Boris Johnson

Boris Johnson
Born	Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson 19 6, 1964
Birthplace	New York City, United States
Nationality	British
Occupation	Politician, writer, journalist
Known for	Prime Minister of the United Kingdom (2019–2022), Mayor of London (2008–2016), Brexit campaigner
Education	Balliol College, Oxford (BA)

Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson (born 19 June 1964) is a British politician and writer who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from July 2019 to September 2022 and as Leader of the Conservative Party during the same period. A figure whose political career has been defined by both considerable electoral success and sustained controversy, Johnson previously served as Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs from 2016 to 2018, as the Mayor of London from 2008 to 2016, and as a Member of Parliament — first for Henley from 2001 to 2008 and then for Uxbridge and South Ruislip from 2015 to 2023. Before entering politics, Johnson worked as a journalist for The Daily Telegraph and served as editor of The Spectator from 1999 to 2005. He played a prominent role in the 2016 EU membership referendum, campaigning for the United Kingdom to leave the European Union. As Prime Minister, he oversaw the completion of Brexit, the government's response to the COVID-19 pandemic, and the United Kingdom's support for Ukraine following Russia's invasion in 2022. His premiership ended amid the Partygate scandal and a mass resignation of government ministers in July 2022.

Early Life

Boris Johnson was born on 19 June 1964 in New York City, United States, giving him American citizenship by birth in addition to British citizenship. His full name is Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson. He is the eldest of four children born to Stanley Johnson, a politician and author who served as a Member of the European Parliament, and Charlotte Johnson Wahl (née Fawcett), an artist. His mother described the family's early years in vivid detail, noting the peripatetic nature of the Johnson household and the intellectual environment in which the children were raised.

Johnson's family had a cosmopolitan background. His paternal great-grandfather, Ali Kemal, was an Ottoman journalist and politician. The family moved frequently during Johnson's childhood, and he spent time in both the United States and the United Kingdom during his early years.

Johnson was educated at Ashdown House, a preparatory school in East Sussex, before winning a scholarship to Eton College, one of the most prestigious public schools in England. At Eton, he was a King's Scholar, a distinction reserved for students of exceptional academic ability. His time at the school helped shape his distinctive rhetorical style and established early connections with individuals who would later become prominent in British public life, a network that would later be characterised as part of a broader "chumocracy" within the Conservative establishment.

Education

After Eton, Johnson attended Balliol College, Oxford, where he read Literae Humaniores (Classics). At Oxford, he was a prominent member of the Oxford Union debating society and was elected president of the Oxford Union in 1986, a position long considered a stepping stone to a career in British politics. His time at Oxford also brought him into contact with a generation of future politicians and journalists. Johnson's academic career at Oxford was marked by his energetic participation in student politics and debate, and his presidency of the Union demonstrated the rhetorical skills and personal ambition that would characterise his later career.

Career

Journalism

Johnson began his career as a journalist, initially working as a graduate trainee at The Times, from which he was dismissed for fabricating a quotation. He subsequently joined The Daily Telegraph in 1989, where he served as a correspondent in Brussels covering the European Community. His Brussels reporting was notable for its Eurosceptic tone and for stories that exaggerated or satirised the regulatory activities of European institutions. His articles from this period influenced the broader Eurosceptic movement within the Conservative Party and British media.

From 1999 to 2005, Johnson served as editor of The Spectator, a weekly political magazine with a long history in British conservative journalism. During his editorship, the publication maintained its position as a significant voice in British political commentary. Johnson combined his editorial duties with his early parliamentary career, a dual role that attracted criticism.

Early Political Career

Johnson was elected to the House of Commons as the Member of Parliament for Henley in the 2001 general election. He served in the Shadow Cabinet under Michael Howard, holding the portfolio of shadow arts minister and later shadow higher education minister. He was dismissed from the Shadow Cabinet in 2004 over allegations that he had lied about an extramarital affair. Following Howard's resignation as party leader, Johnson returned to frontbench politics as a member of David Cameron's Shadow Cabinet.

During his time as an MP for Henley, Johnson also continued his media career, appearing regularly on television programmes and writing columns, which contributed to his growing public profile beyond the typical scope of a backbench or junior shadow minister.

Mayor of London (2008–2016)

Johnson was elected Mayor of London in May 2008, defeating the incumbent Ken Livingstone. He resigned his seat in Parliament for Henley to focus on the mayoralty. His election marked a significant political development, as it placed a high-profile Conservative in charge of a traditionally Labour-leaning city.

