Larger Than Life: Britain's Boris Johnson

London, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 18th Jun, 2019 ) :Known for his jokes, gaffes and bluster, Boris Johnson has pitched himself as the big personality Britain needs to steer it through Brexit and thereby save his party from electoral humiliation.

The former foreign minister has dismissed questions about his competence and populist rhetoric with a pitch to take Britain out of the European Union and unite a divided country.

To Conservative colleagues terrified that the political deadlock over Brexit will provoke an early general election, he argues that he is the man to beat the Labour opposition and eurosceptic Nigel Farage's insurgent Brexit Party.

As a leader of the Brexit campaign during the 2016 EU referendum and a two-term mayor of London, Johnson has proved he can reach beyond the Conservative Party's core vote.

But his past quips -- including about gay "bumboys", and Muslim women wearing the face veil looking like "letter boxes" -- have drawn intense criticism.

His promise to leave the EU on the October 31 deadline, with or without a deal, has alarmed the half of voters who rejected Brexit three years ago -- particularly as he offers no detailed plan.

Johnson has also been accused of hiding from scrutiny during the leadership campaign, after he avoided the first televised debate and kept media appearances to a minimum.