ArtReview essay critiques Boris Johnson's leadership through cake metaphors and socioeconomic analysis

In a May 2022 essay for ArtReview, Boris Johnson's political challenges are likened to the character Bruce Bogtrotter from Roald Dahl's 'Matilda.' The piece connects Johnson's metaphor about cake related to Brexit and his defense during 'Partygate' to broader socioeconomic issues in the UK. These issues encompass supply chain disruptions from Brexit, cuts to welfare, increases in National Insurance taxes, soaring fuel prices, the impact of the Ukraine conflict on food security, and inflation at 7%. During Prime Minister's Questions, Ian Blackford invoked Marie Antoinette's infamous phrase about cake to criticize Johnson's approach to fat-shaming. The number of Universal Credit recipients surged from 3 million in early 2020 to 5.6 million by January 2022, with 11.7 million households already in absolute poverty prior to the pandemic. The Resolution Foundation anticipates an additional 1.3 million people will slip into poverty, while the Trussell Trust has noted a 75% increase in food bank usage.