During his first term as mayor, Johnson oversaw several major policy initiatives and infrastructure projects. He launched the Barclays Cycle Hire scheme, a public bicycle sharing programme in central London that became widely known as "Boris Bikes." His tenure also included the preparations for and hosting of the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, an event that was seen as a success for the city.

Johnson's mayoralty was not without controversy. He faced accusations regarding the appointment of allies to prominent positions, including a reported breach of rules by proposing an ally for a top London arts job. An investigation into the use of a City Hall adviser resulted in no formal censure of Johnson, though questions were raised about governance standards.

Johnson was also accused of suppressing a study linking air pollution to public health in London, with critics claiming the report was hidden from public view. A separate report alleged that Johnson buried information about the number of deprived schools in London's most polluted areas.

Johnson was re-elected as mayor in 2012, again defeating Ken Livingstone. He did not seek a third term and stepped down as mayor in May 2016.

Return to Parliament and Brexit

At the 2015 general election, while still serving as Mayor of London, Johnson was elected as the Member of Parliament for Uxbridge and South Ruislip, holding both positions simultaneously until the end of his mayoral term in 2016.

Johnson played a prominent role in the 2016 referendum on the United Kingdom's membership of the European Union, campaigning for the Vote Leave side. His decision to support the Leave campaign was seen as a significant factor in the referendum's outcome, given his public profile and media presence. The referendum resulted in a 51.9% vote in favour of leaving the EU.

Foreign Secretary (2016–2018)

Following the resignation of David Cameron as Prime Minister in the aftermath of the referendum and the appointment of Theresa May as his successor, Johnson was appointed Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs in July 2016, succeeding Philip Hammond.

As Foreign Secretary, Johnson represented the United Kingdom in international diplomacy during a period of considerable uncertainty over the country's future relationship with the European Union. He resigned from the position in July 2018 in protest at the Chequers Agreement, a proposed framework for the UK's post-Brexit relationship with the EU that Johnson considered too closely aligned with EU regulatory structures. His successor as Foreign Secretary was Jeremy Hunt.

Prime Minister (2019–2022)

Leadership Election and Early Premiership

Following Theresa May's announcement of her resignation as Conservative Party leader and Prime Minister, Johnson entered the 2019 leadership contest and won decisively. He became Leader of the Conservative Party on 23 July 2019 and was appointed Prime Minister by Queen Elizabeth II on 24 July 2019, succeeding May.

Johnson immediately sought to renegotiate the terms of the United Kingdom's withdrawal from the European Union. In early September 2019, he advised Queen Elizabeth II to prorogue Parliament for five weeks, a move that critics claimed was intended to prevent parliamentary scrutiny of his Brexit strategy. The Supreme Court of the United Kingdom subsequently ruled the prorogation unlawful in the landmark case R (Miller) v The Prime Minister.

After agreeing to a revised Brexit withdrawal agreement with the European Union but failing to secure sufficient parliamentary support for it, Johnson called a snap general election for December 2019. The Conservative Party won a substantial majority of 80 seats, the party's largest majority since the 1987 election under Margaret Thatcher. The United Kingdom formally left the European Union on 31 January 2020.

COVID-19 Pandemic

The most significant domestic challenge of Johnson's premiership was the COVID-19 pandemic, which reached the United Kingdom in early 2020. The government introduced a series of emergency measures, including national lockdowns, social distancing regulations, and economic support schemes such as the furlough programme. Johnson himself contracted COVID-19 in March 2020 and was admitted to intensive care at St Thomas' Hospital in London.

The UK government approved a nationwide vaccination programme, which proceeded at a pace faster than those of many other countries. The early rollout of vaccines, beginning in December 2020, was considered one of the notable achievements of the government's pandemic response.

Response to the Russian Invasion of Ukraine

In February 2022, Russia launched a full-scale military invasion of Ukraine. Johnson's government responded by imposing sanctions on Russia and Russian individuals, providing military equipment and weapons to Ukraine, and authorising significant foreign aid. Johnson became a prominent advocate for international support for Ukraine and visited Kyiv multiple times during the conflict. His stance on Ukraine earned him recognition from Ukrainian officials and positioned the United Kingdom as one of Ukraine's leading international allies.

Partygate and Resignation

The Partygate scandal emerged in late 2021, following reports that numerous social gatherings had been held at 10 Downing Street and other government buildings during the period in which national COVID-19 lockdown restrictions were in force. The Metropolitan Police investigation into the events found that COVID-19 social distancing laws had been breached by 83 individuals, including Johnson, who in April 2022 was issued with a fixed penalty notice for attending a gathering on his birthday in June 2020.

