Former United Kingdom Prime Minister Boris Johnson delivered a lecture to University of Wisconsin students at Memorial Union Monday March 23, discussing “why the West is worth saving.” Johnson served as Prime Minister and led the Conservative Party of the UK from 2019 to 2022.
The event was hosted by UW’s chapter of Young Americans for Freedom and the Tommy G. Thompson Center on Public Leadership as part of Wisconsin YAF’s campus lecture series, according to previous coverage from The Badger Herald.
Taking place in the Great Hall of Memorial Union, the event exceeded its capacity of attendants, including students, community members, event organizers and politicians like former Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker.
Johnson first gave a 30-minute speech discussing past and present global issues and the western world’s role in these conflicts. YAF then opened the floor for questions from students.
Johnson opened the speech on a note of optimism, after briefly reflecting on his past American citizenship before moving to the UK in his childhood.
“That’s my theme for today,” Johnson said. “The west is going to be fine.”
Johnson expressed his intention to talk about American strength and continuing American reach, wishing to reassure the audience that the West is “stronger than ever.”
In terms of American strength, Johnson highlighted the freedom that some western countries possess, comparing that with “authoritarian regimes” of other nations.
“It is one of the great beauties and strengths of free western countries that we are able to criticize our own institutions,” Johnson said.
For much of the speech, Johnson discussed what he believes to be a mutually reinforcing coalition of autocracies, such as Russia, Iran, China and North Korea, and their contempt for Western democracies.
Conflicts throughout these countries, notably the war in Iran, is putting the west under visible strain, Johnson said.
“Iran is the black widow spider at the center of a regional web of terror,” Johnson said.
According to Johnson, the most important thing that the West needs to get right is to know who our friends are and who our adversaries are. The U.S. is not currently clear on that, Johnson said.
Johnson reiterated this point at the end of his speech, urging people to believe in and stand by the West.
“The west will prevail when we stand together, when we correctly identify who are our friends and who are our foes,” Johnson said.
Many students continued to ask Johnson for his opinions on a variety of topics in the Q&A session, discussing NATO’s role in current events, changing policies in the UK and assimilation of immigrants into western culture.
Students also touched on increasing polarization in the U.S., to which Johnson accredited much of to the internet.
“Why has it become so acrimonious?” Johnson said. “I think universities are a great place to [fix] it.”
Johnson is also taking his speeches to other U.S. college campuses, including a recent four-part lecture series at University of Miami, and an upcoming lecture at University of Dallas March 27, 2026, according to The Times and YAF events.
Some of the students in attendance at Memorial Union expressed their excitement at seeing a world leader speak, regardless of their political opinions on Johnson. UW sophomore Michael Raffel expressed his anticipation for the event beforehand.
“Although I don’t necessarily agree with Boris Johnson’s ideals, how often do you get to see a prime minister of another country here?” Raffel said. “It’s a rare opportunity, and taking new opportunities can be good for learning another side.”
