Boris Johnson’s tenure as prime minister has been somewhat eventful despite being less than three years long.
Mr. Johnson supervised Britain’s exit from the European Union, coordinated the response to the Coronavirus outbreak, and led the West in its support of Ukraine during Russia’s incursion after capturing the greatest Conservative electoral victory since 1987.
But Mr. Johnson was finally brought down by his missteps and shortcomings as PM, whether it was the contentious £200,000 renovation of the Downing Street apartment, the Partygate incident, or the sleaze sagas that culminated in the allegations surrounding Chris Pincher.
MailOnline has compared Mr. Johnson’s track record to numerous people who have come before him in the table below.
Along with his hero Winston Churchill, “appeaser” Neville Chamberlain, and Labour’s transformational PM Clement Attlee, his immediate successors Theresa May, David Cameron, Gordon Brown, Tony Blair, John Major, and Margaret Thatcher are all mentioned.
Only two days have passed since Mr. Johnson took office, compared to Neville Chamberlain’s two years and 348 days in Downing Street.
Theodore Johnson
two years and three hundred fifty days (and counting)
Achievements
winning the largest electoral victory for the Conservatives since 1987
Since Margaret Thatcher’s triumph in 1987, Boris Johnson’s victory in the 2019 General Election, which gave him a majority of 81, was the largest.
Mr. Johnson won a large number of seats in the erstwhile northern Labour strongholds known as the “Red Wall” with the catchphrase “Get Brexit Done,” and many of these voters turned to the Conservative Party for the first time.
The triumph also dashed Jeremy Corbyn’s hard-left leadership’s dreams of becoming prime minister, a possibility that alarmed the business community and horrified many Jews in the wake of the party’s anti-Semitism controversy.
Leaving the EU with Britain
A month after Mr. Johnson’s election victory, in January 2020, his Brexit proposal was approved by the Commons with a majority of 99.
The accomplishment put an end to years of stalemate and fighting that had ruined his predecessor Theresa May’s premiership.
Even though it left issues like the future of Northern Ireland unresolved, the resolution that came under Mr. Johnson marked an important turning point because the issue of Britain’s relationship with Europe had also done irreparable harm to the governments of David Cameron, John Major, and Margaret Thatcher.
During the coronavirus pandemic, Europe’s fastest vaccination campaign
Mr. Johnson received criticism for how he handled several aspects of the coronavirus pandemic response, but he received high credit for directing the creation of potent vaccinations and their quick introduction.
Margaret Keenan, a 90-year-old grandma, received the first immunization on December 8, 2020. Following its clinical approval, Ms. Keenan became the first woman in the world to get the Pfizer Covid-19 injection.
The most vulnerable were given priority in the initial stage of the rollout, according to a schedule mostly based on age. On December 30, 2020, the distribution schedule was changed to postpone second doses so that more people may receive their first dosage.
With one of the greatest acceptance rates in its initial few months, Britain’s deployment was among the fastest in the world.
More people than in any other countries in Europe have received their first dose of a vaccine by February 2021, at over 20 million.
Over 40 million Britons, or over 85% of adults, had received at least one dose of the Covid vaccine by October 2021.
assisting Ukraine following Russia’s invasion
Following Russia’s invasion, Mr. Johnson was one of the first international leaders to deliver weapons to Ukraine. He later became the first western European leader to address the parliament of that nation.
Johnson promised additional British arms and financial support to the Ukrainian cause during a surprise visit to Kiev in April 2022. Mr. Johnson predicted in June that Ukraine will receive an additional £430 million in financial assistance, increasing the total amount of funding to £1.2 billion.
Volodymyr Zelensky, the president of Ukraine, has praised the PM for the unwavering support on numerous occasions. He contrasted Mr. Johnson’s enthusiasm to assist with the less zealous responses from other NATO nations, such as Germany.
Failures
concerns regarding the £200,000 renovation of the Downing Street apartment
This week, it was revealed that Mr. Johnson’s improvements to the Downing Street apartment cost more than £200,000.
It featured £2,250 worth of “gold” wallpaper that his wife Carrie Johnson had purchased, about which he had griped.
