100+ reasons why you can't trust Boris Johnson. - The Insider

100+ reasons why you can’t trust Boris Johnson.

Since Johnson launched his Tory leadership bid he has lied and misled his Party, Parliament and the public over a 100 times.

To navigate his many and varied untruths we’ve created a handy interactive timeline.

Johnson is frequently dishonest and has a habit of repeating his favourite lies over and over again, so to make it more manageable for you (and for us!) we have only recorded each lie once.

Each block below represents a statement. The colour of the block represents the severity of that statement.

Click on the block to navigate to the statement.
June
12 June 2019
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29 June 2019
July
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26 July 2019
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August
12 August 2019
14 August 2019
16 August 2019
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25 August 2019
26 August 2019
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28 August 2019
28 August 2019
September
2 September 2019
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October
1 October 2019
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November
1 November 2019
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December
1 December 2019
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December 2019
Johnson claims that the UK and the EU can achieve a trade deal by the end of 2020.
Source: FT
However, a leaked DExEU document warns that implementing the Johnson sell out Brexit deal by 2020 presents a “major” challenge. Source
Johnson's campaign slogan, "Get Brexit Done", is a lie. Not least because the current transition period means that the UK remains in the EU until the end of 2020.
Source: Politics Home
A top UK diplomat has quit because she was fed up of political leaders not being honest with citizens when it came to leaving the UK. Source
Johnson claims that the very fact that he 'renegotiated' a deal with the EU is evidence that the UK can complete a trade deal with the EU by the end of 2020.
Source: YouTube: Peston
However, as the BBC European Editor makes clear, Johnson crossed one of his own red lines in order to reach the deal, thereby creating a ‘division’ between NI and GB. Source
Johnson said that one of the reasons he called an election was because his Queen’s Speech “was blocked by Parliament.”
Source: Spectator
Parliament was not ‘blocking’ his Queens Speech. Source
Johnson is trying to claim he is leading a “new Government”.
Source: Politics Home
However this country has suffered from a decade of austerity under successive Tory governments. Source
Johnson claimed that councils which “manage their finances” have been able to open new libraries.
Source: Spectator
However, as the UK Library Association made clear, for many councils it is “less to do with sound financial management and more to do with the cuts of c.30-40 per cent handed down to them by the previous Conservative Government.” Source
November 2019
In his first speech as PM, Johnson promised to “fix the crisis of social care” with “a clear plan we [the Conservative Party] have prepared”.
Source: Gov.uk
The Conservative’s do not have a “plan” to fix social care, and their own manifesto admitted as much when all it said was: “We will commit to urgently seek a cross-party consensus to bring forward the necessary proposals.” Source
Boris Johnson claims that he has never told a lie.
Source: Twitter: ITV News
Where to even begin with this….Scroll up and down to see why he is lying!
The Conservative Party claim that the policy to retain, recruit and train 50,000 nurses will cost £879m in 2023/24.
Source: Conservative Manifesto
Even without adding training costs, 50,000 nurses at pay band 5, cost the NHS in the region of £2.8 billion a year based on this estimate. Source
The Conservative manifesto pledged 50,000 more nurses, plus bursaries.
Source: Conservative Manifesto
This is a lie and also incredibly misleading because the 50,000 figure includes 18,500 of existing nurses, who will be encouraged to remain. Source
The Conservative manifesto pledged 50,000 more nurses, plus bursaries.
Source: Conservative Manifesto
18,500 of the 50,000 nurses already work for the NHS. Source
Johnson claimed he is putting "the biggest ever cash boost into the NHS”.
Source: Twitter: BBC
But the average per cent increase under the Tories (3.4 per cent) will be even lower than the 3.7 per cent average rise seen since the NHS was established. Source
In 2017, Johnson claimed that it was important to recognise ‘Russia have attempted to interfere in our elections.’
