Johnson’s chaotic path to power pays off

Associated Press

LONDON

Boris Johnson aspires to be a modern-day Winston Churchill. Critics fear he’s a British Donald Trump.

Johnson won the contest to lead the governing Conservative Party on Tuesday, and is set to become Britain’s prime minister today.

Like revered World War II leader Churchill, Johnson aims to turn a national crisis – in this case Brexit – into a triumph. Like Trump, he gained his country’s top political office by deploying celebrity, clowning, provocation and a loose relationship with the truth.

“He’s a different kind of a guy, but they say I’m a different kind of a guy, too,” Trump said approvingly last week. “We get along well.”

Maintaining strong relations with the volatile Trump will be one of the new leader’s major challenges. So will negotiating Britain’s stalled exit from the European Union, the conundrum that brought down predecessor Theresa May.

It’s hard to say whether he will rise to the occasion or fail dismally.

Blond, buoyant and buffoonish, the 55-year-old Johnson may be one of Britain’s most famous politicians, but in many ways he is a mystery.

His beliefs? Johnson is now a strong believer of Brexit, but he famously agonized over the decision, writing two newspaper columns – one in favor of quitting the EU, one against – before throwing himself behind the “leave” campaign in Britain’s 2016 referendum over whether it should remain in the bloc.

His plan for Brexit? Johnson says he will lead Britain out of the EU on the scheduled date of Oct. 31, with or without a divorce deal. He says Britain should prepare intensely for leaving without an agreement, but insists the chances of it happening are “a million-to-one against.”