Tim Bale, Professor of Politics at Queen Mary University of London, said Johnson often drew inspiration from his political hero, Winston Churchill, who led Britain to victory in World War II only to be ousted from power in 1945 — and then to return to office several years later. “I believe that he thinks that he can spend some time in … the wilderness before the Conservative Party and the country calls upon him once again in its hour of need,” Bale said. IndependentProfessor Bale was also quoted in a BBC News article on a £5m gift from billionaire businessman Mohamed Mansour to the Conservative Party.