From Stanley’s first marriage were born Boris, his sister, Rachel (journalist, TV panelist) two brothers who were to become equally successful, Jo (Tory MP, and minister of State for Universities and Science) and Leo (film producer and entrepreneur).
Boris’s wife Marina Wheeler, is also quite often in the limelight. She is a reputable barrister who specialises in public law and human rights.
‘Bojo’ was educated in Brussels, at The European School. Following this he attended Ashdown House in East Sussex, UK, then Eton college, Berkshire. He also read classics at Balliol College, Oxford.
He began his career as a journalist for The Times, but as he apparently misquoted a citation, The Times decided he should leave. He then became the Brussels correspondent for the Daily Telegraph. His articles contributed to Euroscepticism, or perhaps more appropriately ‘EU-scepticism’.
Formerly assistant editor of The Telegraph, he then became editor of The Spectator.
In addition to his journalism, Boris has written 21 books including The Perils of Pushy Parents, a book for all ages that he also illustrated. His most popular book is The Churchill Factor. (BJ is a great admirer of Winston Churchill.)
Despite his obvious talent as a writer, he was destined to become a politician. He served as a Junior Conservative Shadow Minister under Michael Howard and David Cameron. In 2008, BJ was elected Mayor of London, then re-elected for a second term in 2012.
Elected MP (Uxbridge and South Ruislip) in 2015, BJ stepped down as London’s Mayor. The following year he had a notable influence towards the winning Brexit vote, but was subject to Theresa May’s PM leadership. He served under her as Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs.
As BJ disapproved of May’s lame, compromising Brexit approach which included the Chequers Agreement, he resigned two years later. May’s failing to obtain acceptable EU terms for Brexit determined her own resignation in 2019. BJ was elected leader of the Conservative Party then appointed the function of PM in August, 2019.
Boris Johnson is of course, a controversial figure in politics. Many ‘remainers’ dislike him intensely. They accuse him of every evil imaginable, not unlike the criticisms of the many anti-Trump democrats in the USA. But the 'remainers' seem to have illusions about the EU. Perhaps they believe that the club represents the only possible future for Europe, which must include the UK.
They regard BJ as a dated vestige of the old school, the privileged elite of GB, living in the decadent, aristocratic, British imperial past. Perhaps from their limited view point within the UK, they are oblivious to the real direction the EU executive is trying to take Europe. They seem to ignore that the ‘old school’, the conservatism, the sincere patriotism, national pride, sovereignty, defence of democracy, of cultural identity, and a wholesome resurgence of confidence, is far more preferable, than the EU executive form of elitism. An elitism which seems to foster a Marxist inspired agenda of servitude, of social conformity devoid of nations. An executive that obsessively gives priority to an irresponsible, ideological program to the utter detriment of all of the above essentially positive considerations, naturally including democracy itself.
Yet one also gets the impression that the ‘remainers’ are not as sure as they were. One can hardly ignore the negative effects of imposed, illegal immigration. One can’t dismiss the fact that the EU no longer represents the union of European nations. If the EU executive had the intention of sacrificing everything that it’s supposed to represent, for an absurd, ideological objective, it couldn’t do a better job.
As PM, Boris Johnson has a simple, logical argument in order to defend and determine Brexit, either with or without a deal, if the latter is deemed absolutely unavoidable. As the labour opposition headed by Jeremy Corbyn is naturally against what BJ proposes, he has the option of calling for a general election. In other words if Corbyn believes that the ‘remainers’ outnumber the leavers, he should go for an election.
He would know that he and the Labour Party are certainly not the first choice of the people, but if he was absolutely certain that he had the majority support for the UK to remain an EU member, then he would have everything to gain by calling for a general election.
The fact that Corbyn is not sure, and that members of the opposition seem to be less adamant about remaining than perhaps they previously were, is naturally in Boris’s, and Brexit’s favour.
Obviously it is a crucial period for the UK, for Europe, and for the EU. Perhaps even more determining for the EU. Assuming the UK leaves the EU one way or the other, and prospers from having done so in all respects, then it can only increase the already mounting EU scepticism on the continent. It would certainly cause general changes in EU policy.
Whatever is destined to be, BoJo is succeeding in boosting the moral, the patriotism, the pride, the stoic, stiff-upper-lip, inherent identity of the blitz enduring Brits, famous characteristics that may have been somewhat dampened by ‘circumstances beyond one’s control’.
And maybe one should be wary of BJ’s feigning not to take himself too seriously. This in itself is a redoubtable arm that he can wield with ruthless mastery.
Boris Johnson is absolutely determined to pull it off. No doubt inspired by the famous Winston he so admires, BJ, and the ever growing number of those who have faith in him, ‘will never surrender’.
Text and top illustration © Mirino (with thanks for the use of the named Union Jack, and to Wikipedia for the bio info). October, 2019
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment