Temporary Farewell to Boris Johnson
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 Foreign Secretary, Liz Truss. Boris’s farewell to the premiership marks the end of a two-decade era of Boris’s political journey that began with journalism and quickly turned him into a charismatic hero with widespread media appeal, clearly aiming from the start for the leadership of the Conservatives and Number 10 Downing Street.
In his farewell speech, despite a sea of scandals and accusations and despite the damage he inflicted on his party’s popularity among non-Conservative Britons, Boris appeared so steadfast and resilient as if he was on his way to achieving the British Empire. He did not use the term resignation and 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 backbenches of the Conservative majority in the House of Commons. It is unprecedented that two former British Prime Ministers, Boris and his predecessor Theresa May, will now be looking up at the new Prime Minister from the backbenches of the House of Commons. This Boris that Britain has will not easily leave the stage.
Boris as the Symbol of Third Millennium British Politics
Boris Johnson was introduced to Britain through journalism. He was a correspondent in Brussels, and in the publication he worked for, his critical articles about the European Union and Brussels became particularly famous. From that period, he became known for scandals and unusual behaviors, creating trouble for himself. An Oxford graduate and a member of an elite and not-so-reputable student group, he became accustomed to the ups and downs resulting from his antics and unusual behaviors.
He also learned that whatever he did and whatever unusual behavior he exhibited, there was always a solution, and no trouble was without a way out. Being the son of a prominent and respected figure in British security, alongside his multiracial identity, became a significant advantage for him. Boris is the descendant of a notable Ottoman Turkish journalist and political activist who opposed Atatürk and was executed for it, essentially torn apart. Boris grew with a serious conservative approach during his student years and beyond, quickly expanding his oratory skills and knowledge through his ingenuity.
His mastery of English literature and other languages, along with his extensive knowledge of history, made him the most eloquent politician in Britain today. Using media tools and appearing on various television shows, he became a significant political figure in the minds and views of the audience from the early years of the third millennium. He is the symbol of his country’s third millennium politics.
The rise of the importance of being in the media and being recognized, the key importance of leveraging the simplest and most understandable desires and wants of citizens to connect with them during the growth of social networks, and most interestingly, the vital importance of identity politics and 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 issues of previous years, ‘Partygate’ was what completely undermined him. The revelation of holding lively gatherings and parties at Number 10 during the height of COVID restrictions was eventually exposed. Various news related to this scandal was increasingly reported day by day, precisely when the economic situation in Britain and the world was worsening under the shadow of the consequences of the Corona crisis.
Boris cleverly seized the crisis of Putin’s invasion of Ukraine and, with serious activity in supporting Ukraine, through trips and speeches and whatever he could do, tried to divert public attention from that ominous ‘Partygate’. In the end, he became the first Prime Minister to be fined during his service for breaking a law, specifically the COVID law he himself had enacted.
Nevertheless, Boris continued with ups and downs until a new scandal and the revelation of his support for an important party official and his appointment to a significant position, despite being aware of his sexual harassment, led party officials and his party’s MPs in the House of Commons and half of his cabinet to mobilize against him, forcing him to resign.
Despite this scandal, Boris Johnson remains highly popular among British Conservatives. Fundamentally, Liz Truss owes her success in garnering Conservative votes and her election to party leadership to Boris’s support. He still has a favorable standing in polls, and although the Conservative Party is significantly trailing behind Labour in polls, Boris has a better standing in public opinion than his own party.
He, who has various cases under investigation in the House of Commons, is unlikely to get into serious trouble, and serious political will in the investigation committees for a real conviction of Boris is needed, and he has relative peace of mind in this regard.
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 associates of her former boss. The new British Prime Minister, in her victory speech at the party gathering, made an extensive and attractive tribute to Boris and reminded party members of his achievements.
While the Conservative Party is divided at all levels, there is no doubt that Boris Johnson, with his popularity among many members and his media influence and popularity, plays a prominent role in the future domestic politics, especially given that he spent the past month mostly on vacation outside Britain and attending parties at Number 10. Boris hasn’t left to return one day; Boris is right here.