[https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/johnson-dominic-cummings-resign-alex-allan-b1759234.html "Which top Downing Street officials have quit under Boris Johnson?"], PA Reporter, Independent, 2020 November 21</ref> and multiple scandals,<ref>[https://www.politico.eu/article/boris-johnson-7-times-botched-scandal/ "7 times Boris Johnson botched a scandal"] by Annabelle Dickson, Politico EU, 2021 December 8</ref> for so long before "boring" politics, free of chaos, suddenly starts looking quite attractive.<ref>[https://www.economist.com/britain/2022/01/29/boris-johnson-is-making-boring-politics-look-attractive "Boris Johnson is making boring politics look attractive"], Economist, 2022 January 29</ref>

===Racist immigration law===
The Nationality and Borders Act, which became law on April 2022, makes the Home Secretary more powerful in response to the migrant crisis, allowing the Home Secretary to strip citizenship and remove those who "have no right" to be in the UK. Deprivation of citizenship, previously, was only possible for naturalized citizens and only possible if that naturalized citizen committed treason. It has been used against members of [[Al Qaeda]] and [[DAESH]], but the new law would allow the Home Office to carry this out without having to tell the person in question. This means sitting MPs can in theory have their citizenship removed and made stateless without them even being given notice. This also means, without the rights of citizenship, anybody in the UK can be deprived of their right to a fair trial and are therefore eligible for the death penalty. It also creates a "two-tier system" for refugees in the UK depending on their method of arrival, with those who come via unauthorized routes – such as small boats or in the back of lorries – criminalized and penalized. This means Ukrainian war refugees can possibly be criminalized by the British government under this new law. <ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FFLaiomTi2k Full video detailing it by the UK-based TLDR news channel]</ref> <ref>[https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/tory-nationality-borders-bill-putin-uk-b2024815.html "Tory grandees warn borders bill is ‘dangerous’ and will break international law," Independent]</ref> <ref>[https://www.islamchannel.tv/blog-posts/when-is-he-coming-for-me-mp-asks-boris-johnson-about-citizenship-stripping ""When is he coming for me?" — MP asks PM about citizenship stripping," Islam Channel]</ref> <ref>[https://www.bbc.com/news/explainers-53428191 "Nationality and Borders Bill: Can you lose your citizenship?," BBC]</ref>

===Human rights is anti-British===
Johnson wants to scrap the Human Rights Act, publishing a 123-page document explaining his proposed bill which would do just that. The Human Rights Act is exactly what it says on the tin, compelling the government to respect the rights to life, freedom of speech, privacy and property, among others — and bans discrimination, torture, and forced labour. Britain passed the [[Human Rights Act 1998]] under [[Tony Blair]], which "obligated UK courts to interpret legislation so it is compatible with the European Convention of Human Rights." It is overseen by a court in Strasbourg and separate from the European Union. But the Tories, Dominic Raab in particular, believe the Human Rights Act is "irredeemably European," explicitly saying in 2009 “I don’t support the Human Rights Act and I don’t believe in economic and social rights.” Why is this scaring experts? Raab is the Justice Secretary ''and'' Deputy Prime Minister. But Johnson's government wants to redefine "British values" to "exclude human rights as understood for over two decades." The new bill will clarify that there is "no requirement to follow" the Strasbourg case law, and also say that UK courts "cannot interpret rights in a more expansive manner than the Strasbourg Court." Let us be blunt: Johnson's government, and the Tories as a whole, explicitly say human rights restricts parliament from doing its job (whatever that means), and by scrapping the Human Rights Act (while framing it as an anti-[[EU]] measure), Johnson is making it easier for a future UK government to violate human rights with impunity to stick it to the [[European Union]], and Brexit in hindsight was the Tory government's way of making it easier to restrict or deny its own people's rights.<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7TylJF9mM2s As explained by English news channel TLDR]</ref><ref>[https://english.alaraby.co.uk/news/uk-pm-looks-end-human-rights-act-chilling-new-law "UK's Boris Johnson looks to end Human Rights Act with chilling new law ," The New Arab]</ref><ref>[https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/boris-johnson-is-undermining-britains-one-superpower/2022/05/22/44583dfa-d995-11ec-be17-286164974c54_story.html "Boris Johnson Is Undermining Britain’s One Superpower," Washington Post]</ref><ref>[https://www.opendemocracy.net/en/opendemocracyuk/human-rights-act-could-be-scrapped-uk-government-experts-warn/ "Human Rights Act could be scrapped by UK government, experts warn," Open Democracy]</ref><ref>[https://www.theguardian.com/law/2022/may/09/consequences-dire-human-rights-act-ditched-northern-ireland-boris-johnson "Consequences ‘dire’ if Human Rights Act ditched, more than 50 groups warn," The Guardian]</ref>