The publication of the Sue Gray report in May 2022 detailed multiple instances of rule-breaking within Downing Street. The report contributed to growing dissatisfaction within the Conservative Party and the public. In June 2022, a vote of confidence in Johnson's leadership was held among Conservative MPs; Johnson won the vote but with a significant minority voting against him.

In July 2022, revelations regarding Johnson's appointment of Chris Pincher as deputy chief whip of the Conservative Party, despite being aware of allegations of sexual misconduct against Pincher, triggered a mass resignation of government ministers. On 7 July 2022, Johnson announced his intention to resign as leader of the Conservative Party and consequently as Prime Minister. He remained in office in a caretaker capacity until Liz Truss succeeded him on 6 September 2022.

Post-Premiership

Following his departure from Downing Street, Johnson did not seek re-election to Parliament and stood down as MP for Uxbridge and South Ruislip in 2023. He has remained active in public commentary, particularly regarding the war in Ukraine.

In February 2026, Johnson called for the United Kingdom and its European allies to deploy non-combat troops to Ukraine immediately, arguing that such forces should be stationed in peaceful parts of the country in non-fighting roles ahead of any ceasefire. The proposal attracted significant criticism, with some commentators describing it as "reckless and irresponsible." Johnson has also written opinion pieces for international publications, including the Wall Street Journal, in which he criticised European leaders for failing to match their rhetoric on defence autonomy with meaningful action.

In February 2026, Johnson delivered a lecture at the University of Miami, where observers noted his characteristically unconventional rhetorical style.

Personal Life

Johnson's personal life has been the subject of extensive media coverage throughout his career. He married his first wife, Allegra Mostyn-Owen, in 1987; the marriage was annulled in 1993. He subsequently married Marina Wheeler, a barrister, with whom he has four children. Johnson and Wheeler announced their separation in September 2018, and their divorce settlement was agreed in February 2020.

In 2021, Johnson married Carrie Symonds (now Carrie Johnson) at Westminster Cathedral. They have children together.

Johnson's private life has been a recurring source of controversy. A court ruling in 2013 determined that the public had a right to know about a child Johnson had fathered outside of his marriage, overturning an earlier injunction.

Johnson renounced his American citizenship in 2016, having been born in New York City and holding dual nationality for the majority of his life.

Recognition

Johnson's political career and public persona have generated both considerable recognition and sustained criticism. His tenure as Mayor of London, including the successful hosting of the 2012 Olympic Games, was cited as a significant achievement. The 2019 general election, in which the Conservative Party won its largest majority in over three decades, represented the electoral high point of his political career.

The UK's COVID-19 vaccination programme, which began during Johnson's premiership, was recognised internationally for its speed of rollout. Johnson's government's support for Ukraine following the Russian invasion in 2022 was noted by Ukrainian officials as a significant contribution to the country's defence.

However, Johnson's legacy is also shaped by the Partygate scandal, his fixed penalty notice for breaching COVID-19 regulations, and the circumstances of his resignation. The Privileges Committee of the House of Commons later concluded that Johnson had misled Parliament over Partygate, a finding that contributed to his decision not to seek re-election.

Johnson has been described by the Financial Times as one of Britain's most controversial politicians, a characterisation that reflects the polarised nature of his public reception.

Legacy

Johnson's political legacy is a subject of ongoing assessment. His role in the Brexit campaign and subsequent delivery of the United Kingdom's departure from the European Union represents one of the most consequential political developments in modern British history. Supporters credit him with delivering on the result of the 2016 referendum after years of parliamentary deadlock, while critics argue that the manner of departure and the subsequent economic and diplomatic consequences have been detrimental.

As Prime Minister, Johnson's government introduced emergency economic measures during the COVID-19 pandemic, including the furlough scheme that supported millions of workers. The vaccination programme overseen by his government was among the fastest in the world. However, the Partygate scandal significantly damaged public trust in both Johnson and the wider political establishment, with critics arguing that the events at Downing Street exemplified a culture of rule-breaking among the governing elite.

Johnson's strong support for Ukraine during the early stages of the Russian invasion established a template for Western military and financial assistance that other nations subsequently followed. He has continued to advocate for robust Western engagement with Ukraine in his post-premiership activities.

The concept of a "chumocracy" — a network of personal connections linking alumni of elite educational institutions to positions of political and economic power — has been associated with Johnson's style of governance and appointments, with critics arguing it reflected an insular approach to the exercise of public authority.

Johnson's influence on the Conservative Party and on British politics more broadly continues to be felt, including through the activities of his former allies. In January 2026, it was reported that Ben Goldsmith, a Johnson ally, had been enlisted by Reform UK to write the party's nature policies, an indication of the ongoing cross-pollination between Johnson-era Conservatism and the emerging populist right in British politics.