The only principle Boris believes in is his inalienable right to run the country.
And no, he isn't that intelligent. He was a precocious schoolboy who won a scholarship to Eton. That's a big deal. They live in a special house. He's got a quick, facile brain, but no depth and gets easily bored so,
as he says himself, he's not a 'details man'. Since then, he's been coasting, putting on the occasional spurt to pass an exam.
It's like the hare and the tortoise. Cameron didn't get a scholarship to Eton but kept his head down at Oxford and, I think, ended up with a better degree. Boris spent his time showing off at the Oxford Union, becoming President by lying to the Lib Dems to get their support.
Then Cameron walks into a job in Central Office, through family connections, while Boris plays around with journalism, until he's sacked for making up quotes.
He was a v lack lustre MP and was again sacked, by Michael Howard from the shadow cabinet for lying about his affair.
He always regarded being Mayor of London as a stepping stone to something better. He was a lousy mayor, delegating all the hard work to his deputy, while focussing on photo-ops. He has NO experience of negotiating because he always refused to meet the unions re TFL and tube strikes etc.
Sadly, I'm afraid that 'good old Boris' might v well appeal to disenchanted Labour voters in the old Labour heartlands. Tho' perhaps not in Liverpool.