Cartoons

As far as I can see, there are essentially three types of cartoon. There's the illustrative cartoon that is there to assist understanding of text. Then there's the funny cartoon  which is intended just to raise laughs - sometimes in the form of cartoon strips. Finally, there's the political cartoon - the purpose of which is to say something of note about the state of the world, current affairs or internal national politics.

There have been many brilliant political cartoonists through the decades. Here in Britain, our cartoonists must have seen Boris Johnson  as a gift from heaven when he became prime minister in 2019. To begin with, he has a very recognisable  appearance that already looks cartoonish before a drawing pen is lifted.

As his term in office has proceeded, his behaviour,  bumbling manner and the political controversies he has stoked have all simply added to his appeal as a subject for cartoonists.

Here he is claiming he will not be booted out of office as travellers experience delays and difficulties at airports. In the background, an asylum seeker is about to be flown to Rwanda. Johnson's bags are filled with booze - a reference to illegal lockdown parties in  Downing Street..

Here he is as a pig on a spit roast. The woman turning him is presumably Sue Gray, a senior government  officer who investigated the illegal parties held in Downing Street during Johnson's watch...

Here he is commenting on Putin's war in Ukraine...

And finally, here's a cartoon by Steve Bell from  this very morning's papers as Johnson awaits a vote of no-confidence from his own  Conservative Party. It took a while to develop the figure of Johnson in Steve Bell's imagination. You can see that our PM has simply become an arse with a thatch of straw blonde hair. Perfectly recognisable. By the way it's unlikely that those who want Johnson out will gather enough votes to trigger his well-deserved  ejection from office this evening... but you never know!