Sunday, 25 May 2025
America Age
  • Trending
  • World
  • Politics
  • Opinion
  • Business
    • Economy
    • Real Estate
    • Money
    • Crypto & NFTs
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
    • Lifestyle
    • Food
    • Travel
    • Fashion / Beauty
    • Art & Books
    • Culture
  • Health
  • Sports
  • Entertainment
Font ResizerAa
America AgeAmerica Age
Search
  • Trending
  • World
  • Politics
  • Opinion
  • Business
    • Economy
    • Real Estate
    • Money
    • Crypto & NFTs
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
    • Lifestyle
    • Food
    • Travel
    • Fashion / Beauty
    • Art & Books
    • Culture
  • Health
  • Sports
  • Entertainment
Have an existing account? Sign In
Follow US
© 2024 America Age. All Rights Reserved.
America Age > Blog > World > How Boris Johnson Suffered a Stunning Political Reversal
World

How Boris Johnson Suffered a Stunning Political Reversal

Enspirers | Editorial Board
Share
How Boris Johnson Suffered a Stunning Political Reversal
SHARE

LONDON — When Boris Johnson won a landslide election victory for his Conservative Party in 2019, he loomed as a colossus over British politics, the man who had redrawn the country’s political map with a vow to “get Brexit done.”

With an 80-seat majority in Parliament, the greatest amassed by a Conservative leader since Margaret Thatcher in 1987, Mr. Johnson seemed assured of five years in power. Some analysts predicted a comfortable decade in 10 Downing Street for Mr. Johnson, the most reliable vote-getter in British politics.

Now, less than three years after that triumph, Mr. Johnson’s future was hanging by a thread on Monday. Rebels in his party have called for a no-confidence vote that could cost him his job; even if he wins and clings to his position, it could cripple him as an effective and credible leader. He faces that vote from his own party Monday night.

It is one of the most head-spinning reversals of fortune in modern British political history.

What happened?

To some extent, Mr. Johnson’s standing crumbled because of the same baffling mix of strengths and foibles that propelled his rise: rare political intuition offset by breathtaking personal recklessness; a sense of history that was not matched by a corresponding sense of how he should conduct himself as a leader; uncanny people skills vitiated by a transactional style that earned him few allies and left him isolated at dangerous moments.

It is that last quality, analysts say, that made Mr. Johnson so vulnerable to the setbacks he has suffered. With no underlying ideology beyond Brexit and no network of political friends, the prime minister lost the support of lawmakers in his party when it became clear they could not count on him to win the next election.

“Johnson’s such an accomplished escape artist, and his colleagues so craven and cowardly that you can’t rule out him living to fight another day,” said Tim Bale, a professor of politics at Queen Mary University of London. “But for what precisely? ‘There’s no there there,’ as the saying goes.”

Mr. Johnson, after all, is the politician who decided to back Brexit after writing two columns — one making the case for leaving the European Union; the other arguing against it — the night before announcing his position. He won in 2019 by promising to “Get Brexit done,” but having accomplished that goal within months of the election, he often seemed like a prime minister without a plan.

Events, as another British prime minister, Harold Macmillan, once put it, have also played a role. Like other world leaders, Mr. Johnson was thrown off course by the coronavirus pandemic, his government upended by a rolling health crisis, in which he played a highly visible but not always reassuring role.

Mr. Johnson reacted late to the looming threat of the virus, imposing a lockdown on the country a week after neighboring European countries. That delay, critics argued, made the first wave of the pandemic worse in Britain than elsewhere. In April 2020, with the virus circulating in Downing Street, Mr. Johnson himself contracted Covid, ended up in an intensive care unit and nearly died.

Updated 

June 6, 2022, 4:01 p.m. ET

But Mr. Johnson also pushed for Britain to be a pioneer in developing a vaccine. When Oxford University and AstraZeneca produced one, he rolled it out faster than almost any other major country. He also made a fateful decision — one later copied by other leaders — to reopen society after a significant percentage of the population had been vaccinated. Britons, he said, must learn to live with Covid.

