I’m inclined to agree with Andrew Roberts’ laudatory take on Boris Johnson time as Prime Minister of the UK. In particular, I appreciate what he says here:

Prime Ministers used to be brought down over great and historic events. Neville Chamberlain fell over the Allied defeat in Norway; Anthony Eden was crushed by the Suez Crisis; Margaret Thatcher over the great issue of Britain’s relationship with Europe.

It is a sign of our pettiness, and perhaps also our decadence, that you were brought down over a few leaving parties for civil servants in Downing Street.

This really struck me – Johnson himself referred to the “herd mentality” that had taken hold. When I think of some of our own PM’s scandals, they are far worse and yet…there he is, still PM. And our PM, of course, is not known for his shimmering intellect. Boris is. He can write books, make speeches, write his own ticket in so many ways. I suppose he could even return to politics, though I am not certain he would want to.

And no, not trying to downplay the things he did wrong – I just find him a fascinating character and the reaction to him and dismissal of him misguided. A couple of my previous posts about him here and here.