In-depth Leadership Review: Boris Johnson

Are you interested in learning from other leaders in the world today? Yes, well you’re in luck, because that it was you will get from this post. Experience is essential in leadership and learning from others is one of the most effective and quickest ways to do that.

In this post, the In-Depth Leadership Review of Boris Johnson, I will reviewing his Leadership behaviours against my A.R.E model.

Before I proceed, I want to make clear that the purpose of the In-Depth review in purely to provide a place for leaders to learn. This post does not intend or aim too, in any way, be personally or politically defamatory, insult or have any political agenda. This post is a place for learning.

What is the A.R.E model?

If I’m reviewing a person’s leadership behaviours against a model, then you need to know what that model is. Through years of learning, developing as a leader and researching others, I came to the conclusion that I all leaders share three core areas in common; A.R.E. The A.R.E model stands for the three core areas of a leader, which are: Adaptability, Right Behaviours and Experience. Within each core area are elements which are exhibited by great leaders. If you’re interested in learning more, I explain these elements within my Leadership Simplified Handbook, Managers Are Not Leaders. Essentially, the A.R.E model is a method of simplifying how to behave like a leader.

In order to help you better understand the model, in a very simple way, I will share with you my definition of a leader:

“A leader is one who leverages their influence by using their experience to adapt and exhibit the right behaviours to influence any situation to create a positive outcome”

Essentially, what I will be doing is reviewing how well Mr Johnson suits the above definition of a leader.

Who is Boris Johnson?

Boris Johnson, or Bojo as he known to the British public, is a British politician who became Prime Minister of the United Kingdom in July 2019. He is a member of the Conservative Party, where he previously served as Mayor of London and as Secretary of State from 2008 to 2016 and 2016 to 2018 respectively. Although a well-known character to the public for many years, Mr Johnson has become significantly taken the spotlight during the Brexit campaign and Covid-19 pandemic where he has made a series of bold statements, decisions and actions aimed at steering the United Kingdom to a better future.

Strengths & weaknesses

The leader in questions strengths and weaknesses will be reviewed against the three core areas of a leader: Adaptability, Right Behaviours and Experience. However, let me share some of the more well-known strengths of Mr Johnson.

Mr Johnson’s strengths are widely considered to be:

• Confident
• Outspoken
• Charming personality

A few of the more discussed weaknesses of Mr Johnson are:

• Untrustworthy
• Dishonest
• Poor communication
• Incompetent

Adaptability

A leader does not need to be the best at everything. A leader cannot do everything. But what a leader can do, is adapt to any situation and come out the other end winning. Adaptability represents a leader’s ability to be flexible enough to perform and deliver in any scenario.

Firstly, let’s look at Mr Johnson’s path to his current position. Boris Johnson, American born, won a scholarship to Eton College after attending boarding school in England. He then went on to study classics at Oxford, which according to Oxford University “is a wide-ranging degree devoted to the study of the literature, history, philosophy, languages and archaeology of the ancient Greek and Roman worlds.” After University he became a reporter for the Times in 1987, but reportedly fired for fabricating a quotation. After working as a journalist for many years he eventually became the political columnist and magazine editor for The Spectator, a right-wing until 2005. For an understanding of some of Mr Johnson’s writings see below a selection of statements he made whilst editor for The Spectator:

• “If he is blue collar, he is likely to be drunk, criminal, aimless, feckless and hopeless, and perhaps claiming to suffer from low self-esteem brought on by unemployment.”
• “just pat her on the bottom and send her on her way”, regarding the Female Publisher of the magazine
• Referred to the Congolese as having “watermelon smiles”

Please note that the above statements are a repeat of Boris Johnson’s statements for the purpose of building a picture and not intended to offend. These are not my views.

Following this Mr Johnson became the Mayor of London in 2008 after a hard fought campaign to beat Ken Livingstone to the finish line. Although there were discussions around his incompetence and inability to lead, it has been discussed in wider circles that Mr Johnson won by shifting the narrative away from his personal drawbacks, to focus on issues around crime and transportation. This worked. Things looked to be going well as Johnson was re-elected in 2012 as the Mayor of London.

Johnson continued in parliament in 2015, where he won the west London seat of Uxbridge and South Ruislip, in an election that saw the Conservative Party capture its first clear majority since the 1990s. In 2016, during the Brexit campaign, Boris Johnson became a leading spokesman. However, many challenged his position as one more of self-promotion rather than campaigning for a better Britain. In 2017, under the Leadership of Theresa May as Prime Minister, Johnson became the Foreign Secretary. A role that many believe he was unsuitable for, but more because he was a strong supporter a “hard Brexit” and because there weren’t many other choices. A strategy that many within the Conservative party agreed with.

