Magic Johnsonism?

As Boris Johnson notches up two years in No.10, are we any closer to understanding what drives him? Is there such thing as an ideology in Boris’s world – a Johnsonism? Do Prime Ministers even need a guiding philosophy? To plumb the Johnson mystery, we assemble a star panel of Times columnist Matthew Parris, The Spectator’s Isabel Hardman and Tim Bale, Professor of Politics at Queen Mary University.  “We’ve already seen the real Boris Johnson. He’ll do and say anything to maintain his position.” – Matthew Parris  “Johnson is a chameleon. He doesn’t like sitting in a tribe and he doesn’t have friends.” – Isabel Hardman “The lack of censoriousness is where Johnson connects with traditional Toryism, and you can take it all the way back to Cavaliers and Roundheads.” – Tim Bale “Leaders don’t need ideology, they just need power. Thatcherism was a bit of a mirage…” – Matthew Parris Presented by Catherine Haddon. Audio production by Alex Rees. Inside Briefing is a Podmasters Production for the IfG. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

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How can we make government work more effectively? What are Brexit and the current political tumult doing to our institutions? Is Britain's Constitution able to withstand the strains of 21st Century social, political and technical change? What needs to change in our system of government – and how can we change it? Find out in the weekly podcast from Britain’s leading governmental think tank, where we analyse the latest events in politics and explain what they mean. Every week on INSIDE BRIEFING, IfG Director Bronwen Maddox welcomes experts, analysts and special guests for a free-ranging conversation on what makes government work – and how to fix it when it doesn’t. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.