Choosing Boris Johnson as prime minister would be a dangerous gamble
Before making their bet, Conservatives should ask themselves three big questions
THE CONSERVATIVE PARTY has a long history of making big bets on mavericks whenever it thinks its back is against the wall. Before they won the party leadership, three of the greatest Tory prime ministers were cordially loathed by their party. Margaret Thatcher was regarded as a polarising ideologue who lacked the ability to connect with voters or command Parliament. Winston Churchill was a boozy bloviator and serial bungler, launching the Dardanelles campaign and clinging to the gold standard. Benjamin Disraeli was a flashy outsider who had no achievements to his name other than undermining Robert Peel over the Corn Laws. The Tories punted on all three and won big.
This article appeared in the Britain section of the print edition under the headline “Double or nothing”
Britain May 23rd 2019
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- Choosing Boris Johnson as prime minister would be a dangerous gamble
From the May 23rd 2019 edition
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