Former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson is set to visit the UW campus this March, according to a Young Americans for Freedom press release.
Johnson will give a lecture to the campus community Mar. 23 on why the West is worth saving, according to the press release.
The lecture will be open to the public and is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. doors opening at 5:30 p.m. Campus leadership has not yet revealed where the event will take place.
Boris Johnson is an American-born British journalist and conservative politician who was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from July 2019 to Sep. 2022.
Johnson’s visit comes as a part of YAF’s campus lecture series, organized by the UW chapter of YAF and the Tommy G. Thompson Center on Public Leadership.
YAF is a conservative student organization at UW which is focused on the promotion of conservative ideals on campus like national defense, personal liberty and family values, according to the press release.
“We are incredibly honored to host the Rt. Hon. Boris Johnson,” Chairwoman of Wisconsin YAF Courtney Graves said in the press release. “Students and community members will have a rare opportunity to hear from a world leader and learn how the United States and United Kingdom can work together to preserve Western values and civilization.”
In recent years, YAF has brought multiple conservative speakers to the UW campus. Speakers include right-wing political commentators Matt Walsh in 2022, Ben Shapiro in 2023 and, in 2024, the former leader of Turning Point USA, Charlie Kirk, who was assassinated at an event at Utah College last year.
Johnson stepped down from his position as prime minister in 2022 after a scandal surrounding his actions during the Covid-19 pandemic, dubbed “partygate,” according to BBC. In his official statement, the former prime minister said he had decided to resign “for now” after an investigation into the scandal, according to BBC.
“We’re delighted to partner with Young Americans for Freedom to bring such a distinguished guest to campus,” Director of the Tommy G. Thompson Center Alexander Tahk said in the press release. “Mr. Johnson offers a unique perspective on the challenges facing Western democracies today.”