Source: FactCheck
However, in response to a question regarding the delay of the JIC Russian intelligence report, Johnson claimed that “there’s absolutely no evidence that I’ve ever seen of any Russian interference in UK democratic processes.” Source
During the first head-to-head debate between Johnson and Jeremy Corbyn, CCHQ changed their press account to “FullFact”.
Source: The Guardian
This was described by Newsnight presenter, Emily Maitlis as "dystopian". Source
Johnson claimed that a Labour Government would raise corporation tax to the highest in Europe.
Source: Channel 4: Fact Check
However this is a flat out line. Labour will raise corporation tax to 26 per cent by 2022. France, Germany, Japan, Portugal and Belgium all have higher rates of corporation tax than this. Source
During the Tory leadership contest, Johnson claimed that “every time corporation tax has been cut…it has produced more revenue.”
Source: Twitter: Alex Wickham
However, Johnson subsequently announced that he was shelving plans to cut corporation tax from 19 per cent to 17 per cent in order to save £6bn. Source
Johnson previously claimed that the Conservatives had not done a deal with the Brexit Party.
Source: The Guardian
However Brexit Party MEP, Ann Widecombe, claimed that No.10 offered her a place in the Brexit negotiations if she agreed to stand down. Source
Johnson once again claimed that the murder rate fell below 100 for several years during his tenure as Mayor of London.
Source: BBC
However, official figures show the number of murders in the capital only fell below 100 once during his time as Mayor, dropping to 94 in 2014. In 2015, his last full year in office, there were 119 murders. Source
During his 5 Live Q & A, Johnson also claimed that stop and search increased when he was Mayor of London.
Source: BBC
This is not true either. In Johnson’s first year as Mayor there were nearly 800,000 and fell to just over 130,000 in 2017/18. Source
Johnson repeated a claim that the current Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, was responsible for £17m of Garden Bridge funding.
Source: BBC
This is a lie. Johnson first mentioned this claim back in June, when he was running to be leader to the Conservative Party. A construction contract worth £21m was rushed through before Boris Johnson left office in order to keep the project afloat. The £17m is a chunk of that, which was signed off by Boris Johnson. Source
The Conservatives have produced figures on Labour’s spending plans over the next five years.
Source: Full Fact
These figures are the work of pure fiction. Or as Full Fact states: “many of the figures behind this estimate are uncertain or based on flawed assumptions.” Source
Johnson said that he would not drink alcohol until after Brexit.
Source: The Daily Mail
He has drunk alcohol at least twice since then. Source
Johnson said that he will not enforce customs checks, including paperwork, between NI and GB as part of his sell-out Brexit deal.
Source: Twitter: Paul Brand
This is a lie and contradicts his own Brexit Secretary, who conceded that there would need to be enforcement in the form of “exit summary declarations”. Source
The Conservative Party doctored a clip of Keir Starmer to produce an attack video.
Source: The Daily Mail
The video was edited to make it appear that Keir Starmer was unable to answer questions on Brexit. Source
Johnson said that Doug Oakervee would conduct a ‘quick’ review of HS2 which would report back by Autumn 2019.
Source: Gov.uk
The findings of the Oakervee Review will not be published until 2020. Source
Johnson claimed that the UK is “forecast in our lifetimes to become the largest and most prosperous economy in this hemisphere”.
Source: The Telegraph
However, The Telegraph was forced to issue a correction stating that the figures related to an OECD forecast for Europe not ‘this hemisphere’. Furthermore, this forecast “did not predict that the UK’s GDP will surpass Germany’s…this was the columnists [Boris Johnson’s] own extrapolation.” Source
The cross-party intelligence and security committee was due to publish its report on alleged Russian interference in Britain’s democratic processes.
Source: The Guardian
However, Downing Street has been accused of sitting on the report. Source
October 2019
Johnson repeatedly stated that the UK would leave the EU on 31 October 2019.
Source: The Insider
This has not happened. Source
When asked, if he would sack a Tory assembly candidate who was accused by a judge of deliberately sabotaging a rape trial, Johnson stated that he would not comment as the case was ongoing.
