BORIS JOHNSON: CLAWS AND EFFECT
British PM celebrates a (rollercoaster) year in power
LONDON: A stunning election win, Brexit, a global health crisis that nearly killed him, divorce, engagement and a new baby. Boris Johnson has had an eventful 12 months.
Mr Johnson, 56, marked his first anniversary as Britain’s Prime Minister on Friday. A YouGov poll published on Thursday indicated he has the overwhelming backing of his ruling Conservative Party – 89 per cent of members said he should remain leader.
But his toughest test could yet be to come, as the full impact of the coronavirus outbreak bites on the UK economy, which has been battered by three months of enforced shutdown. Experts, too, are warning of a potentially devastating second wave of infection in the winter months, which could amplify criticisms of his government’s handling of the first.
At the same time, concern is growing about whether he can secure a post-Brexit trade deal with the European Union, with time running out and little apparent progress so far.
He also faces a resurgent main opposition Labour Party and growing strength of Scottish nationalists. But for the moment, Mr Johnson sounds undeterred.
“We got Brexit done and made great progress on delivering on those priorities. Then our country was hit by a devastating blow in the form of coronavirus,” he said in a statement marking his first year in office. “Today I want to make this pledge: I will not let the virus hold this country back.”
This time last year, Mr Johnson was on the backbenches after quitting as Theresa May’s foreign secretary in opposition to her Brexit divorce deal.
But he comfortably won a Conservative leadership campaign then immediately caused outrage by illegally suspending parliament to try to push through his own Brexit deal before an October 31 deadline. He lost that battle but gambled by calling the first December election in nearly a century. It paid off, and he secured the biggest parliamentary majority since the 1980s heyday of Margaret Thatcher, paving the way for Britain’s departure from the EU on January 31.
But his promise of a “new beginning”, marked by investment in public services and infrastructure, was soon derailed by COVID-19.
More than 45,000 people have died, more than in any other nation in Europe, and questions remain about the government’s approach.
Mr Johnson, newly engaged to Carrie Symonds, got COVID in late March, ending up in intensive care. He admitted later: “Things could have gone either way.” Just weeks after he was discharged, Ms Symonds gave birth to their first son.