We asked Boris Johnson's constituents what they really think of him

If you wait long enough on the streets of the Uxbridge and South Ruislip constituency, where Boris Johnson is standing to be elected its MP, you’ll get the full spectrum of comments about one of the most controversial prime ministers in recent history.

“He’s a p****”, is one of the more negative. “He’s like Trump”, says another constituent.

But the amiable, approachable persona Mr Johnson has cultivated so successfully is also easy to find. One says they “love him”, while another actually admires his “umbrella of stupidness”.

Exactly one week before the general election, Yahoo News UK spent an afternoon in Uxbridge town centre to assess the mood among constituents.

Out of 309 people we approached, 116 said they were supporting Mr Johnson, though nearly as many – 100 – were either indifferent towards him or didn’t care about the election. Some 79 were against Mr Johnson, with 14 voters undecided.

Indeed, one of the more interesting sub-plots to an already remarkable election campaign is whether or not Mr Johnson himself manages to survive unscathed.

Late on Thursday, he’ll head to the Uxbridge and South Ruislip count with a majority of just 5,034 – the smallest defended by a PM since 1924.

Though unlikely, it’s not beyond the realms of possibility that Mr Johnson could be ousted.

Since 2017, the seat has been subject of a huge Labour campaign to “unseat Boris”. Momentum-backed candidate Ali Milani has been supported by hundreds of activists as well as leading party figures such as shadow foreign secretary Emily Thornberry.

Mr Milani has sought to present the contest as a local champion, himself, versus the “born to rule political class”, Eton-educated Mr Johnson.

Mr Johnson’s supporters insisted, however, that he has been a good constituency MP.

Mary Eastwell

“He’s my mate BJ. I was part of a local charity and I invited him to be a patron, which he accepted.

“He’s quite amenable, though I wouldn’t tell him that as his head is big enough as it is.”

Milena Meredith

“My son was in high school here and was presented with an award by Boris. He’s now doing politics at university and I told Boris he was influenced by him being there [at the ceremony]. He said: ‘That’s great!’

“I’m not sure Brexit is going to go the way it’s meant to go, but I certainly wouldn’t want to vote for [Jeremy] Corbyn.”

Jean Hart

“I’ve seen him around, he gave me a kiss on the cheek! I’ve got a picture of me with him on my mantlepiece.

“He campaigns for the area: he wants to get the police station back, he wants police on the beat, he wants to make Hillingdon Hospital a better place.”

Aidan Harris and Tony Killshaw

“He did a lot for us before he was our MP. He did a lot for the shopping area around Ruislip Manor when he was mayor,” said Mr Harris.

Mr Killshaw added: “I’m not sure he’s spent a great deal around here as constituency MP [since becoming PM]. But he used to be visible even in a little place like Ruislip Manor.”

Meanwhile Pauline O’Neill said: “I love him - especially if he keeps his election promises. I like how he’s himself and doesn’t put an act on. I was late doing my shopping today because I was watching him on This Morning.”

A number of voters said they will choose Mr Johnson in a bid to keep Mr Corbyn from power. One of them, Deborah Chivers, said: “It’s not that I want Boris to be prime minister, it’s who I don’t want. He hasn’t done himself any favours, he’s told a few fibs.

“Actually, I might vote for that Binhead candidate [Count Binface, one of 11 candidates standing against Mr Johnson].”

But she said she admired Mr Johnson’s “umbrella of stupidness”, asking: “Who could go on a zip wire, getting stuck, and still look OK? He comes across as a man of the people. He has just got that gift of the gab.”

The most passionate responses came from those opposing Mr Johnson. These included:

• “He’s a p****.”

• “God. What a t***.”

• “He’s like Trump.”

One woman said she wouldn’t vote for Mr Johnson even after he helped her child get vital hospital treatment.

“He’s just a terrible human being,” she said. “He helped our little boy get a care package - but that’s not enough. And he’s never around [the constituency].”

Kyle Mackin said: “He has multiple times said very offensive things - and has never apologised for them. He ducks and dives every time he’s asked to be held accountable.

“I’ve seen him once in the constituency, and that was for a photoshoot. He never turns up for anything else.”

— Read more from Yahoo News UK —

'Arrogant in the extreme': The story of Boris Johnson's first general election victory in 2001

Boris Johnson misses another debate as he fails to show at local hustings

Boris Johnson grabs phone as reporter shows him photo of boy lying on hospital floor

And among those who had no interest in the election, this was a typical response: “I don’t want to talk about it - it’s all a load of rubbish!”

Even if Mr Johnson was to lose his seat, however, it doesn’t necessarily mean he would step down as PM.

The Institute for Government said last month: “The process of appointing the prime minister assumes that he or she will sit in the Commons, but there is nothing that says what happens if they cease to be an MP.

“The prime minister is the Queen’s minister. Precedent suggests that a prime minister should be an MP, but there is no suggestion that they must immediately resign if they lost their seat.”

— What is tactical voting? —