John Walsh: Britain’s slide to illiberal state gathers pace under Boris Johnson

While Britain’s political travails are not yet on a par with Hungary’s or Poland’s, there have been some very alarming developments of late

‘The US has rejected Trumpism, but Johnson’s Tories have a much stronger grip over England and the risks remain elevated.’ Photographer: Luke MacGregor/Bloomberg

In 1999, when I was working in London in my first job in journalism, I was sent to cover a debate between Kenneth Clarke, then an opposition Tory MP, and a City grandee.

The motion was that Britain should join the EU monetary union and Clarke was in favour. It was an interesting exchange between the two protagonists that finished in a score draw. The subsequent questions and answers session was most revealing, however.

Interestingly, ...