A brilliant and definitive biography of Boris Johnson, the politician who risked his career to lead the Brexit campaign, won the referendum, lost the chance to become Prime Minister and ended up as Foreign Secretary. In Andrew Gimson's acclaimed biography of the most colourful British politician, he tells the astonishing story of his competitive childhood and education, how he became the editor of the Spectator before moving into politics full time. Despite tabloid controversies which led to him being dismissed from Michael Howard's shadow cabinet, Boris bounced back to win two terms as London mayor at a time when the city's voters usually backed Labour candidates. It was a remarkable tribute to his huge personal popularity, and he was at the heart of things when London showcased itself during the 2012 Olympics. This updated edition of the book gives a revealing insight into Boris's second term as mayor, and his return to Parliament in 2015. Then came his decision to join the Brexit campaign, which he led with Michael Gove, and - against all the odds and predictions - secured a historic vote to leave the EU. Within a few tumultuous and unprecedented days, David Cameron resigned as prime minister, Boris was installed as favourite to succeed him - only to announce that he had decided not to run for the leadership after all. When Theresa May took charge, she surprised many by appointing Boris as Foreign Secretary.

Gimson's superb account not only takes the reader behind the scenes, it also assesses how he will fare in his most important role yet.