The premiership of Boris Johnson has been the most controversial in recent memory. From the prorogation of parliament, through Brexit and Covid-19 and Russia’s recent invasion of Ukraine, it has been a time of upheaval.
Monday, however, marks the end of the Johnson era. Whether it is Liz Truss or Rishi Sunak who claims the leadership of the Conservative Party and enters Downing Street, they will be hard-pressed to provide such fertile material for cartoonists.
Over the last four years, The Independent’s Dave Brown has been at the forefront of those chronicling one of the most exceptional periods in UK politics. Below is a selection of his very best work, telling the story of Johnson’s time leading the country.
19 July 2019
Even before Johnson took over in Downing Street he was bemoaning EU rules, using a packet of kippers as an example at a Tory leadership hustings. The European Union denied the example.
24 July 2019
Johnson was declared the leader of the Conservatives, leaving Dave Brown to round up some of his more controversial claims in the months and years before.
13 September 2019
Dave has his say over the prorogation of parliament by Johnson – which was eventually declared “unlawful, void, and of no effect” by the Supreme Court.
10 June 2020
Johnson offers no criticism of Donald Trump over his comments relating to the protests surrounding the death of George Floyd and calls the US a “bastion of freedom”.
27 August 2020
Dave takes aim at Johnson’s propensity to try and distract from bad news – in this case around Covid-19.
3 February 2021
Six months later, the response by the government towards the Covid-19 pandemic is again the target.
10 June 2021
This cartoon stems from the post-Brexit dispute dubbed the “sausage wars” over shipments of certain meat products from Britain to Northern Ireland.
16 March 2022
Dave’s take ahead of a meeting between Johnson and Saudi Arabia’s ruler, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
3 April 2022
The “bring your own booze” event and Johnson’s remarks about Downing Street parties during Covid-19 is the subject here.
8 June 2022
Having survived a confidence vote over his leadership, the events held in Downing Street – over which there was plenty of anger from the public – provide a lasting mark of Johnson’s time as prime minister.