It was during the darkest days of the pandemic that the seeds of Mr. Johnson’s current troubles were sown. While the rest of the country was enduring stifling lockdowns, the prime minister and his top aides were taking part in social gatherings at Downing Street that violated their own lockdown restrictions.

The first reports of illicit parties emerged late last November, prompting Mr. Johnson to issue a blanket denial that any laws had been broken. A subsequent police investigation found that was not true: Mr. Johnson himself was fined for attending his own birthday party in violation of the rules.

Allies of Mr. Johnson argue that “Partygate,” as the London tabloids nicknamed it, is a trivial distraction at a time when Europe is confronting its first major land war since World War II. The prime minister swiftly staked out a position as Ukraine’s staunchest defender, shipping powerful weapons to its army and placing regular phone calls to his new friend, President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine.

At first, the war eclipsed the scandal, giving Mr. Johnson the chance to wrap himself in a statesman’s mantle. But as the fighting ground on, disenchantment resurfaced at home. The Metropolitan Police levied fines, and an internal investigation by a senior civil servant painted a lurid portrait of partying in the heart of government.

Understand Britain’s ‘Partygate’ Scandal


Card 1 of 5

Turmoil at Downing Street. A steady drip of disclosures about parties that violated lockdown rules has ensnared Prime Minister Boris Johnson of Britain in a scandal that has threatened his hold on power. Here is what to know:

Contentious gatherings. The British news media reported that staff members were invited to a party in the backyard of Mr. Johnson’s residence in May 2020, when officials were instructing people not to socialize to curb the spread of the coronavirus. Subsequently, details about other gatherings involving government officials that violated Covid rules have emerged.

Mr. Johnson holds on to power. The prime minister faced public outcry over his role in the scandal, but the support from the Conservative Party has allowed him to ride out the storm so far. In local elections in May, Conservatives avoided the type of electoral meltdown that might have posed a threat to Mr. Johnson’s future in power, though they did lose several seats.

The taint of moral hypocrisy corroded the prime minister’s popularity with the public. On Friday, when he and his wife, Carrie Johnson, climbed the steps to St. Paul’s Cathedral for a thanksgiving service in honor of Queen Elizabeth II’s 70 years on the throne, he was roundly booed by the crowd. It was an omen.

Beyond that, the economic winds began blowing against Mr. Johnson. The supply-chain disruptions from the pandemic — combined with price shocks on food and fuel after Russia’s invasion — drove inflation into double digits and raised the specter of “stagflation.” The last time Britain faced that, its Labour government went down to a crushing defeat against Mrs. Thatcher’s Conservatives.

The prospect of history repeating itself helps explain why lawmakers are turning against Mr. Johnson. The 2019 Conservative victory was fueled by winning seats in longtime Labour districts in the country’s Midlands and industrial north, known colloquially as the “red wall.” But as Mr. Johnson himself acknowledged after the victory, the Tories had rented these seats, not won them in perpetuity.

Instead of appealing to those new Tory voters with innovative policies, Mr. Johnson lurched from scandal to scandal. In addition to Partygate, the prime minister became embroiled in an uproar over the expensive refurbishment of his apartment in Downing Street, which was funded by a Tory party donor.

He defended a Tory lawmaker who was accused of lobbying improperly while in office and then had to back down, a humiliating setback that presaged some of the troubles to come within his own party. He got caught up in a vicious and damaging public feud with his former chief adviser, Dominic Cummings.

By themselves, these issues might not have been enough to trip up a politician known for his Houdini-like escapes. But against an economic backdrop that the head of the Bank of England described as “apocalyptic,” they contributed to fears in the party that the Conservatives face a ferocious voter backlash.

