Boris Johnson’s “personality and behaviour” was the reason for his downfall as prime minister, Laura Kuenssberg has said, comparing his loss of support from the Conservative party to a game of Jenga.
Speaking to British Vogue for its September issue, the former political editor of the BBC said she was “shocked” at the “pace and the scale of the moves against Johnson”, but was not surprised at Johnson’s departure as Conservative leader after facing mass resignations from his cabinet and other Tory MPs.
Kuenssberg, 46, likened Johnson’s demise to a game of Jenga, saying: “One piece comes out, and then another, and it gets wobblier, then it stabilises, but then when it actually crashes, it crashes really quickly and really messily.”
In the interview Kuenssberg, who was assigned a security detail for the Labour party conference in 2017, revealed that she does not allow herself to focus on the abuse she receives on social media.
“It’s horrible that it happens and it shouldn’t happen, and I can see why people get desperately upset about it,” she said.
“I always tried to think: ‘Right, I’ve got this really long list of compelling and important stuff that I’ve got to do today. Am I therefore going to allow time and space to sit and look at this?’ Well … no.”
Kuenssberg said she hoped social media abuse would not deter young women from pursuing a career in journalism or politics. “We have to be alive to how horrible it can be, particularly for people starting out, and support them where we can,” she said.
“It drives me crazy that young people coming into the industry – and particularly young women – might look at what’s happened online and think: ‘That is not a place for me,’” she added.
Kuenssberg also revealed that the Spectator’s summer party, known to be attended by prominent Conservative party figures, was like being in a “tropical jungle” which was “very hot, very wild and very bizarre”.
She added: “The next generation was prowling around, trying to build new alliances and grab the plumpest, juiciest fruit for themselves.”
Kuenssberg will take over the BBC’s flagship political Sunday morning show after Andrew Marr’s 17-year tenure on 4 September that, according to the interview, will be called Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg.
Kuenssberg served as the BBC’s political editor for seven years and was replaced by Chris Mason earlier this year. She was one of three frontrunners to take over the Sunday morning show, alongside Sophie Raworth and Mishal Husain. Raworth has presented the show on an interim basis.
