The conversion of Paul

Daniel Johnson recalls the political journey of his father Paul Johnson, who renounced his socialist ideals to become a standard-bearer of the Right

MY FATHER ALWAYS LIVED DANGEROUSLY. His first memory, aged three, was of “the anxious, terrified face of my mother” as she coaxed him down from a high wall onto which he had climbed. “Little Paul” was a late child; Nana had lost one child in infancy and was not going to lose him too. Later he recalled an incident at the railway station when he was rescued from falling under a train. Amid the hullabaloo, the stationmaster was summoned, top hat and all. “My mother was no fool,” he recalled. She chided her son: “You have a disconcerting habit of drawing attention to yourself.” Nine decades and millions of words later, it is clear Nana was right. Paul Johnson’s ability to hold the attention of his readers for long enough…

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The Critic (Digital) - 1 Issue, April 2023

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