Unleashed: The No.1 Sunday Times Bestselling ‘Political Memoir of the Century' Hardcover – 10 Oct. 2024

Unleashed offers a compelling insight into the inner workings of politics from a unique perspective. The memoir is candid, often revealing, and gives readers a behind-the-scenes look at key events and decisions.The writing is engaging and accessible, making complex political topics understandable while keeping you hooked. A must-read for anyone interested in politics, power, and contemporary history.

This book is a clear description of how those who wish to deny freedom to the UK -in their bid to escape the grip of the EU -operated in every way possible to deny and denigrate the British People.The type of interference and corruption that Johnson had to withstand is unbelievable- interference by unelected civil servants and corrupted politicians who desperately wanted to stay in the EU for their own reasons and gain- without thought or respect for the British Electorate!Johnson is honest as regards his own abilities when he became Mayor of London- there is no doubt he thought he was out of his depth - but he learned what was required, listened to Londoners and did the right thing!He was not afraid to make mistakes and was always mindful of giving the Londoners what they had voted for!Becoming PM appears to have been something of a shock to him, but he rallied and worked to do what the Electorate had been promised when they voted for the Tories and to leave the EU.At every juncture he had politicians - Labour in particular and LibDems - but also Tories who could not cut the umbilical cord they had with the EU - working against him- deliberately seemingly without any conscience.The numerous names who blocked the UK from attaining departure from the EU is interesting and certainly those involved should be named and shamed.Johnson knows he is not perfect - who is?But he is prepared to try things- to listen- and to respect the Electorate!Perhaps if the British Govt had more politicians like Johnson - who think outside the box- we would be totally free of the EU and the constraints of a Marxist Labour Govt who are hell bent on re-entering the EU!In many respects we have the Labour Govt due to the unpatriotic attitudes of the Tory Party who had an 80+ majority -but made the mistake of getting rid of Johnson!We see Starmer with Macron- arm raised in salute and we should be wishing we could have a real patriot like Johnson back in charge.A book well written- not too heavy word wise - well worth reading - a jewel in the Crown of books - and perfect as a Christmas present for all!

Irrespective of your politics,this was a quite fascinating read.