Source: Twitter: BBC News
This is a lie. The case has concluded. Source
Johnson suggested that “there will be no checks between Northern Ireland and Great Britain” under his failed Brexit plan.
Source: Buzzfeed
However, Treasury documents reveal that this is a flat out lie. The documents reveal that there will not be unfettered trade between GB and NI. Not to mention his Brexit Secretary, Stephen Barclay, confirmed Northern Irish firms would have to submit declaration forms on goods entering the rest of the UK. Source
Johnson claimed that his Brexit deal had “passed” Parliament.
Source: Twitter: Conservatives
This is simply not true. It was voted on at Second Reading which is simply the first in a series of parliamentary stages needed before his deal would become law. Source
Johnson said that he would not ask the EU for an extension.
Source: YouTube: The Telegraph
However, Boris Johnson did send a letter to the EU requesting an extension. Source
Johnson claimed that he got rid of the backstop from the Withdrawal Agreement.
Source: Politics Home
However, as Irish journalist Fintan O’Toole made clear, Johnson “got rid of the backstop by making it the front stop”. What was once an insurance policy has become a permanent part of the deal. Source
Johnson said that “7,000 or 8,000” police officers were being recruited this year.
Source: Hansard
This is a lie. The Government’s own timetable says that “up to 6,000 additional officers” will be recruited by the end of 2020 to 2021. Source
Following the publication of alternative arrangements to the backstop, Johnson addressed Parliament and stated that there would be no customs checks at the Irish border or “indeed at any other place.”
Source: Hansard
This is not what Johnson has told the EU. In a letter to Jean-Claude Junker he said that there would need to be a “very small number of physical checks” at traders’ premises or points in the supply chain. Source
Johnson also used his conference speech to bemoan for Tory leaders for not promoting, what he considers, the benefits of capitalism.
Source: The Spectator
Both Theresa May and David Cameron spoke about capitalism in their time as Conservative Party Leader. Source
During his conference speech, Johnson advocated the benefits of renewable energy and criticised those who ‘only a few years ago said wind turbines would not pull the skin off a rice pudding.’
Source: The Spectator
Remarkably, the politician who claimed that wind farms “failed to pull the skin off a rice pudding” was Boris Johnson himself. Source
During his speech to Conservative Party Conference, Johnson stated that the fusion reactor in Oxfordshire were “on the verge” of being able to deliver virtually unlimited zero-carbon power.
Source: The Spectator
However, the organisation responsible for generating electricity through fusion technology said it would not be available for at least 30 to 40 years. Source
Johnson claimed that Canterbury would get a new hospital.
Source: Kent Online
This is a flat out lie. The Department for Health and Social Care confirmed that Canterbury would not be getting a new hospital. Source
Johnson repeated his claim that the current Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, should spend more money on police officers than press officers.
Source: YouTube: ITV News
This is an outright lie. On average, City Hall spent £249,806.72 more on PR when Johnson was Mayor. Source
September 2019
Johnson insisted that the Tories don't do deals with other political parties, in response to questions about a possible pact with Nigel Farage’s Brexit Party.
Source: BBC News
This is a ridiculous claim. The Conservative Party went into coalition with the Lib Dems between 2010 and 2015. Furthermore, in 2017, after Theresa May lost her parliamentary majority, she agreed a £1bn ‘confidence and supply’ deal with the DUP.
Johnson declared that his government would build 40 new hospitals.
Source: The Telegraph
This is simply untrue. Only six hospitals have been earmarked for immediate work. The remaining 34 hospitals will not be able to apply for funding until 2025. Source
In explaining why he believed the Supreme Court was wrong to rule against the Government, Johnson claimed that the President, Lady Hale, had expressed the view that Parliament should be debating Brexit. He cited this as evidence that the Court had ruled on what was in fact a political issue.