The climb continued in 2019 when Theresa May stepped down as Prime Minister and Johnson was voted in by the Conservative part. Some 87 percent of those eligible voters participated, where Johnson’s rise to the leadership position was announced on July 23. In winning 92,153 votes, Johnson captured some 66 percent of the vote, compared with about 34 percent for the next best candidate, Jeremy Hunt. To date, Johnson remains the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom where he faces the key tough challenges of negotiating Brexit, the Covid-19 pandemic and the many other challenges which face the Prime Minister.

Adaptability has four component parts: to listen, to change, to react and to act. A leader must utilise them all in order to achieve the best possible outcome. And let’s be honest, despite what all the critics say, Johnson has taken on a role during two of the most challenging and unpredictable situations the country could face, Brexit and the Covid-19 Pandemic.

Looking at Johnson’s journey so far it can be looked at as a man who had his mind set on his career path and did what was required to get there. It seems as though his key focus was being the leader of the United Kingdom, but that was not the genuine reason. Most of his leadership journey really occurred after his writing days where he has taken on many roles and, to date, taken on one of the biggest challenges to face, the Prime Minister. I will share more of his actions in the Right Behaviours sections below.

Now, does all of the above strike you as someone who is adaptable? Pre-magazine days, I would say no. Johnson’s purely wrote about his own views and did not think about the consequences. Did he listen to the people, change with the times and react? No. He continued with his personal views and thought little of his words’ impact. It is not clear on whether he had much support in his early career days, but he did shift from writing into politics which screams adaptability.

However, post-university, yes. Johnson comes across as somebody who is incompetent and opinionated, but he seems to make friends in the right places. Johnson seems to adapt to his surroundings to find the best path forward, maybe not for the greater good, but more for personal gain.

But in regards to being able to adapt to ever-changing scenarios, Johnson does have difficulty in reacting following the steps I mentioned above. As I will explain in the section regarding Right Behaviours – Communication, Johnson often fumbles and stumbles over his words when he doesn’t not have a pre-planned answer. This is the sign of someone who cannot adapt to a difficult situation.

Overall, I would say that no, Boris Johnson is not adaptable.

Adaptability score = 0 Stars

Right Behaviours

As a leader you need to display the right behaviours to lead people in the right direction, to influence them. If we exhibit the right behaviours, we can increase our ability to influence another person. Leadership is not so much about skills, but above how one conducts themselves to act, or behave. Within this core area there are ten right behaviours.

To learn more about the ten right behaviours of a leader, order a copy of my book.

Communication

The purpose of communication as a leader to be engaging, open and honest in order to influence others for a mutual positive outcome.

Take for example an interview conducted by Johnson on BBC Radio 4 when he was the Foreign Secretary under Theresa May in June 2017. When asked, following a discussion regarding the Queen’s Speech, “What is the point of a Prime Minister?” Johnson did not know how to respond as he fumbled and bumbled. A simple question which highlights an inability to effectively communicate. The Independent labelled this interview as the ‘worst interview by a politician ever’.

Fast forward to 2020 and the communication surrounding the Covid-19 restrictions within the UK. Many of the population would agree, that the regular public announcements where beneficial and this was a good move in order to better communicate key decisions. However, what is now a running joke, is the poor manner in which Johnson communicated those decisions. For example, the video below shows how, when communicating important restriction information, Johnson was confused by his own rules. He lacked the essentials for leadership communication: speaking simply, clearly and concisely.

Does Johnson make you want to listen to what he has to say? Does he speak in an open and honest way? Does he communicate in a way which makes you understand? The answer to all of those questions is no. It is now well know that Johnson’s ability to communicate effectively is poor. This is also shown by the growing distrust within Johnson’s government party. 

Communication score = 0/1

Sovereignty

Sovereignty in leadership is essentially to ability to control ones emotions and mind so that decisions are made rationally rather than emotionally. A leader should behave as the sovereign as a leader, imagine the Queen of England.

It is undeniable that Johnson has faced challenges many Prime Minister’s would never have face. His character, determination and composure have all been tested. That, however, is not the question here. The test for sovereignty is that despite all the challenges, is Johnson able to calmly control the situation and make tough decisions.

