In 2005 Boris Johnson came to Great Yarmouth where I was the parliamentary candidate. I went to pick him up and take him to the event we had planned. He was accompanied by a journalist who was following him around collecting material for a profile they were writing. Sitting in the front passenger seat Boris was answering their questions, reviewing proofs of the Spectator which he was editing by telephone, and talking to me – all at the same time. He was already famous as a journalist and as a politician. I asked why, when he was already so successful and could be a great editor of The Daily Telegraph, was he bothering with politics? His answer was simple “because you can get things done.”
He spoke at the event I had arranged and then insisted on doing a walk through the town and talking to as many people as he could. As he met more people so his energy and enthusiasm grew. He stayed much much longer than he needed to. I have always remembered that day with appreciation. Boris is deadly serious about his politics – about winning, governing and delivering. His opponents have spent far too long on personal attacks and not focussed on his political skills.