Source: YouTube: ITV News
This is untrue. Nowhere in Lady Hale’s summary of the judgement does she suggest what Parliament should debate. In fact, in the first section of her speech Lady Hale emphasises that the ruling was not about "when and on what terms the UK is to leave the EU". Source
Johnson suggested that one of the reasons why he wanted a Queen’s Speech was to pass the Domestic Abuse Bill.
Source: Hansard
This is completely misleading. The Domestic Abuse Bill had its First Reading in July 2019. If Johnson had not unlawfully prorogued Parliament then the Bill could have continued its full passage into law. A Queen’s Speech would not have been required. Source
Johnson repeatedly justified calling the the European Union (Withdrawal) (No.2) Act 2019 the ‘Surrender Act’ because he claimed it would take away the power of the government to determine how long the UK would remain in the EU and give that power that power to Brussels.
Source: Hansard
This is simply not true. The European Union (Withdrawal) (No.2) Act 2019 does not transfer any powers to the EU. It was the UK Parliament, not the EU, which passed the Act to extend the withdrawal date in the event of a No Deal. Furthermore paragraph 3, subsection (3) of the Act makes explicitly clear that the decision to extend the exit date beyond 31 January 2020 lies with the House of Commons. Source
During a debate in Parliament, Johnson was urged by one of his Conservative colleagues not to use the words “surrender” or “betrayal”. Johnson insisted that he had “not used those words”.
Source: Hansard
This is a flat out lie. He used both “surrender” and “betrayal” only minutes before in the same debate. Source
Johnson insisted that proroguing Parliament was not an attempt to undermine democracy.
Source: BBC News
The Supreme Court ruled that Johnson’s suspension of Parliament was unlawful. Source
Johnson claimed that UK socks face tariffs of 19 per cent in the US, as well as being required to meet other rules on how fire retardant they are.
Source: Politico
However, a British sock firm - Corgi Socks - responded by saying that U.S. regulations do not present a problem for their business. Source
An investigation by The Sunday Times revealed that Boris Johnson failed to declare a series of potential conflicts of interest whilst he was Mayor of London.
Source: The Sunday Times
Johnson has repeatedly declined to give specific answers or account for his actions with regards to these allegations. Source
Despite introducing a sugar tax at City Hall when he was Mayor of London, Johnson has claimed to be against so-called 'sin taxes'.
Source: Evening Standard
No.10 were accused of stalling the publication of a report which shows the success of the ‘sugar tax’. Source
During a visit to an East London hospital, Johnson was challenged about NHS staffing levels and why he was coming to the ward “for a press opportunity”. Johnson claimed there were no press accompanying him.
Source: BBC News
This is a lie. The exchange was filmed by the BBC. Source
Summarising Johnson’s phone call with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, No.10 said that the “UK and EU have agreed to accelerate efforts to reach a deal without the backstop which the UK Parliament could support”.
Source: Twitter: Faisal Islam
The EU responded by saying that the ‘statement was wrong’, and although Brussels was happy to intensify talks on a “solution for avoiding a hard border” there was no agreement about dropping the backstop. Source
The Conservative Party ran an advert, between 2 and 9 September, featuring a BBC article on their education announcement, displaying a headline “£14bn cash boost for schools”.
Source: Politics Home
However, the Tories faked the BBC headline. The original read “School spending: multi-billion pound cash boost announced.” Source
Johnson denied that he said police forces were “spaffing money up the wall” on historic children abuse investigations.
Source: YouTube: The Telegraph
This was a lie. In March this year, Johnson said “£60 million I saw was being spaffed up the wall on some investigation into historic child abuse” Source
The Ministry of Justice claimed that a new prison, to be built on the grounds of HMP Full Sutton, is “the first milestone in the Prime Minister’s pledge for 10,000 new prison places”.
Source: MoJ, press release
However, plans to build a new prison at Full Sutton were first announced over two years ago. Source
Johnson had previously claimed that Brexit would lead to “cheaper food.”
Source: Hansard
But Operation Yellowhammer documents, that the government were forced to publish, show that the Government expects food prices to increase in the event of a no deal. Source
Johnson announced that the Type 31 frigates would be designed and built in the UK.