In some areas, yes, and in other areas, no. Take for example Johnson’s handling of the Covid-19 pandemic. Whether you agree with his actions or not, it’d be hard to disagree that despite all of the issues, Johnson never shied away. He, to the best of his ability, took the stand and tried to calmly express the decisions made by his Government. Albeit, this may be more pre-planned.

On the other hand, when faced with challenging questions and topics to which he doesn’t have a pre-planned answer, Johnson fumbles and attempts to distract by shifting the focus of the conversation. Take for example the controversy surrounding the following recent events (at the time of writing):

• Bullying scandal regarding Priti Patel
• Tory Cronyism scandal regarding PPE contracts
• Regular challenges from the opposition during the Prime Minister’s Questions

Usually, in response to wider issues like these Johnson tends to speak rashly and candidly which damages he reputation as a Prime Minister by taking his position back to when he was a writer for the Spectator where his words carried less consequence. Unfortunately, as Johnson’s history shows, he struggles to control his emotions and make logical decisions/ speeches when challenges. However, when he has more time to plan he is more effective. This sort of sovereignty may have gone unnoticed in the seventies, but in today’s world of instant access and openly opinionated people, it doesn’t work.

Does Johnson behave like a Sovereign? Partly, but because most of the time he doesn’t, the overall result it no.

Sovereignty score = 0/1

Language

The language we use changes how people perceive us as a leader and affects whether people trust us or not. The language a leader use is essential as it is one of the most identifiable means to develop trust with another person, which then leads to a connection, which results in greater levels of influence. See below my language equation:

Positivity + Inclusive + Clarity = Trust = Connection = Influence.

With Johnson’s persona as a ‘Classicist’, it is clear that he understands the power of words, language and how his rhetoric influences others. This would lead one to believe that because of Johnson’s academic history, he would know how to wield his words to create a positive and inclusive society. Unfortunately, that is not the case. As a post from the University of St Andrews explains, “Johnson’s fondness for citing (and often distorting) Greco-Roman myth and history is a distraction.  It’s his appetite for divisive and inflammatory rhetorical slogans at a time of profound crisis which should be the current focus of our concern”.

Those are harsh words, but ones which could explain the divisive position many see the UK in right now. This does not mean that mean that Johnson is not good at using positive, inclusive and clear language to create trust and subsequently influence. Why? Because he has done it for the last ten years. During his time in politics, he has used his language to create trust and connections in certain groups to develop his influence. Unfortunately, he has done it in a way which has also led to division, hate and distrust from other groups.

The way Johnson communicated in his language leading up to around mid-2020, created trust. According to Grice from the Independent in May 2020, “Public trust in the UK government has risen from 36 per cent to a remarkably high 60 per cent since January, the biggest jump in the 11 countries surveyed in PR firm Edelman’s ‘trust barometer’”. A lot of this can be attributed to the language Johnson uses, where the trust then allows him and his government to better influence the situation. Unfortunately, since then the language used has only backfired as it was not backed by sound decision making. According to the Financial Times, “Only 1 in 5 NHS trust leaders back Covid testing strategy”. Again going back to my previous point, in todays’ more accessible and educated world, people are able to pick apart the words almost instantly and form their own opinions.

Does Johnson communicate like a leader? Yes, he does, but unfortunately the manner in which it is done (for personal gain), has dire consequences.

Trust score = 1/1

Presence

The dictionary defines presence as “the state or fact of existing, occurring, or being present.” It goes on to explain presence as “a person or thing that exists or is present in a place but is not seen.” So, if you cannot see it, how can you measure it? How do you quantify it? How can you understand and work to improve your presence? Presence does not need to be a mystical, unquantifiable and complicated thing. Presence can be simplified into two categories: tangible and Intangible. Tangible presence is what you actually do. Intangible presence is what people think of you and their opinions of you. Intangible presence is affected by the way you behave and the way you treat people. Our behaviours, as leaders, define our presence.

There’s no doubt that when Boris Johnson makes an entrance, speaks on stage or makes a decision, he does so with enthusiasm and charisma. Johnson has grown in popularity over the last few years, not only with his political party, but also with the public. According to an ongoing measurement of trust in Boris Johnson, over the course of 2019 trust levels remain about equal. Whereas, in early 2020 trust levels in Johnson outweighed distrust. However, towards more recent times in 2020 trust levels dipped again falling to similar levels of 2019.

The rise in trust could be explained by the time when Theresa May stepped down and Boris Johnson stepped up into the role of Prime Minister. Like him or not, people thought he was the best candidate at the time. This was due to his intangible presence, what people think he is capable of doing, which could be considered as positive.

