Britain | Bagehot

Boris Johnson’s illness has darkened Britain’s mood

The illness of a man who once divided the nation has united it

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BORIS JOHNSON has always believed that history was not made just by vast impersonal forces but by great men and women who change its course through their sheer talent and willpower. His admiration for Winston Churchill and Margaret Thatcher springs from this worldview; so did his decision to reject the belief widespread in the establishment that Britain’s destiny lay in the European Union and to lead the country out of it.

This article appeared in the Britain section of the print edition under the headline "Missing Boris"

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