Source: The Telegraph
However, this is simply a re-announcement. In 2017, the Ministry of Defence published its National Shipbuilding Strategy which made clear that the Type 31e Procurement Strategy would specify a “UK owned design and UK build and integration”. Source
Johnson claimed that as London Mayor the initiatives he introduced to end homelessness were “successful”.
Source: YouTube: The Sun
In 2009, Johnson promised to end rough sleeping in London. By the time he left office in 2016 homelessness had doubled. Source
Johnson insisted that proroguing Parliament was not an attempt to undermine democracy.
Source: BBC News
But, the Scottish High Court ruled that Johnson misled the Queen about the reasons for prorogation and was motivated by the “improper purpose of stymieing Parliament". Source
Johnson assured MPs that the Domestic Abuse Bill would be rolled over into the new Parliamentary session.
Source: Hansard
This was a lie. The Domestic Abuse Bill was not carried over to the new Parliamentary session. Source
Boris Johnson claimed that an extension to Article 50 would cost £1 billion a month.
Source: Hansard
It is deliberately misleading to say an extension costs the UK taxpayer, when the OBR has been clear it does not change the amount the UK is legally required to pay to the EU. Furthermore, the cost of no deal far outstrips £1 billion a month. The OBR predicts it would cost around £30 billion a year in extra borrowing alone from 2020 onwards. Source
Johnson claimed that there was a “million-to-one” chance of a no deal.
Source: Facebook: Sky News
However, he later conceded to Cabinet that there was a “high chance” of a no deal. Source
Police officers were used as a backdrop to Boris Johnson’s speech on Brexit during which he said he “would rather be dead in a ditch” than ask for an extension.
Source: The Times
The Chief Constable of West Yorkshire Police issued a statement stating he was “disappointed” to see his officers used as part of a speech not related to police recruitment. Furthermore he wasn’t told that the speech “would be broadened to other issues”. Source
Johnson told the European Council President, Donald Tusk, that the UK would provide new Brexit proposals within a week of the G7 summit.
Source: Buzzfeed
The UK did not send the EU proposals. Source
Johnson tabled a motion for a General Election to take place on 15 October 2019.
Source: Hansard
Previously, Johnson said that it would be “crazy” to have an election before resolving Brexit. Source
Johnson has continually said there are technological solutions to the Irish border.
Source: ITV News
However, in a leaked government document on Alternative Arrangements the Government admits that a technologically solution for "Defra commodities” was unlikely. Source
Johnson claimed that progress was being made in the talks with the EU and that “things were moving.”
Source: Hansard
However, EU officials were reportedly baffled by Johnson’s suggestion that progress was being made, saying “nothing was on the table.” Source
Johnson announced his intention to prorogue Parliament at the end of August.
Source: BBC News
It is now clear that Johnson and his team devised this plan much earlier. Court documents revealed that Johnson signed off the prorogation on 16 August. Source
Johnson announced his intention to call a General Election.
Source: The Guardian
Boris Johnson ruled out a General Election in a Cabinet meeting on 28 August. Source
August 2019
Johnson announced that he would prorogue Parliament until 14 October 2019.
Source: BBC News
Johnson repeatedly said that he was “not attracted to archaic devices” like proroguing Parliament. Source
Johnson suspended Parliament on the basis that a Queen’s Speech was needed to introduce “new legislation" to invest in public services and cut the cost of living.
Source: Twitter: Boris Johnson
Since becoming Prime Minister, Johnson has announced a number of weak domestic policies relating to public services and the cost of living, without mention of the need to introduce accompanying legislative changes. Source
Johnson claimed that his Government planned to hire 20,000 frontline officers for neighbourhood/street policing.
Source: Boris Johnson
A leaked letter from the Home Secretary to the Mayor of London said that up to 7,000 officers promised will not actually end up on the frontline. Source
Johnson said that any trade deal with the US must cut red tape to enable the export of UK pork pies, as is the case with Thailand and Iceland.
