On this day five years ago: Boris Johnson returned to Downing Street with huge majority
If a week is a long time in politics, then five years is an age – and no one will be feeling that more acutely today than Boris Johnson.
Exactly five years ago today, the then sitting prime minister returned to Downing Street after winning the general election the previous day, having achieved the Conservative Party’s biggest majority since 1992.
He had a mandate to implement his “oven-ready” Brexit deal – an issue over which parliament had been paralysed.
Labour crashed to its worst defeat since 1935, and in the wake of the loss, Jeremy Corbyn resigned as party leader.
It seemed as though Mr Johnson would be in power for a decade after his resounding win.
But just five years later, Mr Corbyn’s successor, Sir Keir Starmer, has taken up residence in Downing Street, while Mr Johnson is not even an MP any more.
Mr Johnson’s three years in power were eventful, to say the least, with the ex-PM having faced the COVID pandemic just months after being returned to Downing Street.
Events during the pandemic – namely “parties” in Downing Street in breach of the government’s own COVID restrictions – led to public outrage, and anger from MPs across the Commons.
His backing of then Tory MP Owen Paterson, who was facing suspension from the Commons after being found to have abused his position after…
