New Times,
New Thinking.

12 June 2019updated 07 Jun 2021 5:41pm

The Johnson audit: the record and misdeeds of the man who could be our next prime minister

By New Statesman

Introduction

Why the Conservatives deserve to face extinction if they make Boris Johnson prime minister

Martin Fletcher, a New Statesman contributing writer and a former foreign editor of the Times, on why “installing such a charlatan as prime minister” would forfeit any right the Conservatives have to be taken seriously. 

Johnson’s record in office and his character

Boris Johnson’s record of chaos shows why we should fear him as prime minister

Sonia Purnell, the author of Just Boris: a Tale of Blond Ambition, on why Johnson’s “active pursuit of chaos” could have deadly consequences if he reaches Downing Street. 

Johnson as foreign secretary 

The joke’s over – how Boris Johnson is damaging Britain’s global stature

Martin Fletcher’s long profile from 2017 on how Johnson continually undermined Britain’s interests by “going around the world giving needless offence”. 

Johnson and Northern Ireland

How would Boris Johnson solve the Irish border problem?

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Patrick Maguire, the New Statesman’s political correspondent, writes that Johnson’s lack of firm principle suggests an accommodation with the EU could be more likely than it looks.

Johnson’s insults and gaffes

Boris Johnson’s racist insults, dog whistles and slurs

We collate 18 of Johnson’s most egregious and distasteful remarks. 

Johnson and his supporters 

Boris Johnson supporters want a no-deal Brexit and less talk of climate change

Tim Bale, professor of politics at Queen Mary University of London, analyses new polling showing that Conservative members who support Johnson are even more ideologically unrepresentative than others. 

Johnson and unelected prime ministers 

“Without a mandate from the British people”: how Boris Johnson described Gordon Brown in 2007

Johnson has pledged not to seek an early general election if elected Conservative leader. But in 2007 he demanded that new prime minister Gordon Brown stage one. 

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