Source: The Guardian
The Chairman of Melton Mowbray confirmed that their products are not exported to either Thailand or Iceland. Source
A Downing Street source suggested that a “former minister” was responsible for leaking Operation Yellowhammer.
Source: The Mirror
The former Chancellor, Philip Hammond, demanded Johnson apologise over “misleading” claims about Tory ex-ministers. Source
The Government claimed that the leaked Operation Yellowhammer documents were ‘out of date’.
Source: iNews
This was not true. The documents were dated August 2019. Source
Boris Johnson claimed that he was investing new money in the NHS.
Source: The Sun
However, the Health Service Journal revealed that the money will come from cash reserves already held by NHS providers, and therefore would not be classified as ‘new’ funding. Source
Johnson ordered the Department for Transport to spend £300 million on extra freight capacity in order to keep goods moving in a no deal scenario.
Source: The Times
However, leaked documents of Operation Yellowhammer claimed that disruption at the Channel crossing might last for up to three months. Source
In his first speech as Prime Minister, Johnson claimed that he would start delivering on his NHS pledges that very week.
Source: Gov.uk
However, this promise was later edited out of his speech and it was nearly three weeks into his premiership before Johnson announced details of his NHS plans. *SPOLIER * These NHS plans also contain lies. Source
In a People’s PMQ session, Johnson repeated a claim that as London Mayor he took 11,000 knives off the streets through stop-and-search.
Source: The Spectator
This was a lie. Only 4,500 knives were recovered through stop-and-search. Source
When asked about the WASPI women at a hustings event, Johnson said that he would ‘apply fresh vigour and new eyes’ to the issue to see what he could do to sort it out.
Source: The Telegraph
This was a lie. A parliamentary written answer revealed that Johnson’s Government is not intending to change the policy. Source
July 2019
Johnson stated that it was necessary to restore the public’s faith in the criminal justice system and cited figures which revealed the number of people convicted of multiple offences who were spared jail, rose between 2007 and 2018.
Source: Gov.uk: PM Speech
Whilst the figures were correct, this is because the overall number of reoffenders has increased under the Tories. Furthermore the number of ‘super prolific’ offenders who were sent to prison in the last decade also rose. Source
Johnson agreed to enshrine the rights of 3.2 million EU nationals living in the UK, into law.
Source: Channel 4
However, Johnson’s spokesperson later confirmed that the Prime Minister will not pass new legislation, breaking his pledge to EU citizens living here. Source
During Johnson’s first statement to Parliament as Prime Minister he claimed that “crime is…down”.
Source: Hansard
However, just 17 minutes earlier he admitted that there was a “rising tide of violence”… Violent crime has actually more than doubled under the Tories, including record levels of knife crime. Source
Johnson claimed that the last time he cried was when his bike – which he nicknamed “Bikey” - was stolen outside Parliament in 2016.
Source: The Mirror
However, Johnson clearly said in 2014 that “Bikey” was “dead, killed by – the weather”. Source
In the final hustings event of the Tory leadership contest, Johnson claimed that EU regulations meant a smoked kipper from the Isle of Man had to be transported on a “plastic ice pillow”.
Source: BBC News
However, this was an outright lie. EU regulation only covers fresh fish.The regulations Johnson was referring to are in fact UK rules. What’s more, the Isle of Man is not even in the EU. Source
Johnson claimed that the divorce bill was £39 billion.
Source: YouTube: The Sun
The £39 billion figure is now completely out of date and wrong. As a result of the delay in the Brexit date, a significant sum of money has already been paid to the EU. The current ‘divorce bill’ is £33 billion. Source
Boris Johnson suggested that grammar schools improve achievement in other schools in the surrounding area.
Source: YouTube: The Telegraph
However, the Government’s own statistics prove that grammar schools actually drag down the achievement of children that do not get in. Source
Boris Johnson finally admitted that he had “certainly been in a factor” in the resignation of Sir Kim Darroch, after having previously denied any responsibility.
