Dr Victoria Honeyman interviewed on BBC Radio Cumbria's mid-morning show

Dr Honeyman appears on the mid-morning radio show to discuss developments that have occurred in the last 100 days of government.

The radio interview starts with Dr Honeyman, Lecturer in British Politics, being asked her opinion on how Boris Johnson has handled the last 100 days in parliament, since being elected back in December 2019. Dr Honeyman answers this question by discussing the challenges the Prime Minister has faced, predominately focusing on coronavirus, and assesses Boris Johnson’s responses before concluding that the success of his actions so far have been a “mixed-bag”.

Dr Honeyman goes on to critique Boris Johnson’s governance style by saying that “Boris Johnson has always been a politician who has been very good at unveiling new things, at doing new things, at pushing in new directions. He’s not very good at managing problems when they come up, he’s just that style of politician. Some politicians are really good at dealing with the fallout of things, some politicians are better at pushing in new directions”. Dr Honeyman concludes “the circumstances have not necessarily suited his style of governance or his style of government”. 

Although Brexit has been parked for the time-being, Dr Honeyman warns that this may still be a crucial element that defines his leadership legacy as well as the coronavirus pandemic.

Dr Honeyman goes onto discuss other key defining moments of the last 100 days in parliament, touching upon the implications of governments making U-turns on public policy, the contrast of Labour leader Keir Starmer’s approach to governance and the management of members of parliament who have failed to followed their own party guidance on coronavirus. 

Listen to the full radio interview (starts approximately 15 minutes in).