According to a leaked copy of the refurbishment invoice obtained by the Independent, the flat makeover included a £7,000 rug, a £3,675 drinks cart, and two sofas that cost more than $15,000 combined.
Leading the renovation was well-known designer Lulu Lytle.
Later, the Conservatives were fined £17,800 by the British Electoral Commission for failing to properly disclose a donation from wealthy Lord Brownlow.
Lord Geidt, Mr. Johnson’s then-ethics advisor, criticized the Prime Minister subsequently for not disclosing several messages they had exchanged with the contributor. He came to the conclusion, nonetheless, that Johnson had not fabricated the communications on purpose.
after the Owen Paterson scandal, attempting to undermine Parliament’s standards and regulations
An investigation concluded in November of last year that North Shropshire’s then-Conservative MP, Owen Paterson, had violated lobbying laws in a “egregious” manner on behalf of two companies that had given him £500,000.
Instead of letting the Commons suspend Mr. Paterson for 30 days, Mr. Johnson made an effort to alter the standards of conduct in public life in order to support his colleague.
Before he backed down, Mr. Johnson’s attempt to modify the rule sparked a sleazy row that embroiled his Government in turmoil.
When senior Tory Christopher Chope screamed “object,” forcing the government to hold a debate and vote, the attempt to reverse-ferret was derailed and turned into farce.
Following Mr. Paterson’s resignation as an MP, the Conservatives were soundly defeated by the Liberal Democrats in the ensuing by-election for North Shropshire.
monitoring widespread violations of the Covid lockdown guidelines in the Downing Street “Partygate” controversy
The initial news of what would become known as “partygate” appeared on November 30, 2021, with allegations that Downing Street personnel had gathered three times nearly a year earlier, when London was under lockdown restrictions.
Then, at a practice news conference, a video of Allegra Stratton, the former Downing Street press secretary, making jokes about parties, surfaced.
A day later, Mr. Johnson apologized at Prime Minister’s questions, declaring that he was “furious” over the video, and named Cabinet Secretary Simon Case to look into the claims. She later announced her resignation.
Photos showed Mr. Johnson participating in a Christmas quiz and relaxing in Number 10’s garden while staff members appeared to be drinking wine and chatting.
When the UK was still under lockdown, 100 people were invited to a party in Downing Street by Mr. Johnson’s private secretary, according to a leaked email from the new year. Mr. Johnson is said to have personally attended the event.
These allegations were verified at Prime Minister’s Questions when Mr. Johnson apologized once more and acknowledged going to the party, which he claimed he thought was a “business event.”
More Conservative MPs demanded his resignation, further exposing the party’s internal conflicts.
As Bury South MP Christian Wakeford left the party for Labour on January 19, divisions within the group grew. The most senior Tory MP to publicly demand for the resignation of the prime minister was David Davis.
The drinking culture in Downing Street was criticized in civil servant Sue Gray’s partygate report, and Mr. Johnson was one among several who received a fine from the Met Police for violating lockdown regulations.
Choosing Chris Pincher as deputy chief whip despite being informed of the charges of wrongdoing
Chris Pincher abruptly resigned from his position as deputy chief whip on June 30, 2022, following allegations that he had physically assaulted two other clubgoers the previous evening at the Carlton Party, a Tory private members’ club in London.
When Mr. Pincher was nominated to the whips position, Downing Street claimed Mr. Johnson was unaware of any “particular claims” against him. However, it later became clear that Mr. Johnson had been informed of charges against Mr. Pincher as early as 2019.
On July 5, it was revealed that Mr. Johnson had forgotten about being informed of prior accusations of “inappropriate” behavior, forcing him to issue a humiliating explanation for how he handled the situation.
The resignations of the Health Secretary Sajid Javid and the Chancellor Rishi Sunak finally led to Mr. Johnson’s demise, and the resignation of the Prime Minister as a result.
The allegations against Mr. Pincher were only the most recent of numerous allegations of wrongdoing made against Tory MPs. After it was discovered that he had been viewing porn in the Commons chamber in May, Neil Parish was forced to quit as an MP. A month earlier, Imran Ahmad Khan, another MP, had been sentenced for sexually assaulting a 15-year-old child.
