It was the best of times; it was the worst of times. Best, because Boris Johnson finally resigned as UK prime minister. Worst, because he lasted this long, damaging his high office, his Conservative Party and his country. “It would have been better for the country if the Johnson era had ended months ago,” said British newspapers. But Johnson hung on till the bitter end. British peer Camilla Cavendish derided: “Even when they left the revolver and bottle of whisky on the table, Boris Johnson couldn’t take the hint. Ministers could no longer stomach his rule. But the prime minister clung on, convinced they were jealous of his genius.”
After two tense days of fears that Johnson may attempt a Trump-style putsch, Britain’s 77th PM resigned. But only after an avalanche of resignations by ministers and top bureaucrats. Quipped Leader of Opposition Keir Starmer of the Labour Party: “The ships were deserting the rat.” Reviled by opponents and revered by fans, Johnson was colourful, cavalier, and controversial. He was also the most consequential British prime minister in recent times.
In 2019, he won the biggest election victory for the Tories in three decades. And then, for better or worse, he delivered on his promise to “Get Brexit Done”, and took his country out of the European Union in 2020. “He will go down as a significant prime minister, but not seen as good for the country. He never was any good at actually governing,” said Conservative politician David Lidington.
Denne historien er fra July 24, 2022-utgaven av THE WEEK India.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent ? Logg på
Denne historien er fra July 24, 2022-utgaven av THE WEEK India.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
What Will It Take To Clean Up Delhi Air?
IT IS ASKED, year after year, why Delhi’s air remains unbreathable despite several interventions to reduce pollution.
Trump and the crisis of liberalism
Although Donald Trump's election to a non-consecutive second term to the US presidency is not unprecedented—Grover Cleveland had done it in 1893—it is nevertheless a watershed moment.
Men eye the woman's purse
A couple of months ago, I chanced upon a young 20-something man at my gym walking out with a women’s sling bag.
When trees hold hands
A filmmaker explores the human-nature connect through the living root bridges
Ms Gee & Gen Z
The vibrant Anuja Chauhan and her daughter Nayantara on the generational gap in romance writing
Vikram Seth-a suitable man
Our golden boy of literature was the star attraction at the recent Shillong Literary Festival in mysterious Meghalaya.
Superman bites the dust
When my granddaughter Kim was about three, I often took her to play in a nearby park.
OLD MAN AND THE SEA
Meet G. Govinda Menon, the 102-year-old engineer who had a key role in surveying the Vizhinjam coast in the 1940s, assessing its potential for an international port
Managing volatility: smarter equity choices in uncertain markets
THE INDIAN STOCK MARKET has delivered a strong 11 per cent CAGR over the past decade, with positive returns for eight straight years.
Investing in actively managed low-volatility portfolios keeps risks at bay
AFTER A ROARING bull market over the past year, equity markets in the recent months have gone into a correction mode as FIIs go on a selling spree. Volatility has risen and investment returns are hurt.
