The Supreme Court ruled the PM acted unlawfully by proroguing Parliament in 2019. 11 justices said shutting down the Commons for five weeks before the Brexit deadline had an “extreme” effect on democracy. Supreme Court President Lady Hale said: “Parliament has not been prorogued.” The PM later announced a crackdown on the ability to challenge his decisions in the courts.
Boris Johnson retreated into a large fridge on the last day of 2019 election campaigning after an ITV reporter ambushed him to ask him to appear on the show. One of the PM’s aides could be seen mouthing ‘oh for f***’s sake’ in an incident used by his enemies ever since – despite a furious aide telling the Mirror: “No one hid in a fridge”.
In September 2019 the PM purged some of the longest-serving Tories from the party. Winston Churchill’s grandson Sir Nicholas Soames and longest-serving MP Ken Clarke were among 21 who lost the whip – followed later by a 22nd, Amber Rudd. Their ‘crime’ was backing a bid to delay Brexit beyond October 31 to prevent no-deal.
In 2019 he spent a day after announcing an election touring hospitals and police on public funds, despite restrictions on using taxpayer resources at election time. His bid to use Treasury civil servants to cost Labour ’s policies was blocked at the last moment by the Cabinet Secretary Mark Sedwill. Later in April 2022 he announced asylum seekers would be sent to Rwanda – on the first day of ‘purdah’ for local elections.
Boris Johnson’s wife of 25 years Marina was said to be ‘in pieces’ after he left her for Carrie, now his third wife, getting engaged to her while PM. His daughter Lara reportedly branded the PM a “selfish b*****d”. Boris Johnson has at least seven children – one by an affair, four by Marina and two by Carrie – though he spent years refusing to confirm. The PM insists his private life is private, but some critics claim his personal conduct is a reflection of his character.