A Temporary Farewell to Boris Johnson
A Temporary Farewell to Boris Johnson Boris Johnson is not the Prime Minister of Britain at the moment you are reading this article. He has submitted his resignation to the Queen of Britain at Balmoral, Scotland, and has handed over his position to his cabinet’s Foreign Secretary, Liz Truss. Boris’s farewell to the premiership marks the end of a two-decade era of his political career, which began with journalism and quickly turned him into a charismatic media champion who clearly aimed for the leadership of the Conservatives and Number 10 Downing Street from the very beginning.
In his farewell speech, despite a sea of scandals and accusations and despite the damage he caused to his party’s popularity among non-Conservative Britons, Boris appeared strong and resilient, as if he was on the path to reaching the British Empire. He did not use the word resignation and instead drew on Greek mythology to hint at the possibility of his return to the forefront of his country’s politics.
Boris will be moved to the back benches of the Conservative majority in the House of Commons. It is unprecedented for two former British Prime Ministers, Boris and his predecessor Theresa May, to now sit in the back benches of the House of Commons, looking up at the new Prime Minister. This Boris that Britain has will not leave the stage so easily.
Boris: The Symbol of Third Millennium British Politics
Boris Johnson was introduced to Britain through his journalism work. He was a reporter in Brussels, and in the publication he worked for, his critical articles about the European Union and Brussels became more famous than anything else. From that period, he became known for scandals and unusual behavior, creating trouble for himself. A graduate of Oxford and a member of a special and not-so-reputable student aristocratic group, he became accustomed to the ups and downs caused by his playfulness and unusual behaviors.
He also learned that whatever he did and whatever unusual behavior he exhibited, there was a solution, and no trouble was without a way out. Being the child of a reputable and prominent figure in British security, alongside his multiracial identity, became a significant advantage for him. Boris is the descendant of a prominent Ottoman Turkish journalist and political activist who was an opponent of Atatürk and was executed for this reason. Boris grew with a serious conservative approach during his student years and after, quickly expanding his ability in oratory and his knowledge with his genius.
His mastery of English literature and other languages, along with his extensive knowledge of history, made him the most eloquent current British politician. Utilizing media tools and appearing in various television shows, from the early years of the third millennium, he was a significant political figure in the minds and views of the audience. He is the symbol of his country’s third millennium politics.
The rise of the importance of being in the media and becoming known, the key importance of using the simplest and most understandable desires and wishes of citizens to connect with them during the growth of social networks, and most intriguingly, the vital importance of identity politics and the key to being understandable, tangible, and friendly to people were points that Boris understood better than anyone.
Boris Hasn’t Left to Return
Boris Johnson was forced to step down due to numerous scandals. Apart from the various problems of previous years, ‘Partygate’ completely undermined him. Hosting lively gatherings and parties at Number 10 during the peak of COVID-19 restrictions was eventually exposed. Diverse news related to this scandal was increasingly broadcast day by day, precisely when the economic situation of Britain and the world was worsening under the shadow of the COVID crisis.
Boris timely seized the crisis of Putin’s invasion of Ukraine and, with serious activity in supporting Ukraine through trips and speeches, tried to divert public attention from that ominous Partygate. Ultimately, he became the first Prime Minister to be fined for breaking the law, specifically the COVID law he himself had enacted, during his term.
Despite this, Boris continued with ups and downs until a fresh scandal and the revelation of his support for a key party official and his appointment to an important position, despite knowing about his sexual harassment, led party officials, his party’s MPs in the House of Commons, and half of his cabinet to rally against him, forcing his resignation.
Despite this scandal, Boris Johnson remains highly popular among British Conservatives. Fundamentally, Liz Truss owes her success in garnering Conservative votes and being elected as party leader to Boris’s support. He still holds a favorable position in polls, and although the Conservative Party is significantly trailing Labour in polls, Boris himself is in a better position than his party in public opinion.
With various cases against him under investigation in the House of Commons, it seems unlikely that he will face serious trouble, and a serious political will in the investigative committees is required for a real conviction of Boris, which gives him relative peace of mind.
Beyond all this, the new British cabinet is essentially Boris’s cabinet. Liz Truss has, in most cases, entrusted important positions to supporters and close allies of her former boss. In her victory speech at the party gathering, the new British Prime Minister gave an extensive and attractive tribute to Boris and reminded party members of his achievements.
While the Conservative Party is fractured at all levels, there is no doubt that Boris Johnson, with his popularity among many members and his media influence and popularity, will play a prominent role in the future of domestic politics. This is especially true considering that he spent the last month mostly on holidays abroad and hosting parties at Number 10. Boris hasn’t left to one day return; Boris is still here.