Concerns over Johnson’s private life and fitness for office have lingered since he became a politician

After the Guardian reported that police were called to Boris Johnson’s home after neighbours heard an altercation with his girlfriend Carrie Symonds, questions were again raised about the would-be Conservative leader’s character.

Ever since he became a politician, there have been questions over Johnson’s colourful private life – though he has had as many enthusiastic cheerleaders, who argue that his flaws pale in comparison to his charismatic appeal to the public.

Johnson has sought to downplay concerns over his past behaviour in his few media appearances during the campaign to date, referring to one journalist’s question listing concerns that he was untrustworthy as a “great minestrone of observations”.

But over the years, many of those who have known him well have questioned his suitability for high office:

“Boris, well, he’s the life and soul of the party but he’s not the man you want driving you home at the end of the evening.”

Cabinet minister Amber Rudd, speaking during a 2016 debate before the Brexit referendum

“It is a common mistake to suppose Johnson a nice man. In reality he often behaves unpleasantly.”

Max Hastings, Johnson’s editor at the Daily Telegraph, in a 2018 column for the Times

“[He is] much diminished in terms of integrity, in terms of political courage and in terms of credibility… I used to think he would be fantastic at Number 10 but those days look a long time ago.”

2018 BBC interview with Guto Harri, director of communications for Johnson’s mayoral administration, 2008-2012

“I wanted to help build a team behind Boris Johnson so that a politician who argued for leaving the European Union could lead us to a better future. But I have come, reluctantly, to the conclusion that Boris cannot provide the leadership or build the team for the task ahead.”

Michael Gove, launching the leadership bid that derailed Johnson’s attempt to become prime minister in 2016

“[Johnson is] a man who waits to see the way the crowd is running and then dashes in front and says, ‘Follow me’.”

Michael Heseltine, Good Morning Britain interview in 2018

“The Johnsonian creed [is] that it is, in his own words, acceptable, sometimes desirable to lie. Certainly that approach has been advantageous to him. But it must come at a price.”

Sonia Purnell, Johnson’s biographer and one-time deputy in the Telegraph’s Brussels bureau, writing after he withdrew from the leadership race in 2016

“He’s lied his way through life, he’s lied his way through politics, he’s a huckster with a degree of charm to which I am immune. As well as being mendacious he’s incompetent.”

Conservative former minister Chris Patten in May interview with Bloomberg

“I’m afraid he’s shown, especially during his period as foreign secretary, that he doesn’t have the necessary skills and capacity [to be leader].”

Conservative MP and former attorney general Dominic Grieve in May interview with LBC

“He’s an enormous character but not a team player… And he doesn’t know if he’s a journalist or a politician, but he does know it’s all about him. The more he repeats what everyone can see is not credible, the more his own credibility disappears.”

Former foreign office colleague Sir Alan Duncan, 2018 interview with the Times

“The worst foreign secretary we’ve ever had... Disinterested and out of his depth he cared nothing for our situation. Good riddance.”

John McKendrick, attorney general of Anguilla, bidding farewell to Johnson as foreign secretary with criticism of his response to the British Overseas Territory’s devastation during Hurricane Irma in 2017

“I think he honestly believes it is churlish of us not to regard him as an exception, one who should be free of the network of obligation which binds everyone else.”

Johnson’s Eton housemaster, Martin Hammond, in 1982 school report