Source: Politics Home
Only two days before hand, Johnson falsely denied he played a part in Darroch’s resignation. Source
Johnson claimed that financial services bring in £72 billion in tax.
Source: YouTube: The Telegraph
The House of Commons Library stated that financial services contributed £29 billion in tax in the UK in 2017/18. Source
Johnson repeatedly claimed that Crossrail 2 would provide 200,000 homes on brownfield land.
Source: YouTube: The Telegraph
A report on Crossrail 2 makes clear that only around one third of the 200,000 homes would be built on brownfield sites. Source
In a watering down of previous comments, Johnson said he had an “open mind” about the sugar tax and would wait to see the evidence about extending the measure to milkshakes.
Source: YouTube: The Telegraph
On 28 June, Johnson said he would not back the measure but as Mayor of London he introduced a sugar tax at City Hall. It was also revealed that Mark Fullbrook, director of Johnson’s leadership campaign, co-runs a company that lobbies on behalf of a major flavoured milk brand that contains more sugar than Coca-Cola. Source
During the ITVs Tory leadership head-to-head debate, Johnson refused to say whether he would keep Sir Kim Darroch in his role as the UK’s Ambassador to the US, after emails of his views of the Trump administration were leaked.
Source: BBC News
The next day Sir Kim Darroch’s resigned and Johnson falsely denied that he had not supported him. Source
Asked at member’s hustings event, if he agreed that the influence of the state 'has increased, is increasing and ought to be diminished', Johnson replied “Yes I do.”
Source: YouTube: The Sun
Yet, only two days before, Johnson praised the role of the public sector in delivering services. He argued that when it came to our railways political responsibility was important and indeed private sector involvement had been damaging. Source
During the Tory leadership contest, Johnson repeatedly refused to answer questions about whether he supports fox hunting.
Source: YouTube: The Sun
Johnson has consistently spoken in favour of fox hunting. In 2005, Johnson joined a hunt for the day, saying that he ‘loved’ it. Concluding that “if a hound picked up a fox, then so be it.” Source
Johnson referred to the Vote Leave campaign bus as the “historic bus of truth”, in response to remarks about whether the model buses Johnson claimed he makes have slogans on the side of them.
Source: YouTube: The Sun
The Chair of the UK Statistics Authority wrote to Johnson when he was Foreign Secretary stating the £350 million per week figure was a “clear misuse of official statistics”, and that he was “surprised and disappointed” that Johnson had chosen to repeat the claims. Two years on Johnson is still using the figure. Source
During a hustings event, Johnson claimed that the North East of England was “the only net exporting region in the UK”.
Source: YouTube: The Guardian
The last time the North East was a net exporter was Q1 2018. Source
Johnson repeated his claim that in the event of a no deal, the UK would have “an additional £39 billion” of the divorce settlement to spend.
Source: YouTube: Sky News
The UK has financial obligations to uphold and if the Government refused to pay, the Institute for Government claims that the EU could seek redress in the International Court of Justice or the Permanent Court of Arbitration. Source
Johnson promised to establish a ‘Unit for the Union’ inside No.10 to ‘sense and stress test’ policy.
Source: YouTube: The Sun
There is no evidence whatsoever to suggest that this Unit has been established.
Johnson claimed that he was “bitterly opposed” to the Withdrawal Agreement, describing it as a “terrible moral blackmail”.
Source: YouTube: The Sun
However, Johnson voted for the Withdrawal Agreement when it was brought back to the Commons for the third time. Source
Once again, Johnson failed to show up to the Sky News debate which had already been postponed after his previous refusal to attend.
Johnson had previously said leadership debates were “essential” and the “public does need to see interchange between their potential leaders”. Source
June 2019
Johnson said that the investigation of HS2 investigation chaired by Doug Oakervee wouldn’t cost any money.
Source: Facebook: Sky News
There are at least administrative costs associated with Government reviews. For example, this year a similar size and length review into auditing cost £210,000. Source
Johnson said that he would reverse education cuts made by the Tory Government since 2015.
