Excerpt:
The Ides of March may be long past but Boris Johnson has found himself, like Julius Caesar, under attack from an unusual direction – in Johnson’s case, the nation’s classical scholars.
Following his incendiary remarks about Muslim women wearing the burqa, Johnson has found his position on a charity promoting the study of classics under threat, after several members threatened to cut their ties if Johnson’s were not.
For several years, Johnson has been a high-profile supporter of Classics for All, which aims to promote the study of Greek, Latin and classical civilisation in state primary and secondary schools. During his time as mayor of London, the organisation received generous grants to finance its work.
This week, however, Johnson’s profile page as an honorary patron was removed from the organisation’s website as the board of trustees considered the criticism of Johnson’s involvement.