Was Boris Johnson’s One-Nation Post-Electoral Pledge Sincere?

2020/01/01 by Alicia-Dorothy Mornington · 4 citations
Social Sciences · #Jewish and Middle Eastern Studies #Pledge #Conservatism #Government (linguistics) #Political science #Value (mathematics) #Face (sociological concept) #Law #Law and economics #Political economy #Sociology #Politics #Philosophy #Social science

paper · pdf · doi:10.4000/rfcb.5693

published in Revue française de civilisation britannique XXV(3) (Centre de Recherche et d'Etudes en Civilisation Britannique)

openalex publication_date 2020/01/01 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/31

Abstract

In the immediate aftermath of the 2019 general election, Boris Johnson repeatedly claimed he would form a “one-nation” conservative government. This article asks whether this pledge is to be taken at face value. To do so, this paper starts by explaining One-nation Conservatism, from its Disraelian roots to its use by the conservative party throughout the 20th century. It then examines Johnson’s self-branding as a One-nation conservative. It concludes by examining some of Johnson’s decisions which shed some doubt on his one-nation commitment.

Citations

• The Not So Odd Couple: Margaret Thatcher and One Nation Conservatism
• One Nation Conservatism and social policy, 1951–64
• ‘The weaker-willed, the craven-hearted’: the decline of One Nation Conservatism

Cited by

• Boris Johnson [wikipedia]