Another anonymous MP was warned to avoid Parliament after being detained on rape suspicion, while David Warburton, another MP, was suspended over allegations of sexual misconduct.
Theresa May
Office tenure: three years and eleven days
Achievements
An increase in NHS funding of £20 billion
Mrs. May said in 2018 that the NHS would get an additional £20 billion annually by 2023. She said that a “Brexit dividend” would pay for the change.
The addition of more mental health services to the NHS Long-Term Plan was welcomed by some activists.
laws allowing parents to take a bereavement leave
The Parental Bereavement Leave and Pay Act, which gave working couples the right to two weeks of leave if they lost a child or experienced a stillbirth, was also praised.
Before this, there was no such legislation.
to increase the minimum wage
Mrs. May was also in charge of increasing the minimum wage. It was raised to £8.21 in April 2019, the highest rise since it was introduced in 1998.
Historically low unemployment
The unemployment rate stood at 3.8% just before Mrs. May left office, which was the lowest level since the fall of 1974.
Additionally, there were over a million more people in office than when Mrs. May assumed her position.
announcement of a 25-year environmental plan
Michael Gove was a successful choice for Mrs. May to be the Environment Secretary, and many people have praised his performance in the position.
To address challenges like plastic waste, Mrs. May unveiled a 25-year environmental strategy. She also pledged that the UK will achieve “net zero” greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. Her successor, Mr. Johnson, devoted himself to this goal.
Failures
failure to remove Britain from the EU
Despite years of haggling with Brussels and attempts to get her Withdrawal Agreement passed by the Commons, Mrs. May was unable to fulfill her commitment to pull Britain out of the EU after the 2016 referendum.
When she announced her resignation in a televised appearance outside Downing Street, she is infamous for sobbing.
Because she was unable to convince her own MPs to support her Brexit plan, the former prime minister was ultimately obliged to resign.
majorities lost in the hastily held 2017 General Election
Mrs. May suddenly called for a general election in April 2017, stating that it was “the best way to assure certainty and stability for the years ahead.”
The election campaign, however, turned out to be devastating for Mrs. May, who made difficult appearances and speeches and watched her polling advantage over Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn’s party vanish.
Her slender majority in the Commons was eliminated by the election results when her party lost seats and Labour won districts.
Mrs. May was had to strike an agreement with the Democratic Unionist Party in order to maintain her position.
not enacting social care reforms
Reforms to social care were included in Mrs. May’s 2017 election platform. The threshold for receiving free care would have increased from £23,250 to £100,000.
The plans also implied that when determining a person’s care expenses, the worth of their property would be taken into account.
Critics branded the program the “dementia tax” right away, and it failed miserably at the polls. As a result, Mrs. May made a U-turn and announced that she would cap the amount of money that everyone had to pay for care expenses.
The social care measures were abandoned after the catastrophic election outcome, and the problem was not solved.
David Cameron
Office tenure: 6 years, 63 days
Achievements
establishing and sustaining a coalition government
Despite coming in last in the 2010 election, Mr. Cameron went on to strike an agreement with Nick Clegg, the leader of the Liberal Democrats, that resulted in the formation of the Coalition Government.
In spite of forecasts that the alliance would end abruptly, Mr. Cameron managed to keep the occasionally tense relationship intact for five years before the 2015 general election.
allowing gay marriage
2013 saw the Conservative-Liberal Democrat partnership enact a law in Parliament allowing same-sex unions.
At the time, Mr. Cameron wrote: “This is a crucial time for our nation. It declares that we are a nation that will uphold its illustrious traditions of deference, tolerance, and equal worth.
Even as supporters of the initiative praised Mr. Cameron, several Tory activists and MPs sharply criticized him for advancing the historic legislation.
Later, the then-PM acknowledged that forcing the law through had been bad politics, but claimed the strategy was still the right one.
overseen the success of the Scottish referendum
In the 2014 vote on Scottish independence, Mr. Cameron spearheaded the movement to keep Scotland a part of the UK.
Although Mr. Cameron’s bet in letting the vote to take place drew criticism in certain places for the way the campaign was managed, it ultimately paid off as the Better Together campaign prevailed.
won the general election in
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