Boris Johnson has officially departed 10 Downing Street – leaving behind him a country facing the worst cost of living crises in a generation. You wouldn’t think it, though, based on the speech the former Conservative leader gave as he left No 10 this morning (6 September).

Taking to the lectern at 7.30am, before he departed for Balmoral to meet with the Queen, Johnson remained defiant – using his time in front of the media to paint a picture of himself as the successful, victorious leader he wants to be remembered as.

The only problem? Half of his claims weren’t exactly accurate – and the speech as a whole failed to properly address the massive issues this country is facing (he described the current crisis as a “tough time”). Nor did it include any mention of the reasons why Johnson is leaving in the first place.

“I am now like one of those booster rockets that has fulfilled its function,” he told the crowd. “I will now be gently re-entering the atmosphere and splashing down invisibly in some remote and obscure corner of the Pacific – and like Cincinnatus, I am returning to my plough.”

Of course, this celebratory tone was hardly surprising. Throughout his time as prime minister, Johnson repeatedly failed to own up to his mistakes, choosing to cling to power instead of resigning as the Partygate scandal raged on. Eventually, he had to give in – but only after a mass resignation by his own MPs.      

His decision to make a dig at this very moment in his final speech also didn’t come as much of a shock. “In only a couple of hours from now, I will be in Balmoral to see Her Majesty the Queen, and the torch will finally be passed to a new Conservative leader,” he said, stating his confidence in Liz Truss’s new government.

“The baton will be handed over in what has unexpectedly turned out to be a relay race – they changed the rules halfway through, but never mind that now.” 

But just because we’ve come to expect this from Johnson, it doesn’t mean his choices should be left unscrutinised. Johnson may have secured Covid-19 vaccines and ‘got Brexit done’ – but he’s also left behind an NHS struggling to cope and a justice system failing to deliver.  

He also plunged the country into political uncertainty when he refused to step down, and his eventual resignation didn’t lessen the harm he caused.

Boris Johnson led us through a challenging period, but his government has left many families wondering how they’re going to survive this winter. So as we wave goodbye to the Johnson era, we mustn’t forget that. 

As he departs, however, we can only hope that the politicians who run the country will learn from Johnson’s mistakes and lead us in a more hopeful, positive direction. Fingers crossed.

If you’re worried about being able to pay your energy bills this winter, you can visit the Citizens Advice website.

Images: Getty