Magic Johnsonism?

As Boris Johnson notches up two years in No.10, are we any closer to understanding what drives him? Is there such thing as an ideology in Boris’s world – a Johnsonism? Do Prime Ministers even need a guiding philosophy? To plumb the Johnson mystery, we assemble a star panel of Times columnist Matthew Parris, The Spectator’s Isabel Hardman and Tim Bale, Professor of Politics at Queen Mary University. 

• “We’ve already seen the real Boris Johnson. He’ll do and say anything to maintain his position.” – Matthew Parris 
• “Johnson is a chameleon. He doesn’t like sitting in a tribe and he doesn’t have friends.” – Isabel Hardman
• “The lack of censoriousness is where Johnson connects with traditional Toryism, and you can take it all the way back to Cavaliers and Roundheads.” – Tim Bale
• “Leaders don’t need ideology, they just need power. Thatcherism was a bit of a mirage…” – Matthew Parris

Presented by Catherine Haddon. Audio production by Alex Rees. Inside Briefing is a Podmasters Production for the IfG.

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