It has been a long road for Boris. Fired twice (first by The Times for fabricating a quote in his article, the second from his job as shadow arts minister for the Tories, for 'allegedly' lying about an extra-marital affair), he then moved on to do two terms as London's Mayor that were fraught with the embarrassing hijinks of getting caught on a zip-line, and the dirty burying of a study linking pollution and deprived schools.
But when his term finally came to an end, a lot of people asked, where does he go from here? But the answer, for many, was obvious.
Boris the Brexit champion
Despite Boris' constant remarks that he was "more likely to be reincarnated as an olive than be PM," his sights for the top role really couldn't be clearer. All that he needed was a platform on which he could compete, and a group of people on which he could build a base of supporters to lift him up towards his dreams. *cough cough* Brexit *cough cough*
Boris' allegiance to Brexit at first jarred with his previous pro-eu stance. A welcomer of Turkey, and a stern lecturer of not blaming the UK's faults on the EU, it was clear the only perks he saw to the Leave campaign was its opportunity to get ahead in the game of politics.
But it was Boris' voice that inevitably led the charge, surging the campaign forwards on mass in a way that Farage and the rest of UKIP could never dream of. It was (perhaps) him, and him alone that should be truly held responsible for the Leave campaign's win.
The aftermath
Unfortunately for him, Boris never expected to win – that much is obvious. It was a fact written clear across his almost forlorn face on Friday morning after the vote. His campaign was built on his specialty of lying, and his unattainable promises were based on the fact they should never need to become a reality. All this he did in the interests of becoming the next Prime Minister, but finally, when it was handed to him on a platter (and when people expected him to take it), Boris decided to reject the Tory leadership.
Speaking to a stunned group of journalists, Boris decided to cut it and run, obviously aware that he could never fulfil on the promises he made. The job that he, for so long, had desperately craved was now tainted by his own divisive fight for it. To become Prime Minister would be to admit he lied; but by not wanting to become Prime Minister, he is admitting he's a coward.
Boris Johnson tried to play the game of politics, but he inevitably got lost in it.