Word cloud paints less than complimentary picture of PM

A cloud of words most associated with Boris Johnson has painted a less than complimentary picture of the prime minister as he prepares to face MPs in parliament.

Johnson is expected to make a ‘full-throated apology’ in the Commons today over partygate fines.

Last week the PM was fined by the Metropolitan Police for attending a birthday bash thrown in his honour in the Cabinet room in June 2020, while coronavirus restrictions were in place.

He was then accused over the weekend of not only attending a leaving party for his former communications chief Lee Cain on November 13 2020, but instigating the do.

Liar, idiot, untrustworthy

Ahead of the showdown in parliament, a poll of 2,000 people by JL Partners asking what they think of the prime minister has produced a rather interesting word cloud.

Nearly a quarter (72 per cent) of words were negative, and just 16 per cent were positive, with liar, Idiot, untrustworthy, resign, buffoon and dishonest coming up the most.

Other common words included: Bumbling, corrupt, lying, mistakes, embarrassment, awful and clown.

James Johnson, a former Downing Street pollster who co-founded JL Partners, revealed some fuller quotes from respondents as he revealed the word cloud.

“He needs to be fired from his current role PM. He has broken so many covid rules and ain’t playing a part with helping the people with their bills and high cost living,” one respondent told the polling firm.

“I was confident in Boris and think he did an ok job throughout the pandemic but I’m very disappointed in the actions over lockdown parties,” another added.

“I didn’t want to see him go but I fear there is no other option now due to the recent revelations and fines.”

“Unprintable”

“Unprintable. I have always voted Conservative but this Prime minister is a disgrace in so many ways,” a further voter said.

Pollster James Johnson said the results show that partygate dominates the public’s view of the Tory leader.

“Fury has not receded,” he said. “Many negative comments are by people who liked him previously but have now changed their minds. When Johnson first took power, only Labour voters would call him a liar. It is now widespread.”

Jack Peat

Jack is a business and economics journalist and the founder of The London Economic (TLE). He has contributed articles to VICE, Huffington Post and Independent and is a published author. Jack read History at the University of Wales, Bangor and has a Masters in Journalism from the University of Newcastle-upon-Tyne.