JimBowie1958
Old Fogey
- Sep 25, 2011
- 63,590
- 16,756
- 2,220
There seems to be a parallel between Trump and Johnson as both are elitist, formerly liberals who have lately championed pet conservative causes while remaining socially liberal.
Right now Johnson is the top candidate to replace Theresa May, a colossal electoral failure, and may well become the UK's next Prime Minister.
Ideologically, Johnson has described himself as a "One-Nation Tory".[341][342] Academic Tony Travers of the London School of Economics described Johnson as "a fairly classic—that is, small-state—mildly eurosceptic Conservative" who like his contemporaries Cameron and Osborne also embraced "modern social liberalism".[343] The Guardian agreed that while Mayor, Johnson had blended economic and social liberalism,[344] with The Economist claiming that in doing so Johnson "transcends his Tory identity" and adopts a more libertarian perspective.[345] Stuart Reid, Johnson's colleague at The Spectator, described the latter's views as being those of a "liberal libertarian".[346] Johnson's biographer and friend Andrew Gimson noted that while "in economic and social matters, [Johnson] is a genuine liberal", he retains a "Tory element" to his personality through his "love of existing institutions, and a recognition of the inevitability of hierarchy".
Stuart Wilks-Heeg, executive director of Democratic Audit, noted that "Boris is politically nimble",[343] while biographer Sonia Purnell stated that Johnson regularly changed his opinion on political issues, commenting on what she perceived to be "an ideological emptiness beneath the staunch Tory exterior."[348] She later referred to his "opportunistic—some might say pragmatic—approach to politics".[349] Former Mayor Ken Livingstone claimed in an interview with the New Statesman that while he had once feared Johnson as "the most hardline right-wing ideologue since Thatcher", over the course of Johnson's mayoralty he had instead concluded that he was "a fairly lazy tosser who just wants to be there" while doing very little work.[350] He has sometimes been described as a "populist"[351][352][353] and a "nationalist".[354]
Although Johnson became widely known for his strongly Eurosceptic articles in The Daily Telegraph, many of his close associates have believed this to be an opportunistic ruse, expressing the view that he is not a genuine Eurosceptic, with some suggesting that he might be sympathetic to the cause of European federalism....
Widely known simply as "Boris",[361] Johnson has attracted a variety of nicknames, including "BoJo", a portmanteau of his forename and surname.[362] Biographer Sonia Purnell described his public persona as "brand Boris", noting that he developed it while at Oxford University.[363] Max Hastings referred to this public image as a "façade resembling that of P. G. Wodehouse's Gussie Fink-Nottle, allied to wit, charm, brilliance and startling flashes of instability",[364] while political scientist Andrew Crines stated that Johnson had created "the character of a likable and trustworthy individual with strong intellectual capital".[365] Private Eye editor Ian Hislop has defined him as "Beano Boris" due to his perceived comical nature, saying: "He's our Berlusconi ... He's the only feel-good politician we have, everyone else is too busy being responsible."[366] To the journalist Dave Hill, Johnson was "a unique figure in British politics, an unprecedented blend of comedian, conman, faux subversive showman and populist media confection".[367]
Johnson purposely cultivates a "semi-shambolic look",[368] for instance by specifically ruffling his hair in a certain way for when he makes public appearances.[369]Purnell described him as "a manic self-promoter" who filled his life with "fun and jokes".[370] Described by Crines as "a joker",[365] Johnson has stated that "humour is a utensil that you can use to sugar the pill and to get important points across."[370] Purnell noted that colleagues regularly expressed the view that Johnson used people to advance his own interests,[371] with Gimson noting that Johnson was "one of the great flatterers of our times".[372] Purnell noted that he deflected serious questions using "a little humour and a good deal of bravado".[373] According to Gimson, Johnson was "a humane man" who "could also be staggeringly inconsiderate of others" when focusing upon his own interests.[374]Gimson also noted that Johnson has "an excessive desire to be liked".
According to Purnell, "[Johnson] is blessed with immense charisma, wit, sex appeal and celebrity gold dust; he is also recognised and loved by millions—although perhaps less so by many who have had to work closely with him (let alone depend on him). Resourceful, cunning and strategic, he can pull off serious political coups when the greater good happens to coincide with his personal advantage but these aspirations are rarely backed up by concrete achievements, or even detailed plans."[376] Furthermore, Purnell noted that Johnson was a "highly evasive figure" when it came to his personal life,[377] who remained detached from others and who had very few if any intimate friends.[378] Among friends and family, Johnson is known as "Al" rather than "Boris".[379] Gimson stated that Johnson "has very bad manners. He tends to be late, does not care about being late, and dresses without much care".[380] Highly ambitious and very competitive, Gimson noted that Johnson was born "to wage a ceaseless struggle for supremacy".[381] He would be particularly angered with those he thought insulted aspects of his personal life; for instance, when an article in The Telegraph upset Johnson he e-mailed commissioning editor Sam Leith with the simple message "Fuck off and die."[382] Thus, Purnell notes, Johnson hides his ruthlessness "using bumbling, self-deprecation or humour",[383] adding that he was a fan of "laddish banter and crude sexual references".
