British Conservative Party politician Boris Johnson has written in interesting column on the Telegraph, exploring some of the new details of Winston Churchill’s life revealed in Johnson’s recently-released book, The Churchill Factor: How One Man Made History.

Johnson talks about some of the more personal aspects of the former PM’s life – an area which was not publicised as much as his political moves.

So what was he like? The case against him is that he was not only the greatest man of modern British history, but also, in his own sweet way, something of a tosser in his treatment of others.

He may have shown outstanding bravery when he went to the trenches, but his luxuries were astonishing. To the Front with Churchill went a private bathtub, large towels, a hot-water bottle, food boxes from Fortnum & Mason, large slabs of corned beef, Stilton cheeses, cream, ham, sardines, dried fruit, and a big steak pie, not to mention peach brandy and other liqueurs.

However, Johnson also gives some detail on the kinder and softer side of the “tyrannical” Churchill.

On the death of Violet Pearman, one of his most faithful and put-upon secretaries, he made sure that her daughter got money from his own pocket. He also sent money to the wife of his doctor, when she got into difficulties. And when a friend of his was injured in the Boer War, Churchill rolled up his sleeve and provided a skin graft himself – without anaesthetic.

Was this the action of a selfish tosser? “When you first meet Winston, you see all his faults,” said Pamela Plowden. “You spend the rest of your life discovering his virtues.”

Check out the full story on The Telegraph.