What has Boris Johnson achieved in his first 100 days as prime minister?

His place in the history books will be shaped by his response to the coronavirus outbreak, writes Lizzy Buchan

Johnson’s honeymoon period ended with a jolt (PA)

Swept to power with an overwhelming majority, the man whose boyhood dream was to be “world king” saw before him the chance to reshape post-Brexit Britain.

But 100 days from his decisive election victory, Boris Johnson’s dreams of levelling up the country and presiding over an infrastructure revolution are disintegrating before his eyes.

His place in the history books will instead be shaped by his response to the coronavirus, a public health challenge of such magnitude that it has brought the UK to a standstill.

Mr Johnson, who loathes the “nanny state”, has been forced to preside over sweeping changes to almost every part of public life, closing schools, pubs, restaurants and theatres, cancelling sporting events and ordering the fearful public to remain at home, isolated from those they love.

Such scenes would have been unimaginable when the prime minister stood on the steps of Downing Street in December with an 80-strong majority and an ambitious wish list.

His centrepiece pledge was to “Get Brexit Done” and he stayed true to his word, taking the UK out of the EU on 31 January after months of delay.

Of course the reality is that Brexit is not remotely done – only the first phase. The critical second stage of negotiations, which focuses on striking a trade deal with Brussels, has been derailed by coronavirus, with both the EU and UK chief negotiators forced to self-isolate.

Early exchanges with Brussels revealed securing a deal would be far from easy, with deep divisions emerging on issues ranging from fisheries to the so-called level playing field on workers’ rights, environmental standards and state aid.

With the transition period due to expire on 31 December – and no trade deal on the horizon – the prime minister may be forced to extend the deadline.

On the steps of Downing Street, Mr Johnson also spoke of his plans to level up the regions, a theme that became integral to understanding his government.

In February, he gave the go-ahead to the controversial HS2 rail project, despite spiralling costs and repeated delays, with the first phase between London and Birmingham expected to be ready by the end of the decade.

Mr Johnson also allowed the Chinese firm Huawei to play a role in building the UK’s 5G network – enraging Donald Trump and members of his own party, who fear the move could pose a security risk.

He also promised big spending on public services, including for 50,000 new nurses and 40 new hospitals, as well as 20,000 more police on streets.

While the government has poured cash into the health service, it has been focused on the fight against coronavirus – meaning the plans for new hospitals are likely gathering dust.

His pledge for 20,000 new police officers was spread over three years, and critics said the move would barely replace the number cut from forces over the past decade.

Mr Johnson’s short tenure in Downing Street has also been characterised by drama, with his administration appearing to relish conflict with civil servants, the media and among themselves.

February’s cabinet reshuffle was derailed when chancellor Sajid Javid sensationally quit less than a month before the Budget, refusing a demand from the PM to sack his advisers.

Mr Javid said the idea of accepting aides from a joint No10/No11 unit was unacceptable as chancellors had to be able to “speak truth to power”.

Another battle was with the media. Ministers were banned from appearing on the BBC’s flagship Today programme as well as several other programmes, while No 10 sources briefed that the licence fee could be scrapped.

Westminster journalists staged a walkout from a No 10 briefing after it emerged that certain outlets had been excluded from that briefing.

The prime minister’s adviser Dominic Cummings was perceived as wielding great influence but his​ drive to recruit “misfits and weirdos” sparked a major row when one aide, Andrew Sabisky, was sacked over past comments about eugenics.

Mr Johnson also came under fire in February when he failed to visit flood victims, instead spending time at Chevening, his country house in Kent. It later emerged that his partner Carrie Symonds was pregnant and the couple were engaged.

There was speculation over a possible shake-up of Whitehall departments as Mr Cummings is a long-running critic of the civil service.

Yet the bigger civil service row came when Sir Philip Rutnam quit his post as the top civil servant in the Home Office after a row over alleged bullying by Priti Patel, the home secretary.

But the coronavirus crisis brought an end to any honeymoon period in Downing Street and served to remind Mr Johnson that great plans can be derailed by greater events.

For a prime minister obsessed with history, determining his own place in it may now be out of his hands.