“All we can say with any level of certainty is that ordinary Brits are going to find it tough going economically for the rest of this year — and probably well into the next,” Professor Bale said. “And that spells trouble for the Tories, Johnson or no Johnson.”

TAGGED:Conservative Party (Great Britain)Coronavirus (2019-nCoV)Economic Conditions and TrendsFines (Penalties)Great BritainJohnson, BorisPolitics and GovernmentThe Washington Mail
Share This Article
Twitter Email Copy Link Print
Previous Article Neve Campbell out of ‘Scream 6’ over salary dispute: ‘Did not equate to the value I have brought to the franchise’ Neve Campbell out of ‘Scream 6’ over salary dispute: ‘Did not equate to the value I have brought to the franchise’
Next Article Proud Boys charged with seditious conspiracy in Capitol riot Proud Boys charged with seditious conspiracy in Capitol riot

Your Trusted Source for Accurate and Timely Updates!

Our commitment to accuracy, impartiality, and delivering breaking news as it happens has earned us the trust of a vast audience. Stay ahead with real-time updates on the latest events, trends.
FacebookLike
TwitterFollow
InstagramFollow
LinkedInFollow
MediumFollow
QuoraFollow
- Advertisement -
Ad image

Popular Posts

Hayden Panettiere Spotted Out With Ex Brian Hickerson Ahead of Thanksgiving Holiday

Following years of relationship and legal issues, Hayden Panettiere and Brian Hickerson remain friends—and travel…

By Enspirers | Editorial Board

Petraeus predicts US would lead NATO response to ‘take out’ Russian forces if Putin uses nuclear weapon

Retired Gen. David Petraeus predicted Sunday that the U.S., along with NATO allies, would “take…

By Enspirers | Editorial Board

Outgoing Lebanon government approves economic recovery plan

BEIRUT (AP) — Lebanon’s outgoing government on Friday approved a recovery plan for pulling the…

By Enspirers | Editorial Board

Kevin Costner Chats Up Thriller Lady at Raspoutine Evening Membership

Kevin Costner No Dancing For This Wolf ... Chatting Up Thriller Girl As a substitute!!!…

By Enspirers | Editorial Board

You Might Also Like

Irish pro-Palestine activists embrace ‘Paddystinian’ time period as badge of honour
World

Irish pro-Palestine activists embrace ‘Paddystinian’ time period as badge of honour

By Enspirers | Editorial Board
Littleproud says ‘I don’t care’ about doubtlessly shedding Nationals management as Canavan insists internet zero not settled
World

Littleproud says ‘I don’t care’ about doubtlessly shedding Nationals management as Canavan insists internet zero not settled

By Enspirers | Editorial Board
Ukraine warfare reside: Not less than 12 killed in Russia’s largest air assault up to now
World

Ukraine warfare reside: Not less than 12 killed in Russia’s largest air assault up to now

By Enspirers | Editorial Board
Kids with particular wants in England could lose authorized proper to high school assist
World

Kids with particular wants in England could lose authorized proper to high school assist

By Enspirers | Editorial Board
America Age
Facebook Twitter Youtube

About US


America Age: Your instant connection to breaking stories and live updates. Stay informed with our real-time coverage across politics, tech, entertainment, and more. Your reliable source for 24/7 news.

Company
  • About Us
  • Newsroom Policies & Standards
  • Diversity & Inclusion
  • Careers
  • Media & Community Relations
  • WP Creative Group
  • Accessibility Statement
Contact Us
  • Contact Us
  • Contact Customer Care
  • Advertise
  • Licensing & Syndication
  • Request a Correction
  • Contact the Newsroom
  • Send a News Tip
  • Report a Vulnerability
Terms of Use
  • Digital Products Terms of Sale
  • Terms of Service
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Settings
  • Submissions & Discussion Policy
  • RSS Terms of Service
  • Ad Choices
© 2024 America Age. All Rights Reserved.
Welcome Back!

Sign in to your account

Lost your password?