Boris Johnson (b. 1964)

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Biography

Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson is a British politician and writer who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and Leader of the Conservative Party from 2019 to 2022. He was previously Foreign Secretary from 2016 to 2018 and the second mayor of London from 2008 to 2016. He was Member of Parliament (MP) for Henley from 2001 to 2008 and for Uxbridge and South Ruislip from 2015 to 2023.

In Their Own Words (5)

Dark forces dragged me away from the keyboard, swirling forces of irresistible intensity and power.

"A wise guy playing the fool to win", The Sunday Times (16 July 2000), p. 17. , 2000

The Lib Dems are not just empty. They are a void within a vacuum surrounded by a vast inanition.

"The least said about Lib Dems, the better", The Daily Telegraph, 25 September 2003, p. 24. , 2003

Look the point is ... er, what is the point? It is a tough job but somebody has got to do it.

Toby Helm, "Boris Johnson named shadow arts minister", The Daily Telegraph, 7 May 2004, p. 12. , 2004

The dreadful truth is that when people come to see their MP, they have run out of better ideas.

"What's wrong with 40 Liverpool Road?", The Daily Telegraph, 18 September 2003, p. 24. , 2003

I don't see why people are so snooty about Channel 5. It has some respectable documentaries about the Second World War. It also devotes considerable airtime to investigations into lap dancing, and other related and vital subjects.

"What has the BBC come to? Toilets, that's what", The Daily Telegraph (14 March 2002), p. 29. , 2002

Timeline

The story of Boris Johnson, told in moments.

1964 Birth

Born Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson in New York City. Holds dual American-British citizenship until 2016. His father, Stanley, worked at the World Bank. The family moved between Brussels, London, and Washington.

Born in New York, dual citizen. Did you ever feel American? Brussels, London, Washington. Was rootlessness an advantage?

2008 Event

Elected Mayor of London, defeating incumbent Ken Livingstone. He rides a bicycle to City Hall. Introduces the "Boris Bikes" cycle hire scheme and the New Routemaster bus.

Riding a bicycle to City Hall. Was the image intentional? 'Boris Bikes.' Did you enjoy lending your name to transport?

2016 Event

Becomes the face of the Vote Leave campaign for Brexit. The side he chose shocks colleagues who expected him to back Remain. Leave wins 51.9% to 48.1%. David Cameron resigns the next morning.

Choosing Leave when everyone expected Remain. Was it conviction or calculation? Cameron resigned the next morning. Did you feel responsible?

2019 Event

Becomes Prime Minister after defeating Jeremy Hunt in the Conservative leadership contest. Promises to deliver Brexit "do or die" by October 31. He doesn't make that deadline.

'Do or die' by October 31. Did you believe your own deadline? Was the leadership contest harder than Brexit itself?

2022 Event

Announces his resignation as Conservative leader after more than 50 government ministers quit in 48 hours. The final trigger: revelations he appointed Chris Pincher as deputy chief whip despite knowing about sexual misconduct allegations.

Fifty ministers quit in forty-eight hours. At what point did you know it was over? Was the Pincher scandal the real reason, or just the last straw?