Unleashed, the memoir of the recent UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson, is a very good book indeed. Looking at the reviews, it’s easy to see that they are polarised: reviewers mostly either love, hate or despise Mr Johnson, and it shows. But they should remember that their reviews are of a book, not so much the person, and they should evaluate accordingly. I’m Irish, a small-‘n’ nationalist, and therefore not naturally in Boris Johnson’s political ‘camp’. But Mr Johnson’s book is excellent and highly readable, allowances being made for the author’s various ideological blind-spots and characteristic lack of forensic precision. Four stars, maybe four and a half.Unleashed is a breezy tour d’horizon (a phrase often applied to the writings, speeches and monologues of one Winston Spencer Churchill) of Boris Johnson’s life, UK politics, and world affairs -- often where these intersect. It is engagingly written; Boris is likeable, entertaining and draws in his reader. He is erudite, highly literate and genuinely funny. The pages zip by. This was easy to read, by an author clearly of high intelligence and ability. It’s one of those rare books that, when I put it down, it stayed in my mind and I looked forward to getting back to it. The problem is Johnson’s tendency to untruth, half-truth and the selective view, covered by articulate, humorous bluster. This is especially true in the case of his treatment of Brexit and Ireland. I know the details of this matter, but the observation is probably also true for many subjects with which I am less familiar. As well as Brexit, we also have Johnson’s tenure as Mayor of London, then Foreign Secretary; the Conservatives’ election in 2019 and Boris as Prime Minister; COVID at length; “levelling up”!!!; the war in Ukraine; and the political intrigues of his downfall.The general tone is upbeat and boosterish, heavy on often hilarious word-play (e.g. from p427: “I felt I knew my SARS from my Ebola…”), free of precise forensic detail, and inclined to skate lightly over the chaos and failures of the author’s periods in high office. There might be a fib or misrepresentation in every second paragraph -- but it’s still a riveting read. At 731 pages in the hardcover first edition, the book also rambles and digresses a bit too much – although often entertainingly.If I cover every theme in such a long book, if I argue every falsehood – this review will be almost as long as the book itself. So, I summarise.Foreign Secretary: by every evaluation I have seen, Boris Johnson was one of the worst and least-effective holders of this office. You wouldn’t think that from Unleashed: Boris Johnson swaggers, is eloquent and claims great achievements over his two years at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. It’s a great travelogue with good insights, but how much did he actually do or achieve?The “Infrastructure Revolution”: Boris huffs and puffs interminably about his favourite policy, “levelling up”; also about the deficiencies of UK infrastructure and productivity. But the whole thing is short on specifics, firm objectives, plans, dates, costs and assignment of accountability. Again, how much did Boris ever achieve? And using COVID as the cover-all excuse for non-achievement wears thin quickly.Brexit: Johnson egregiously conflates the effects of Brexit and COVID. Anything bad coming from Brexit is the fault of COVID. Good out-turns are, of course, the result of perceived “Brexit freedoms”.Brexit and Ireland: no, Boris, Northern Ireland is not *simply* “part of the UK”. He is wrong to assert that the EU ‘weaponised’ the Irish border, that it contrived a problem therefrom in a way calculated to impede Brexit. No. Where to locate the external EU customs border was an objective problem, an unavoidable consequence of Brexit. Before Brexit was ever conceived, it was (and it still remains) clear that there has to be an external EU customs border somewhere. After Brexit, that ‘somewhere’ had to be one of three places: 1) along or near the Republic of Ireland-Northern Ireland land border; 2) in the sea between the islands of Britain and Ireland; 3) in the sea between Ireland and France. Nothing else is possible. And, the best technology and process notwithstanding, it is impossible to dispense with a customs border entirely. This is incontrovertible fact, yet Mr Johnson persists vainly in trying to controvert, by huff, puff and bluster. Option 2 is the one Boris himself chose.Huff, puff and bluster: just one example from very many candidates: on p485: “…we also sacked thousands and thousands of public sector employees… [and] sold off dozens and dozens of TfL buildings…”. How about a few numbers, a bit of precision?Prime Minister: Mr Johnson doesn’t hesitate to take the credit for the Conservatives’ and his own election victory in 2019. Yet he was blindsided by “partygate”, Owen Paterson and Pincher. He was out of touch with his party rank and file – another fact he blames on COVID. He seems bemused by the sequence of scandals that brought him down – ‘nothing to do with me, guv’. He does temper this with something of a mea culpa and admission of weaknesses at the end of Chapter 58, “A Torrid Sort of Summer”. Boris is also, by inclination, a bit of a fascist: p65: “Parliament was a great fatberg of delay, blocking the pipes of the nation. Now was the time for the electorate to send up the cleansing dynorod and blast the obstruction aside.” Wow.Errors: on p490, the explanation of ‘R’, the reproductive rate of infections such as COVID, is just wrong. On page 21, Johnson cites the “Binomial curve”; he means the normal distribution. He is numerically and analytically illiterate. “This Blessed Plot” p208: Boris refers to the title of Hugo Young’s book as meaning a plot in the sense of a conspiracy to keep Britain in the EEC -- rather than a piece of ground, ‘this sceptred isle… This blessed plot’, as cited in the speech of John of Gaunt in Shakespeare’s Richard II. An error, or cynical misrepresentation? I could go on.Good Points: Chapter 46: “Surviving the Bear Pit” is an excellent I’ve-been-there how-to for handling Prime Minister’s Questions. Chapter 49: “Saving the Planet” is well-written aspirational bluster with a December 2020 “ten-point plan for a green recovery [from COVID]”. As ever, no deliverables, dates, costs, or assignment of responsibility. Part 9: “War in Europe” is an insightful, resolute, gung-ho account of the early days of the full-scale Ukraine war and of UK support. Useful, with things going badly at home.Inimitable Erudition: It’s not often that I’m caught out on vocabulary, but Boris does it. Page 139: a “phlegethontean fireball”; p432/4, four words I had to look up: spads, etiolated, ectomorphic, aetiology. These are just a few examples. Page 98 and the 2008 banking crisis: “It felt as if the air was coming out of a gigantic bouncy castle… and my job was to go around and insert the nozzle of my patent morale pump into every orifice I could find.” Page 169 and the Orbit observational tower: “… the longest tubular slide in the world. If you want to know what it feels like to be the bolus in the alimentary system of a gigantic mutant red trombone…”. And thus it goes. It’s vastly entertaining, but rather frivolous for one who held such consequential roles.In conclusion: Boris Johnson is like a British Donald Trump – with the great saving grace that he (Boris) is civil, pleasant, educated, literate and has a marvellous sense of humour. His book is a pleasure to read, somewhat unserious for a holder of such high office, and everything must be put through a reality-and-truth filter.Recommended.

It is a rite of passage to badmouth Boris but this book is great reading. Well written (not surprising; he worked under Max Hastings for years) and he does not hesitate to admit his mistakes. Not quite on the level of Alan Clarke's Diaries vol 1 but close.

For people who are fans of Boris Johnson, they will find it entertaining and insightful, it’s easy to hear his voice and intonation as you read. He writes eloquently, of course, as a former journalist and his detailed descriptions of his time at the foreign office and as Mayor of London are illuminating. I feel the people who should read this most though, are his critics, especially those who were upset by his handling of Covid. He covers this honestly, admits his mistakes, but explains his thinking and what influenced it. An important read and one I am enjoying. The 772 pages seem daunting but it is not remotely dry or boring. Chapters are quite short and cover distinct topics.