==Downfall==
===Party's over?===
{{cquote|[Johnson said that a lot of the Tories think] "the whole thing is pathetic and Covid is just nature’s way of dealing with old people – and I am not entirely sure I disagree with them."|||Patrick Vallance, Chief Scientific Adviser to the Tory government<ref>[https://www.opendemocracy.net/en/boris-johnson-covid-natures-way-dealing-with-old-people-patrick-vallance-inquiry/ Boris Johnson said Covid was 'nature's way of dealing with old people: Former prime minister said he agreed that ‘we should let the old people get it’, today’s Covid inquiry heard] by Finlay Johnston  (31 October 2023, 1.06pm) ''openDemocracy''.</ref>}}
In January 2022, it was revealed in a report by civil servant {{wpl|Sue Gray (civil servant)|Sue Gray}} that on multiple occasions, Johnson indulged in routine late-night booze-ups in 2020 and 2021, with little connection to workplace activities, thus breaking lockdown rules put in place by his own government due to [[COVID-19]].<ref name="cnnjohnsonnoone">[https://www.cnn.com/2022/02/05/uk/boris-johnson-leadership-scandals-intl-cmd-gbr/index.html "No one knows what to do about Boris Johnson"] by Luke McGee, CNN, 2022 February 5</ref> Johnson, as usual, attempted to wriggle his way out of this scandal — first, by lying and saying that his staff did not hold parties; when that was disproven, he then denied that he knew about the parties in question; when it emerged that he had, in fact, attended some of these parties, Johnson then claimed that he didn't know that these events counted as parties.<ref name="econdouble">[https://www.economist.com/leaders/2022/01/22/the-parable-of-boris-johnson "The parable of Boris Johnson"], Economist, 2022 January 22</ref> To some, these parties finally revealed what was well known to those who have followed Johnson's career closely: that rather than being the anti-establishment politician some envisioned, Johnson really was just another member of the powerful [[hypocritical]] establishment class, which, when it came to laws and regulations, followed the creed of ''rules for thee and not for me.''<ref>[https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2022/feb/03/boris-johnson-hypocrisy-lies-british-establishment "Johnson’s hypocrisy and lies are emblematic of the British establishment"] by Owen Jones, Guardian, 2022 February 3</ref> To others, Johnson's habitual lying also revealed (again, unsurprisingly for those who have more closely followed Johnson's career) just how incredibly untrustworthy Johnson is.<ref>[https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2022/02/04/boris-johnson-must-go-bitter-pill-swallow-win-back-voters/ "Boris Johnson must go – it’s a bitter pill to swallow to win back voters’ trust"] by Nick Gibb, Telegraph, 2022 February 4</ref>

While under fire for "Partygate", Johnson caused further irritation when he falsely accused Labour Party leader [[Keir Starmer]] of shielding notorious child sex abuser {{wpl|Jimmy Savile}} from prosecution while Starmer was head of the {{wpl|Crown Prosecution Service}}. This thoroughly-debunked accusation<ref>https://fullfact.org/online/keir-starmer-prosecute-jimmy-savile/</ref> led to an incident where Starmer was set upon by a small mob of protesters who screamed abuse at Starmer for supposedly being a "[[pedophile|paedophile]] protector" and even threw a traffic cone at police officers.<ref>[https://www.cbsnews.com/news/boris-johnson-uk-keir-starmer-chased-mob-after-false-jimmy-savile-claim/ "U.K. politician chased by mob after prime minister falsely accuses him of shielding a celebrity pedophile"] by Haley Ott, CBS News, 2022 February 8</ref><ref name="bisavile">[https://www.businessinsider.com/Tories-Boris-johnson-apologise-crowd-swarms-keir-starmer-2022-2 "Tories tell Boris Johnson to apologise for Savile accusations after crowd swarms Keir Starmer"] by Catherine Neilan, Business Insider, 2022 February 7</ref> Although multiple Tories called for Johnson to apologize for the false statement, Johnson refused.<ref name="bisavile"/> 