Still, trust levels aren’t exactly high and continue to rise and fall. The ups and downs could be explained by the lack of trust, truth or success in Johnson’s rhetoric and actions. Take for example, during talks at the PMQs, where Johnson said that nurses are getting 12.6% more pay then they were three years ago. This in fact was incorrect as majority of nurses received a 1.65% pay rise in the April just gone. Tangible presence remember, is about what you actually do, and providing misinformation, incorrect information or misleading people is an action by choice. Johnson’s tangible presence, what he actually does, can be considered negative.

Behaviour like that is a true example of presence in leadership; being the person who you want to talk to, the person you want to get to know and the person you want to be your leader. It’d be hard to deny that Johnson doesn’t behave like the person he is, which may be another reason his intangible presence is positive, but unfortunately, the ups and downs of his actions have led to a negative tangible presence.

Does Johnson have the presence of a leader? No, because Johnson only meets half of the criteria surrounding presence.  

Presence score = 0/1

Listening

Leaders listen and feel to what is going on around them first, then decide on the path forward. Leaders listen to others to draw on their support before making any decisions.

Now this behaviour is difficult as it’s hard to say categorically that Johnson does or does not listen. It’s clear that in his rise to Prime Minister, he has had to listen. Take for example, the time during the Brexit campaign, if he didn’t listen he wouldn’t have achieved the personal success he did. However, does he listen to the wider surroundings to of the public and the greater issues? The answer to is yes. Take for example a Covid briefing update from May 2020. Following the first lockdowns there were lots of discussions around the mental wellbeing of the public not being able to get outdoors. Johnson tweak his restriction plan and addressed this in his speech.

Some may argue that he doesn’t listen to question tabled by interviewers and opposition parties which leads him to inadequately provide response, as per my previous point under communication, and there is truth in this argument. However, on a whole, Johnson does draw of the wider experience, information and knowledge before making decisions. For someone in politics, this is essential. An example of this can also be seen in Johnson’s personal growth where he is now more careful of his words. As Prime Minister he is less directly offensive compared to his time as a writer.

Does Johnson listen like a leader? Yes.

Listening Score = 1/1

Authenticity

People are able to connect with people that they feel are being genuine and authentic. When people see a leader as authentic, they hear what they have to say, the people trust the leader more, then form a connection and ultimately this increases the leaders influence.

Johnson may bumble and fumble through speeches, but rarely does he not act in a way that demonstrates who he is. However, is that purely down to the fact that he is playing the political game to increase his favour, or, does he behave authentically?

Along his journey so far Johnson has never been one to not speak his mind. Back to his writing days, to the Brexit campaign to the debates in parliament. According to Hans Van Leeuwen writing in 2019, “Tories have chosen him because they think his authentic if eccentric schtick is a vote-winner”, and despite polls suggesting otherwise, he did win. Perhaps one of the reasons he has such support from the Conservation party is because he is seen as an authentic and true Tory. As I explained earlier, once Johnson became Prime Minister, trust levels were up. This could be because, despite his bumbling charm (as referred to by many writers), people thought that his intentions and authentic behaviours were starting to show.

However, a couple of months into his tenure as PM, many of the opposition did not want to the people and parliament to forget Johnson’s true authentic past. Take for example this speech by Labour MP Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi who slammed Johnson over previous racist remarks (video below). Or, how many have begun to attack Johnson’s true nature following the decisions made around public safety and the economy during the Covid 19 pandemic.

This is a setback for Johnson who may have thought that by changing the narrative, which is a common tactic of his, he may be able to change people perception of who is truly is. It opens up questions, such as: Can a leader truly change their nature and will people let them forget it?

I believe the answer to that is no. People may forgive, but they do not forget. As I explain in my book, Managers Are Not Leaders, authenticity is derived from the actions of a leader. A person cannot spend 10-15 years behaving in a certain way and making controversial statements, and then hope to change people’s perception of their authentic nature by behaving differently. As can be seen in more recent parliamentary speeches, Johnson has become more divisive in his language, more dismissive of opposition ideas and more questionable in his actions. Is this his authentic self? Perhaps so.

Although, this is not necessarily a bad thing, depending on your personal position of politics and views on life. Johnson has many supporters, both within parliament and the public. A lot of this trust could be due to the fact that he is authentic and that allows him to connect with many people from certain groups. However, I must ask you the question, is a person who connects with and only leads a specific group to success really a leader?

