The Londoner: German biographer: Why I had to take the PM seriously

Boris Johnson's German biographer has found a novel way of approaching the PM - as a serious figure.

Jan Ross, who has a new German book out on the premier, told The Londoner he was writing in reaction to a "smugness" of many Germans who "seemed to accept that Brexit is totally nuts, Johnson is totally clownish. I tried to take him seriously".

Journalist Ross said he was going against the “the standard continental view" of Johnson as a "Trump twin", which he thought ignored Johnson's "life affirming" qualities. Actually, Johnson has built a "new coalition" by keeping "traditional Tory voters and adding a working class constituency" Ross thinks. "That’s a remarkable thing... I don’t know whether it will last".

A major influence on classicist Johnson, Ross argues, is the Ancient Greek world, characterised by "insane competition". "It’s amazing how a 21st Century person really subscribes to the world view of Homer" he said. He also writes of Johnson's bumbling character as a "literary creation", and compares his inner psyche to that John Le Carre's A Perfect Spy, growing up with an unpredictable father.

Ross explained that some Teutonic disquiet over Johnson was fuelled by an "unrequited love" of Anglophile Germans who were upset at Brexit, and couldn't understand why the UK wanted to lead. He added that some German confusion over Johnson was because they were “accustomed to serious politicians”. “A more freewheeling approach... is provocative" he said.

Covid-19 response with no turnaround, for which the PM must shoulder some blame. “It has been Dunkirk Dunkirk Dunkirk with no El Alamein” he said. Don't mention the war...

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Balinska’s scholarship for ‘global majority’

Charlie’s Angels star Ella Balinska has set up a scholarship for students of “the global majority” at her old drama school, Guildford School of Acting, after going back there in summer. The global majority is a term that refers to non-white people. Balinska told Women of the City magazine if she had “a reason to be”, it would be “someone literally seeing a mixed-race face on film and recognising themselves”. Putting her money where her mouth is.

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Mum not blindsided by Phil’s big news

When Phillip Schofield, who came out as gay this year, visited his mother in Cornwall it didn’t go as expected. “I’ve got something really big to say,” he told his mother, and after he said he was gay she sighed with relief. “Thank God, I thought you were going blind,” she said.

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Britain cut from Star Trek merch sale

Star Trek actor William Shatner says he won’t be selling his merchandise in Britain next year due to new Treasury rules making overseas companies collect VAT on shipping orders. “I’m going to cut out the UK,” he said, predicting further price rises with Brexit. Beam us up, Scotty.

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SW1A

Baroness Boothroyd has seen a lot in her 47 years in Parliament. But the crossbench peer and former Commons speaker yesterday told the Lords “never in my parliamentary experience have I witnessed such a collapse of the people’s trust in a Government who promised so much and so quickly”. Boothroyd added they were “groping for desperate solutions”. She’s seen nine PMs come and go. Talk about knowing your stuff.

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DIANE Abbott last night told Newsnight she was suspicious of Keir Starmer when they were in the shadow cabinet together — and took issue with his parents for his leadership ambitions. “I blame his mother for calling him Keir,” the former Home Secretary joked. Labour was founded by Keir Hardie in 1906. Was she definitely joking?