Boris Johnson: Ruthless ambition behind bumbling facade

LONDON: Instantly recognisable with his mop of blonde hair, Boris Johnson’s bumbling but breezy attitude earned him a string of improbable political victories, including Brexit, but has enraged and offended in equal measure.

The Conservative MP is favourite to replace Theresa May as party leader and prime minister, having proved his pedigree as a winner by being elected twice as mayor of London, a cosmopolitan and normally left-leaning city.

Johnson’s decision to back the campaign to leave the European Union in 2016 was also viewed as a game-changer in the push for Brexit – it lost him many friends and he drew criticism for making misleading claims during the campaign.

However, it made him a strong favourite for prime minister when the post opened up in the chaos after the referendum – only to lose out when his main backer turned against him.

His subsequent appointment as foreign minister was a surprise, given his inclination for acting the clown – blundering into a series of diplomatic rows with his seemingly off-thecuff remarks.

But when he quit after two years in protest at plans to retain close ties with the EU after Brexit, many Conservative activists hailed his decision and he once again moved centre stage.

He stayed in the headlines, sparking a national debate last year with an article saying that Muslim women who wore the face veil looked like “letter-boxes” or “bank robbers”.

His supporters suggested he was merely raising the issue of the compatibility of face veils in liberal societies, but critics suspected it was a cynical move to cement his populist credentials.

His political shadow grew increasingly large as May’s authority weakened, tidying up his trademark locks, losing weight and going public with his new girlfriend in apparent preparation for an upcoming contest. — AFP