The combination of the lockdown party row and Johnson's tasteless remarks led to multiple staff member resignations.<ref>[https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-60253231 "Boris Johnson rocked by wave of No 10 resignations"] by BBC News, 2022 February 4</ref> Although Johnson's approval ratings were underwater well before these incidents, the above events helped send Johnson's approval rating into freefall, with a net approval of between -31% and -51% depending on the poll taken in late January 2022. His approval rating briefly went up following [[Stopped clock|the sanctions he unleashed against Russia]] after their invasion of [[Ukraine]], but started to go down again around the time the Metropolitan Police issued several fines over Partygate, including at least one to Johnson personally;<ref>https://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/uk-police-issue-fines-government-lockdown-parties-84029152</ref><ref>See the Wikipedia article on {{wpl|Leadership approval opinion polling for the next United Kingdom general election}}</ref> 
probably not
 entirely coincidentally, this was also around the time that the Russians were pushed out of Kyiv and the media started to forget about Ukraine. Oh, and the House of Commons was in recess for the [[Easter]] holidays too.

Nothing suspicious about that at all.

===Vote of no confidence===
In early June 2022, after months of anticipation, the Conservative Party arranged a vote of no confidence against Boris Johnson. <ref>[https://www.itv.com/news/2022-06-05/no-confidence-vote-in-pm-could-be-announced-on-monday-as-mp-letters-pile-up "Vote of no confidence in Boris Johnson could be announced 'as soon as Monday' as MP letters pile up," ITV]</ref> <ref>[https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-61703422 "Confidence vote: Jeremy Hunt urges Tories to oust PM as ministers rally," BBC]</ref> If the Tory rebels failed to oust Johnson, they could not challenge him again until 12 months later, per party rules. The June 2022 vote of no confidence had no alternative candidate to Johnson, meaning it was a simple up or down referendum on his leadership. Just prior to the vote of no confidence, Johnson became the first PM to have officially broken the law due to his unwillingness to follow his own government rules on lockdown, a scandal immortalized as "Partygate," which is reportedly the main reason 15% (meaning 54) of all Tory MPs signalled support for a vote of no confidence.<ref>[https://www.npr.org/2022/06/06/1103211698/british-prime-minister-boris-johnson-to-face-no-confidence-vote "Boris Johnson faces a no-confidence vote. His exit may be a matter of when, not if," NPR]</ref> But it's not just Partygate, if we're being honest. Experts believe many of his own party were reportedly "angered by government parties that broke coronavirus rules, his handling of a deteriorating cost-of-living crisis and a dearth of clear policy goals." But even if you take the [[Ukraine]] war, rising inflation, the lingering effects of the pandemic, all out of the equation, Johnson's knock-on effects of Brexit led to "crippling labour shortages and boosted operating costs for businesses, making the spike in prices even worse." This means even if you don't blame him entirely for how badly the economy had become, his insistence on Brexit (and his refusal to rescind Cameron's austerity policies) basically killed Britain's economy.<ref>[https://www.cnn.com/2022/06/06/business/boris-johnson-vote-uk-economy/index.html "Britain's economy is in a bad place. Removing Boris Johnson might help," CNN]</ref>

While Johnson managed to survive the vote, with 59%,<ref>[https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-61709441.amp Boris Johnson wins vote but suffers large Tory rebellion], by Chris Mason, 6 June, 2022, ''BBC''</ref> his standing within the party collapsed because his political skills were offset by his personal failings. He has astute political intuition, but he's incredibly reckless (as seen with Partygate). He has a sense of history (see his support for [[Ukraine]] over [[Russia]] despite Russian oligarchs' deep ties to the Tories), but he does not conduct himself like a leader and more like an escape artist, always sending out feelers to determine what he can do to stay popular. He is great at forcing through his favoured policies, but he has no true ideology beyond [[Brexit]], vague populism, bog-standard Tory-style classism and racism. He has uncanny people skills, allowing him to be a soothsayer to the media, and his charisma grants him popularity among Tory voters, but he doesn't treat people like people at all. His "friendships" are not friends but assets based on transactional relationships, which earned him few allies and left him isolated at dangerous moments. As with all other right-wing leaders, Johnson's decision to delay lockdown policies made the outbreak worse and likely killed more people than expected or catalogued directly as a result of him being Prime Minister. He often comes across as a man without a plan, and his elitism being put on full display with Partygate killed his popularity, destroyed his always-faked image as a man of the people, and made the party no longer trust his ability to win elections.<ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/2022/06/06/world/europe/boris-johnson-confidence-vote.html "How Boris Johnson Suffered a Stunning Political Reversal," New York Times]</ref>