Is Johnson seen as authentic? I would have to say yes, because despite his change is rhetoric and tactics, Johnson will always speak and act as he always done.

Authenticity Score = 1/1

Connections

Connections equal influence and the strength of a leaders influence is determined by the strength of their connections. Motivational speaker, leadership coach and businessman Tony Robbins said in 2019 that leadership is about influence over others. The greatest leaders throughout history have been so well known because of their ability to influence others. Influence is developed through connections.

Johnson’s rise from writer to Prime Minister is not one that should be ignored or taken lightly. It is key to realise that, although Johnson didn’t run for PM through a traditional election, he was internally voted in. This require levels of influence, levels which are obtained through building strong connections within the Conservative party. As my post so far shows, Johnson isn’t really ticking all of the boxes when it comes to behaving like a leader. So then why is he so liked by his party and why did they vote him as the best candidate? The answer is as I’ve said, his connections which gave him influence.

That is his colleagues, however, what about the people? Well, it depends on who you ask. Depending on which side of the political party your views lie upon, you will either feel a connection to what Johnson says and does, or not. If you’re on his side, you may feel a connection. If you’re not on his side, then you definitely won’t. Although, that’s not to say some people who consider themselves Conversation maintain the same levels of connection. According to an article from The Spectator (Johnson’s old magazine), regarding Johnson’s online Tory Conference, “Too much of Boris Johnson’s speech today belonged to the reality Boris wants to live in, not the one we actually inhabit at present”. This shows that perhaps he is not able to maintain the connections he builds as his actions cause people to become disillusioned with him.

In order to develop influence a leader needs to connect with people. So far, Johnson has demonstrated that he is able to build connections, but cannot maintain them. It seems as though his connections are built depending on what’s the flavour of the month.

Does Johnson connect with people like a leader? No, because as explained, although he can build connections easily, he seems to find it difficult to maintain them.

Connection Score = 0/1

Trust

It can take years to earn trust from a person but a minute to lose it. Building trust takes time but can be broken by not seeing through your actions. When someone trusts you, respect that trust and allow it to build over time. A leader however, should not use that trust for manipulation, but for positive influence.

To look at this behaviour category see below a snapshot from YouGov trust polls. Similar to what I have been explaining so far, in early 2020 trust increased in Boris Johnson following a series of strong speeches and actions. However, this didn’t last long as Johnson’s failed to follow up on pretty much anything he promised, whether the topic was Brexit, Covid 19 or general politics. In short, Johnson talked the talk, but didn’t walk the walk.

Therefore, in my opinion, and the opinion of many others, Boris Johnson is not trustworthy.

Does Johnson build and maintain trust like a leader? No.

Trust Score = 0/1

The compass

The compass is all about becoming the guide by being the calm within the storm. In times of struggle and clouded visions a leader must be decisive to steer the ship forward.

Boris Johnson’s decisiveness can really be measure when he stepped in the role of Prime Minister. Again, following building connections with his party, strong speeches and bold claims, majority of people thought that Johnson’s was the one to steer the country. However, when the weather’s worsened and the path forward became foggier than a chilly winter’s morning, Johnson’s was really put to the test. Unfortunately, he failed. Take for example the commitments made regarding the Brexit negotiations. It’d be hard to justify that, despite the claims and decisive statements, the negotiations failed. Or, take for example, the ups and downs regarding Covid restrictions, or multiple (media defined) “U-Turns” during his tenure. All of these have led to worsening faith in Johnson’s ability to make a decision. As the graph below shows, confidence in Johnson’s ability to be decisive, which is the ultimate test in this behaviour category, has hugely worsened.

Can Sunak be seen as a guiding Compass? No.

Compass Score = 0/1

Confidence not ego

To be clear confidence and ego are not the same thing. Being egotistical is to tailor every situation tailor to your own self-interest. Having confidence is to feel or believe in yourself and others. There is a difference. Ego should not have a place in management, leadership or any area of work. Egotistical behaviour destroys relationships. Rather than focusing on your own self-interest, show confidence by focusing on others.

Unfortunately, it seems as though Johnson’s behaviours and actions are steered to serving his own ego. Take for example, when Johnson’s is challenged in parliament, rather than providing a logical and measured response, Johnson tends to retort with personal insults which are aimed as inflating his own ego. During my research of Johnson, from his writings to political movements, no action to date demonstrates a leadership ability leaning towards confidence over ego. The majority of Johnson’s actions tend to indicate an egotistical mind set.

Does Johnson display Confidence not ego? No, Johnson’s handling of power leans toward ego, not confidence.