Right now Johnson is the top candidate to replace Theresa May, a colossal electoral failure, and may well become the UK's next Prime Minister.
Ideologically, Johnson has described himself as a "One-Nation Tory".[341][342] Academic Tony Travers of the London School of Economics described Johnson as "a fairly classic—that is, small-state—mildly eurosceptic Conservative" who like his contemporaries Cameron and Osborne also embraced "modern social liberalism".[343] The Guardian agreed that while Mayor, Johnson had blended economic and social liberalism,[344] with The Economist claiming that in doing so Johnson "transcends his Tory identity" and adopts a more libertarian perspective.[345] Stuart Reid, Johnson's colleague at The Spectator, described the latter's views as being those of a "liberal libertarian".[346] Johnson's biographer and friend Andrew Gimson noted that while "in economic and social matters, [Johnson] is a genuine liberal", he retains a "Tory element" to his personality through his "love of existing institutions, and a recognition of the inevitability of hierarchy".
Stuart Wilks-Heeg, executive director of Democratic Audit, noted that "Boris is politically nimble",[343] while biographer Sonia Purnell stated that Johnson regularly changed his opinion on political issues, commenting on what she perceived to be "an ideological emptiness beneath the staunch Tory exterior."[348] She later referred to his "opportunistic—some might say pragmatic—approach to politics".[349] Former Mayor Ken Livingstone claimed in an interview with the New Statesman that while he had once feared Johnson as "the most hardline right-wing ideologue since Thatcher", over the course of Johnson's mayoralty he had instead concluded that he was "a fairly lazy tosser who just wants to be there" while doing very little work.[350] He has sometimes been described as a "populist"[351][352][353] and a "nationalist".[354]
Although Johnson became widely known for his strongly Eurosceptic articles in The Daily Telegraph, many of his close associates have believed this to be an opportunistic ruse, expressing the view that he is not a genuine Eurosceptic, with some suggesting that he might be sympathetic to the cause of European federalism....
Widely known simply as "Boris",[361] Johnson has attracted a variety of nicknames, including "BoJo", a portmanteau of his forename and surname.[362] Biographer Sonia Purnell described his public persona as "brand Boris", noting that he developed it while at Oxford University.[363] Max Hastings referred to this public image as a "façade resembling that of P. G. Wodehouse's Gussie Fink-Nottle, allied to wit, charm, brilliance and startling flashes of instability",[364] while political scientist Andrew Crines stated that Johnson had created "the character of a likable and trustworthy individual with strong intellectual capital".[365] Private Eye editor Ian Hislop has defined him as "Beano Boris" due to his perceived comical nature, saying: "He's our Berlusconi ... He's the only feel-good politician we have, everyone else is too busy being responsible."[366] To the journalist Dave Hill, Johnson was "a unique figure in British politics, an unprecedented blend of comedian, conman, faux subversive showman and populist media confection".[367]
Johnson purposely cultivates a "semi-shambolic look",[368] for instance by specifically ruffling his hair in a certain way for when he makes public appearances.[369]Purnell described him as "a manic self-promoter" who filled his life with "fun and jokes".[370] Described by Crines as "a joker",[365] Johnson has stated that "humour is a utensil that you can use to sugar the pill and to get important points across."[370] Purnell noted that colleagues regularly expressed the view that Johnson used people to advance his own interests,[371] with Gimson noting that Johnson was "one of the great flatterers of our times".[372] Purnell noted that he deflected serious questions using "a little humour and a good deal of bravado".[373] According to Gimson, Johnson was "a humane man" who "could also be staggeringly inconsiderate of others" when focusing upon his own interests.[374]Gimson also noted that Johnson has "an excessive desire to be liked".
According to Purnell, "[Johnson] is blessed with immense charisma, wit, sex appeal and celebrity gold dust; he is also recognised and loved by millions—although perhaps less so by many who have had to work closely with him (let alone depend on him). Resourceful, cunning and strategic, he can pull off serious political coups when the greater good happens to coincide with his personal advantage but these aspirations are rarely backed up by concrete achievements, or even detailed plans."[376] Furthermore, Purnell noted that Johnson was a "highly evasive figure" when it came to his personal life,[377] who remained detached from others and who had very few if any intimate friends.[378] Among friends and family, Johnson is known as "Al" rather than "Boris".[379] Gimson stated that Johnson "has very bad manners. He tends to be late, does not care about being late, and dresses without much care".[380] Highly ambitious and very competitive, Gimson noted that Johnson was born "to wage a ceaseless struggle for supremacy".[381] He would be particularly angered with those he thought insulted aspects of his personal life; for instance, when an article in The Telegraph upset Johnson he e-mailed commissioning editor Sam Leith with the simple message "Fuck off and die."[382] Thus, Purnell notes, Johnson hides his ruthlessness "using bumbling, self-deprecation or humour",[383] adding that he was a fan of "laddish banter and crude sexual references".