From 1979 to 2022, of the last five Tory PMs, only [[David Cameron]] did not have to contend with a vote of no confidence (because he was humiliated by [[Brexit]] instead). Historically speaking, Tory PMs who win their confidence votes eventually leave office anyway, because they become a wounded animal unable to maintain control of their party. [[Edward Heath]] lost his confidence vote in February 1975 after losing two general elections the previous year to [[Harold Wilson]]. He came in second on the first ballot to [[Margaret Thatcher]], who herself won her own confidence vote in November 1990, but was "convinced" to step aside anyway. [[John Major]], who succeeded Thatcher, triggered a June 1995 leadership contest against himself to face off the Euroskeptics in his party, and though he won, he would lose the 1997 election to [[Tony Blair]]. [[Theresa May]] faced a vote of no confidence in December 2018 after three straight failed Brexit deals, and while she won the confidence vote, she resigned on May 2019 anyway, paving the way for Boris Johnson... who won with fewer votes than May on the confidence vote.<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JvqJ_6267hc Another explanation video by British-based TLDR]</ref> <ref>[https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2022/jun/06/from-may-to-heath-tories-faced-votes-on-leadership "From May to Heath: Tories who have faced votes on their leadership," The Guardian]</ref>

===The end===
All the chaos finally became too much for the Prime Minister to ignore. After Johnson appointed a {{wpl|Chris Pincher|man}} credibly accused of sexual assault to the position of Deputy Chief Whip (meant to enforce party discipline and make sure party members vote the party line), Health Secretary Sajid Javid and Chancellor [[Rishi Sunak]] immediately resigned in protest, triggering a flurry of resignations (42+) throughout the government, including other cabinet ministers. There was no saving Boris after that. He vowed to remain, which led to reports that the 1922 Committee was looking into changing its own rules to allow a second no confidence vote. <ref>[https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2022/jul/06/boris-johnson-could-face-new-confidence-vote-within-days-1922-committee "Boris Johnson could face new confidence vote within days]</ref> But in truth it only delayed the inevitable by about a day or two.

On the 7<sup>th</sup> of July, 2022, Johnson announced his decision to resign from his duties, specifically as Conservative Leader, stating he would remain in post until a new Tory leader was elected.<ref>[https://www.axios.com/2022/07/07/boris-johnson-resignation-speech-uk-prime-minister Boris Johnson announces resignation: "When the herd moves, it moves"] by David Lawler, 7 July, 2022 ''Axios''</ref> On September 6, [[Liz Truss]] became the new PM.<ref>[https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-09-05/boris-johnson-replacement-new-british-prime-minister/101408248 Liz Truss wins leadership contest, will replace Boris Johnson as Britain's prime minister] by Jack Hawke, 5 September, 2022 ''ABC News''</ref> Although it was rumoured that he would make a return when his successor inevitably buggered everything up,<ref>[https://www.cnn.com/2022/09/03/uk/what-next-for-boris-johnson-intl-gbr-cmd/index.html "Boris Johnson's been stripped of power, but Britain's PM could be plotting a comeback," CNN]</ref> when Truss eventually quit after her economic policies devalued the British pound, Johnson dropped out of the race and allowed Sunak to become Prime Minister. 