Confidence not ego score = 0/1

Right Behaviour total = 3/10

Right Behaviour Overall Score = 0 Star (Received a score less than 5)

Experience

Leaders are different because they utilise experience to be able to adapt to any situation. In order to behave more like a leader, we focus on using our experience to help us adapt to any situation. Experience comes in two components:

1. Experience you have
2. Experience you don’t have

Johnson is a man who has made decisions based on what on the support of others and his own life lessons. Just take the examples I have shared above. Whether you agree on his actions or not, Johnson is a man who utilises experience in the right way, by utilising his own and others knowledge to make the best decision to suit the situation. It is clear that he tries to apply the core area of experience, but unfortunately does not behave in the right way.

Experience Score = 1 Star

My opinion

In my opinion, Boris Johnson is definitely a determined and ambitious person. He is someone who tries to stay true to his character and believes in himself. He is someone who knows how to make friends and develop influence. But unfortunately, he does not behave in a way that a leader should. Johnson seems to want to try and change, by being adaptable, but when the situation hits the preverbal fan, he reverts back to his authentic self. Ultimately, a leader is reviewed based on what they say, what they do, the decisions they make and how they make them. As a Prime Minister all of the above is on show and unfortunately the only consistency within his tenure is that he seems to say the wrong things, do the wrong things, make the wrong decisions and do them in the wrong way. Take for example, as the media like to call them, the many “U-turns” Johnson made in 2020. Note however, it’s more than just the decisions, it’s the way in which it is done:

1. Regarding Coronavirus
   1. On March 19, Johnson said “We can turn the tide within the next 12 weeks and I’m absolutely confident that we can send coronavirus packing in this country but only if we take the steps”. This statement providing hope that this virus in not serious and that his steps are the decisive solution.
   1. On March 23, Johnson essentially initiated a country wide lockdown. This confusion let to people losing trust in him and his government.
2. Regarding normality after Covid
   1. On July 17, Johnson said that “it is my strong and sincere hope that we will be able to review the outstanding restrictions and allow a more significant return to normality from November”.
   1. On October 31, Johnson initiated a second national lockdown. This again, provided false hope, a false sense of security and only led to more confusion, further worsening the public and government perception of Johnson
3. Regarding Christmas
   1. On December 16, Johnson confirmed that people would have five days over Christmas to meet loved ones providing more hope, allowing people freedom and creating a rush for people to make Christmas happen.
   1. On December 20, Johnson essential plunged the majority of the country into another lockdown. This again, provided false hope, a false sense of security and only led to more confusion, further worsening the public and government perception of Johnson

Remember, I am not trying to highlight any political issues here, I am only focusing of the behaviours of the UK’s leader. As I explain in my book, a person does not automatically become a leader just because they earn a position or title. A leader is one who behaves like one, and a great leader is one who fits my definition of a leader.

My only suggestion to Boris Johnson would to be continue to be true to himself, but rather than aim to serve his own ego and inflate his power, think about what is right and how he can use his power to serve others, both those who are and aren’t within his group of supporters and friends. This will be done by listening to the wider issues and looking for ways to adapt his party to the wants and needs of the country, not just the wants and needs of his party.

Remember, as I said earlier, in today’s world of accessibility there is no hiding. People can see through dishonesty and pick apart every word and action. As a classicist, Mr Johnson should remember that his words have consequences.

Overall Leadership Rating

A.R.E Rating = 1 Star

Thank you for reading, JT

References:

• Britannica, 2020. Available at: https://www.britannica.com/biography/Boris-Johnson
• Independent, 2017. Available at: https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/boris-johnson-interview-audio-queens-speech-car-crash-unable-answer-questions-bbc-a7801936.html
• University of St Andrews, 2020. Available at: https://arts.st-andrews.ac.uk/rhetoric/boris-johnson-and-the-seductive-sophistry-of-slogans/
• YouGov Survey, 2020. Available at: https://yougov.co.uk/topics/politics/trackers/is-boris-johnson-likeable
• Hans Van Leeuwen, 2019. Available at: https://www.afr.com/world/europe/he-s-authentic-and-eccentric-but-will-boris-perform-as-pm-20190724-p52a3o
• The Spectator, 2020. Available at: https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/what-does-boris-johnson-s-tory-party-stand-for
• Grice, A (2020) – https://www.independent.co.uk/voices/coronavirus-rishi-sunak-boris-johnson-treasury-jobs-economic-crisis-a9501281.html