Boris Johnson: "They Were Looking at Engineering the Virus” & “The Government Tried To Bribe Me!"

Partygate Controversy:

• Johnson acknowledges that banning all gatherings with alcohol, music, and cake at Number 10 during the pandemic would have been appropriate to prevent public outrage, stating "seeing that photo when one of my friends couldn't go to their grandmother's funeral is the most enraging thing."
• He disputes the characterization of events as "parties," clarifying he saw no cake or music and that the "cheese and wine" incident was a farewell drink for a departing staff member, for which he was not fined.
• Johnson admits a strategic error in issuing "pathetic and grovelling" blanket apologies, which he believes validated unproven allegations like vomit and fistfights, rather than waiting for facts to be established.
• He defends the actions of staff who worked "around the clock," arguing that the atmosphere was one of high-stakes work rather than leisure.

Brexit and Economic Outlook:

• Johnson states he has "no regret" regarding Brexit, asserting that national independence was crucial for the UK to outperform Germany and Italy in economic growth since 2016.
• He argues that leaving the EU allowed the UK to vaccinate faster than any other European country, a feat he attributes to regulatory freedom gained post-Brexit.
• Regarding economic impact, he acknowledges near-term struggles (paperwork, bureaucracy) but predicts the UK will ultimately be "richer as a result," citing the fastest economic rebound of any G7 country following the pandemic.
• He recalls David Cameron offering him a "top five job in the Cabinet" in exchange for supporting Remain, and threatening to "f*** you up forever" if he supported Leave, a moment Johnson describes as demonstrating the "old boys club" nature of political job allocation.
• Johnson contends that the EU model has "chronically bad growth rates" and low innovation compared to the US, making the UK's decision to leave a necessary step toward national sovereignty.
• He dismisses the idea that a detailed post-Brexit plan was required prior to the referendum, stating the government's role was to implement the result, not to design the future government or negotiations beforehand.

The Pandemic Response:

• Johnson describes his initial mindset as one of "ignorance" regarding the severity of COVID-19, having previously written about other zoonotic diseases (SARS, Ebola) which he believed "tend to sort themselves out."
• He acknowledges that the decision to lockdown was influenced by the Italian crisis, where he observed the health system being overwhelmed, prompting him to realize the "penny drop" moment that the virus was "incredibly serious."
• While he admits to calling lockdown measures "bonkers" in hindsight (specifically the tiering system) and questioning if they caused more damage to children's education than the virus itself, he maintains the government "did the right thing."
• Johnson expresses confidence in Health Secretary Matt Hancock's "energy and realism," though he admits his own early skepticism led to a delay in adopting drastic measures compared to European counterparts.
• He reveals his personal theory that the virus originated from a "lab accident" involving viral engineering in Wuhan, noting that a significant portion of the scientific community now shares this view.
• He notes that despite the stress of leading the country, his mood "totally changed" once the vaccine prospect emerged in late 2020.

Childhood and Personal History:

• Johnson describes his childhood as a "constant struggle" for attention with siblings, driven by a rivalry he calls "healthy, incessant," which fostered a competitive nature.
• He details the impact of his mother, Charlotte, being hospitalized for Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) for eight months when he was 10, an event he believes bred "group solidarity" among the siblings.
• Johnson confirms he has eight children, clarifying a rumor that he is related to Charlotte Owen is false, though she serves as a capable advisor.
• He admits to using comedy and a "buffoon" persona as a strategic tool to "sugar the pill" and engage the public with complex political arguments, comparing his book to a digestive biscuit covered in chocolate.
• He reflects that his self-defense mechanisms during his parents' divorce at age 14 were channeled into academic work to rebuild self-esteem, as he felt the family split was not due to a fault in the children.
• He acknowledges a culture of "physical violence" in the household was alleged by a biographer, but states he has "no direct knowledge" of it as a child and refuses to speculate to protect his parents' memory.

Education and Inequality:

• Johnson criticizes the UK's education system for being heavily skewed toward Eton, noting that 20 of the 57 UK Prime Ministers attended the school (approx. 35%), which he views as evidence of an "unfair advantage" and a "broken" system.
• He advocates for "leveling up" by spreading opportunity rather than dismantling successful institutions, citing the US as a model where ambition is distributed more evenly across the population.
• He highlights the negative feedback loop in underfunded schools where funding is tied to league tables, forcing schools to prioritize subjects that boost rankings over student interest, which he witnessed firsthand in a Liverpool school.
• Johnson argues that education reform should focus on quality and attainment to create a "positive feedback loop" where parents choose schools, funding increases, and the neighborhood improves.

Future and Politics:

• Johnson states he is currently living a "blameless, rustic obscurity" in the countryside, painting and writing, with no immediate plans to return to politics unless he deems it "useful."
• On US foreign relations, he states the UK must remain friendly with whoever wins the US election (Trump or Kamala) but expresses a preference for the "tough decisions" and projection of strength seen under Trump.
• He dismisses the idea that he lost relationships due to success, answering that he did not regard the rupture with Michael Gove as final, having eventually reconciled and reinstated him in the cabinet.