In 2023, after receiving a letter from the Commons Privileges Committee suggesting that the inquiry into Partygate had found against him, Johnson preemptively resigned his seat in Parliament and declared the end of his political career, thank god.<ref>[https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2023/06/09/boris-johnson-steps-down-mp-partygate-report/ Boris Johnson resigns as MP over partygate report], ''The Telegraph''</ref> He subsequently joined the writing staff of the infamously pro-Johnson ''[[Daily Mail]]''. Johnson being Johnson, he did so in a manner that violated Parliamentary rules.<ref>[https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2023/jun/16/boris-johnson-fresh-questions-as-daily-mail-signs-ex-pm-as-columnist Boris Johnson has breached rules in taking Daily Mail job, says watchdog], ''The Guardian''</ref>

==Post-PM tabloid scribblings==
In his new job as a ''Daily Mail'' scribbler, Johnson continued to support Trump for a [[2024 U.S. presidential election|second]] (or [[2021 U.S. coup attempt|third]]) term as president in 2024, believing that Trump's [[chaos]] and fascist tendencies were best for the world, believing that Trump, after 'thinking', would support Ukraine over Russia. He wrote:<ref>[https://www.dailymail.co.uk/debate/article-12983807/BORIS-JOHNSON-negronis-Trump-presidency-just-world-needs.html The global wokerati are trembling so violently you can hear the ice tinkling in their negronis… but a Trump presidency could be just what the world needs] by Boris Johnson (11:56 EST, 19 January 2024 | Updated: 02:05 EST, 20 January 2024) ''The Daily Mail''.</ref><ref>[https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2024/jan/19/boris-johnson-says-trump-back-in-white-house-is-what-the-world-needs Boris Johnson says Trump back in White House is ‘what the world needs’: Ex-PM backs disgraced former US president ahead of election, saying he ‘won’t ditch the Ukrainians] by Tom Ambrose (19 Jan 2024 17.50 EST) ''The Guardian''.</ref>
{{cquote|I simply cannot believe that Trump will ditch the ­Ukrainians; on the contrary, having worked out, as he surely has, that there is no deal to be done with Putin, I reckon there is a good chance that he will double down and finish what he started&nbsp;— by giving them what they need to win.}}
Well, [[Trump-Ukraine scandal|Trump already threw Ukraine under the bus once under a veil of corruption in 2019]]. Trump would undoubtedly do it again for the [[Putin|highest bidder]].

==Few good achievements==
{{main|Stopped clock}}
*While his record on homosexuality is mostly pretty poor, he voted in favour of allowing gay couples to seek civil marriages<ref name=BBC>[https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-48663963 Boris Johnson: What's his track record?]</ref> and supported repealing [[Section 28]].<ref name=Grazia/> He also banned [[Core Issues Trust]] from displaying its homophobic adverts on buses in London.<ref>[https://www.theguardian.com/world/2012/apr/12/anti-gay-adverts-boris-johnson Anti-gay adverts pulled from bus campaign by Boris Johnson] (12-04-2012) ''The Guardian''</ref>
*He did a fairly good job as Mayor of London, largely keeping the ever-rising crime rate under control and increasing the amount of affordable housing built in the city.<ref name=BBC/>
*As Foreign Secretary, he played a role in the extradition of Hashem Abedi, who was convicted of conspiring with his brother Salman in the {{W|2017 Manchester Arena bombing}} (although he ''did'' have to offer the Libyan government a £9.2 million care package to get the ball rolling).