Source: Politics Home
The latest Institute for Fiscal Studies annual report on education spending shows that per pupil spending on schools will be lower in real terms in 2022/23 than it was in 2009/10. Source
When asked whether he would support the extension of the ‘sugar tax’ to milkshakes, Johnson said that if he were to become Prime Minister the proposal “wouldn’t live long enough to get on the statute books.”
Source: YouTube: The Guardian
However, as Mayor of London, Johnson approved of the sugar tax and even introduced one at City Hall. It was also revealed that Mark Fullbrook, who directed Johnson’s leadership campaign, co-runs a company that lobbies on behalf of a major flavoured milk brand that contains more sugar than Coca-Cola. Source
Johnson agreed, along with all the other Tory leadership candidates, to back a full investigation into Islamophobia in the Conservative Party.
Source: The Guardian
However, this pledge has been abandoned. The investigation has been downgraded to a general inquiry into all types of prejudice, rather than a specific focus on Islamophobia, as promised. Source
In defending his policy to raise the threshold for the higher rate of tax to £80,000, Johnson repeated his claim that nurses were among those public servants who were currently paying higher rates of tax on earnings above £50,000.
Source: Facebook: Sky News
The mean average basic salary for nurses and health visitors (per FTE) is £32,385. Source
Johnson refused to take part in the Sky News leadership debate.
Johnson had previously said leadership debates were “essential” and the “public does need to see interchange between their potential leaders”. Source
Johnson suggested that he would scrap the current Withdrawal Agreement and use the implementation period to negotiate a free trade deal.
Source: Twitter: Back Boris
However, the implementation period is part of the Withdrawal Agreement which Johnson said must be scrapped. He later conceded that the UK and the EU are “going to need some kind of agreement” in order to ensure that there was an implementation period. Source
During the BBC Tory leadership contest TV debate, Johnson claimed that his previous comments about Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, who was jailed in Tehran in 2016, didn’t “make any difference”.
Source: The Mirror
However, Nazanin’s husband, Richard Ratcliffe, disputes this, saying that Johnson’s comments enabled a “propaganda campaign” to be run by Iran against Zaghari-Ratcliffe. Source
Johnson claimed that in the event of a no deal there would be no tariffs or quotas on goods from the EU because of the conditions set out in paragraph 24 in the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT 24).
Source: BBC News
This has been entirely refuted by the head of the World Trade Organisation, the Governor of the Bank of England and the former Trade Secretary, who all confirm that in order for GATT 24 to apply, an agreement between the UK and EU must have been reached. Source
During his first TV debate appearance of the Tory Leadership contest, Johnson said he still had “grave reservations” about a third runway at Heathrow.
Source: Evening Standard
When Johnson was faced with the decisive vote in Parliament on Heathrow, he avoided his responsibility by flying to Afghanistan, having previously said that he would “lie down in front of bulldozers” if the expansion went ahead. Source
Johnson was the only candidate in the Tory leadership contest not to take part in the lobby hustings event.
Johnson had previously said leadership debates were “essential” and the “public does need to see interchange between their potential leaders”. Source
Johnson was the only candidate not to take part in in the Channel 4 Tory leadership debate.
Johnson had previously said leadership debates were “essential” and the “public does need to see interchange between their potential leaders”. Source
During a private hustings event Johnson stated that he would “get ready for an election.”
Source: ITV News
However later in the leadership contest, Johnson stated time and again that he didn’t want an election. Source
At his leadership launch Johnson claimed that as London Mayor, he built 100,000 more affordable homes than the previous Labour administration.
Source: The Spectator
This is entirely misleading. The definition of affordable housing was broadened in 2011 so the figures are not comparable. Johnson actually reduced the target for affordable housing in 2011 from an average of 23,300 a year to 13,200 a year. The supply of homes let as “social rent” or on “London Affordable Rent” also fell from more than 10,000 a year to just 500 under Johnson. Source