*His government achieved the highest COVID-19 vaccine rollout in Europe at the beginning of 2021 (although, true to form, Boris continued to cling onto this long after it stopped being true)<ref>[https://www.thenational.scot/news/19789075.uk-really-best-covid-vaccine-rollout-economy-g7/ Has UK really had the best Covid vaccine rollout and economy in G7?]</ref> and the UK remained in the top 15 European countries by terms of vaccine rollouts,<ref>[https://www.euronews.com/2021/11/17/covid-19-vaccinations-in-europe-which-countries-are-leading-the-way COVID vaccine: Who in Europe is leading in the race to herd immunity?]</ref> as well as achieving the third-highest rollout of booster shots in the world.<ref>[https://ourworldindata.org/grapher/covid-vaccine-booster-doses-per-capita?country=BGD~BRA~CHL~DNK~IND~RUS~GBR~USA~OWID_WRL COVID-19 vaccine boosters
administered per 100 people], Our World in Data</ref> Johnson also put his faith in the AstraZeneca vaccine at a time when many were scaremongering about it potentially being dangerous, claims which turned out to be unfounded.<ref>[https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-56462555 Covid vaccine: PM receives AstraZeneca jab as he urges public to do same], ''BBC News''</ref>
*His reputation in Ukraine is pretty good due to the hefty sanctions he and [[Joe Biden|the US]] imposed against Russia<ref>[https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-60125659#:~:text=Other%20UK%20sanctions%20include%3A%201%20major%20Russian%20banks,on%20deposits%20Russians%20can%20make%20at%20UK%20banks What sanctions are being imposed on Russia over Ukraine invasion?]</ref> and the military assistance he provided to the Ukrainian government.<ref>[https://edition.cnn.com/2022/04/09/europe/ukraine-uk-boris-johnson-intl-gbr/index.html UK pledges new military assistance for Ukraine after PM's surprise visit to Kyiv]</ref> — a major turnaround from the Conservative Party's 'addiction' to Russian money.<ref>[https://www.politico.eu/article/britain-tories-russian-money-oligarch/  Why Britain’s Tories are addicted to Russian money: Politics has stymied efforts to clean up Londongrad.] by Esther Webber (March 7, 2022 12:48 am) ''Politico''.</ref> However, his Ukraine record isn't spotless, as he used visits to Ukraine and other countries as an excuse to ignore a mounting cost-of-living crisis at home.<ref>[https://www.express.co.uk/news/politics/1659907/Why-is-Boris-Johnson-in-Ukraine-Volodymyr-Zelensky-living-costs-UK Why is Boris Johnson in Ukraine? PM on THIRD trip abroad as living costs surge] (24-08-2022) ''Daily Express''.</ref>
*In the aftermath of both the final and leaked decisions of ''Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization'', the 2022 [[United States Supreme Court]] case that overturned ''[[Roe v. Wade]]'', Johnson condemned the decision and was emphatically supportive of the right to choose, putting him out of step with much of his party<ref>https://www.theguardian.com/politics/video/2022/jun/24/overturning-roe-v-wade-a-big-step-backwards-says-boris-johnson-video</ref> — although prior to that point his record on abortion rights was essentially nonexistent.<ref name=Grazia>[https://graziadaily.co.uk/life/in-the-news/what-is-boris-johnston-voting-record-on-women-issues/ What Is Boris Johnson’s Voting Record On Women’s Issues?] (23 07 2019) ''Grazia''.</ref>

==Boris miscellanea==
[[image:Boris Johnson guitar.jpeg|thumb|Musicians: can you see what's wrong in this picture?]]
"Your mileage may vary" when it comes to Boris Johnson. People view him as either an absolute legend or a complete [[Shit|arse biscuit]]. Often, the reasons for either conclusion are the same:<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/6901161.stm "Boris Johnson's media scrapes"]. 17 July 2007. Retrieved on 26 June 2016 &ndash; via bbc.co.uk.</ref>

*''That hair!'' He's mesmerizing. His hair, that is, his mouth not so much.
*"Yes, [[cannabis]] is dangerous, but no more than other perfectly legal [[drug]]s. It's time for a rethink, and the Tory party &mdash; the funkiest, most jiving party on [[Earth]] - is where it's happening."<ref>From 2001. Quoted in [https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1584069/The-Boris-Johnson-guide-to....html "The Boris Johnson guide to..."], ''The Telegraph'', 6 April 2008</ref>
*Having his election strategist Lynton Crosby ban him from answering difficult questions.
*Confusing rugby and [[football]]. Though he did take down a [[German]] in the process. That game was also notable for him meeting actual Liverpudlian football manager Peter Reid who immediately started calling him a "fucking disgrace".<ref>[https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/peter-reids-fing-disgrace-tirade-13715082 "Peter Reid's "f***ing disgrace" tirade to Boris Johnson"] 5 October 2017. Retrieved on 15 July 2018.</ref>
*Hosting an episode of ''Have I Got News For You'', and agreeing that the Tory Party will remain "stumbling on" as they have been for the previous 200 years.
*Having a fantastic "plummy" Old Etonian accent.
*Tory [[Sex]] God, famous for his string of [[adultery|affairs]].
*Being better than the [[police]] and "oiks"<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/8340865.stm "Johnson saves woman from 'oiks'"]. 3 November 2009. Retrieved on 26 June 2016 &ndash; via bbc.co.uk.</ref> and joyfully discussing the beating up of a tabloid journalist.<ref>Doward, Jamie (29 March 2009). [https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2009/mar/29/boris-johnson-channel-4 "Tape of mayor Boris Johnson to be aired by Channel 4"]. ''The Guardian''.</ref>
*Publicly mocking [[Mitt Romney]] after he suggested the 2012 Summer Olympics would fail.<ref>jecarter4, (26 July 2012). [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m5TUXmj8Btw "London Mayor Boris Johnson responds to Romney gaffe"]. Retrieved on 26 June 2016 &ndash; via YouTube.</ref> He also endorsed [[Barack Obama]] in [[2008 US Presidential Election|2008]], but nine years later called him a mongrel for opposing Brexit.<ref>Weaver, Matthew, [http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2016/may/11/boris-johnson-no-regrets-obama-part-kenyan-remarks "Boris Johnson: No Regrets Over Obama 'Part-Kenyan' Remarks"], ''Guardian'' (5/11/16 at 6:23 EDT). Boris is part-Turkish. Maybe his dislike for the EU can be explained by jealousy over Turkey not being allowed in?</ref> Careful, Boris, CCHQ has spent a lot of time and money cultivating your loveable oaf persona. 
*Being a natural-born [[U.S.]] citizen (born in [[New York City]], therefore had<ref>[http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2017/02/09/uk-foreign-secretary-boris-johnson-renounces-us-citizenship/97684442/ U.K. Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson renounces U.S. citizenship] by Jane Onyanga-Omara (8:21 a.m. ET Feb. 9, 2017 | Updated 7:09 p.m. ET Feb. 9, 2017) ''USA Today''.</ref> dual-citizenship), which means that for a time he could have theoretically, run for [[President of the United States]].<ref>[http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/blogs-magazine-monitor-27371673 "Could Boris Johnson be UK PM and then US president?"]. ''BBC Magazine Monitor''. 12 May 2014. Retrieved 27 September, 2017. Bear in mind that this was written ''before'' Boris renounced his citizenship.</ref> This also means New York City unleashed ''two'' cartoonish nutcases with terrible hair onto humanity as world leaders.
*Suggesting Iran should have nuclear weapons in 2006 to make the regime more pliable<ref>Boris Johnson (12 October 2006). [https://www.telegraph.co.uk/comment/personal-view/3633097/Give-Iran-the-bomb-it-might-make-the-regime-more-pliable.html "Give Iran the bomb: it might make the regime more pliable"]. ''The Telegraph''. Accessed 2 August 2019.</ref>
*Writing a book which describes the media as run by a Jewish cabal and caricatures various ethnic minorities (despite that he himself ironically has jewish ancestry).<ref>https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/boris-johnson-book-jews-control-media-general-election-a9239346.html</ref><ref>https://www.economist.com/erasmus/2019/07/27/boris-johnsons-confusing-and-contradictory-religious-history</ref>
*Personally saved a woman from three girls threatening her with an iron bar during his Mayor of London stint.<ref>https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2009/nov/03/boris-johnson-attack-camden-london1</ref>

==Other Johnsons==
*Boris' younger brother Jo Johnson, a former Conservative MP to whom he gave a peerage, is characterised as being like Boris but with no sense of humour whatsoever (and agrees with said characterisation). Jo has basically said that what Boris is doing is not in the "national interest"; hence why he stood down. Because Boris would expect him to support him, but Jo cannot do so because it’s not in the national interest. Let that sink in.<ref>https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-49594793</ref>
*His father, Stanley, is [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eahue-gllTc worth a look.]
*His sister Rachel Johnson stood as a candidate for strongly pro-EU rival party [[Change UK]] in 2019.<ref>[https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/rachel-johnson-boris-sister-change-uk-european-elections-eu-brexit-a8882221.html EU elections: Boris Johnson’s sister to stand for rebel Tory and Labour MPs’ group Change UK], The Independent, 23 April 2019</ref>
The whole family also seem to be opposed to [[Brexit]], which must have made for some awkward dinner table conversations recently. Especially around the fridge.<ref>[http://blogs.spectator.co.uk/2016/03/jo-johnson-on-the-debate-dividing-the-nation-its-brother-against-brother/ "Jo Johnson on the debate dividing the nation: 'it's brother against brother' | Coffee House"]. ''spectator.co.uk''. 18 March 2016. Retrieved on 26 June 2016.</ref>

==References==
{{reflist|2|80%}}

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