Boris Johnson

A government minister has defended Boris Johnson’s record on dealing with the emergence of coronavirus variants around the world – as fears rise over a new Brazilian mutation. Under-secretary of state for safeguarding Victoria Atkins was asked by Sky News’ Niall Paterson why the air corridor between the UK and South America remains open. Atkins […]

A group of Scottish fishermen furious over Brexit red tape has vowed to dump rotting seafood outside Downing Street. Jamie McMillan, boss of the world-renowned Loch Fyne Seafarms, said he would not hesitate to dump rotting stock outside the prime minister’s house if Scottish seafood exports continue to rot at British ports. In a furious video message yesterday, he […]

Boris Johnson has suggested he wants more international collaboration on coping with future pandemics after the coronavirus crisis showed they were “totally unprepared”. The prime minister will chair this year’s summit of the G7 group of major economies and wants it to focus on “building back better, together”. He wants to help shape the meeting […]

Boris Johnson defended having a close relationship with Donald Trump, as the US president was on the verge of being impeached for a second time. During an appearance before the Commons liaison committee of senior backbench MPs, Johnson was questioned over his previous praise of the Republican president. Petitions Committee chair Catherine McKinnell asked the […]

The Commons speaker has had to interrupt Boris Johnson during Prime Minister’s Questions (PMQs) to remind him to “answer the question” put forward by Sir Keir Starmer. Sir Lindsay was forced to abruptly end this week’s session of PMQs after Boris Johnson gave a long-winded response to the controversy over free school meals parcels. “Mr prime minister,” Sir Lindsay patiently […]

Boris Johnson has been slapped down for a series of “not truths” as he clashed in the Commons with Keir Starmer over Covid-19 and free school meals. Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle intervened and forced Johnson to withdraw the remark made at Prime Minister’s Questions, advising both leaders to help in “tidying up how this parliament behaves”. […]

Labour’s deputy leader Angela Rayner has called on Twitter to act on Boris Johnson’s “lies” on Twitter – in the same way it acted on Donald Trump’s tweets. Rayner hit out the at the prime minister over his comments on free school meals. Turning to Twitter, the prime minister claimed the government “will do everything […]

Well, it finally came. For a year speaker Lindsay Hoyle has been tolerating Boris Johnson’s antics in prime minister’s questions – the ignoring of questions, the deliberate misnaming of the third-largest party, the sheer disdain of spending 30 minutes being held to account; 30 minutes which, in happier times, he could have knocked out a half-arsed column […]

Boris Johnson has claimed that Marcus Rashford was a better leader at holding the government to account than Sir Keir Starmer, in a fiery Prime Minister’s Questions (PMQs) session which saw the prime minister rebuked for mistruths. Johnson said no one was happy with the images of inadequate school meal parcels that have surfaced over […]

Labour has accused Boris Johnson of deliberately trying to delay the local elections beyond May for his own advantage. Downing Street is considering plans to delay the elections until June, arguing it would be too dangerous to proceed. The elections had been set for May 6 and will take place alongside the mayoral elections – […]

Prime minister Boris Johnson has paid tribute to the Daily Telegraph’s joint owner Sir David Barclay, who has died aged 86 after a short illness. Along with his identical twin Sir Frederick, Sir David built a vast business empire which began with hotels and expanded to include shipping, retailing and, since 2004, ownership of Telegraph […]

Television and radio presenter Graham Norton has criticised home secretary Priti Patel – claiming “it’s extraordinary she’s in charge of anything”. The chat show host and Eurovision commentator lambasted the Tory minister, along with Boris Johnson, comparing Patel to a lunch monitor. Asked by the Sunday Times to give three words to sum up Boris Johnson, […]

A columnist has said Boris Johnson is incapable of “denying himself any pleasures” after he was spotted cycling seven miles away from his home for daily exercise. Current official government advice says exercise should be limited to once a day and within your local area, prompting accusations Johnson had broken coronavirus rules when he cycled around […]

Policing minister Kit Malthouse has denied Boris Johnson broke coronavirus restrictions over the weekend by exercising at Stratford Olympic Park. Johnson was spotted cycling at Queen Elizabeth Park on Sunday, which is located seven miles away from Downing Street, prompting accusations he broke government guidance. Current official government advice says exercise should be limited to once a day […]

Metropolitan Police Commissioner Dame Cressida Dick has insisted that Boris Johnson did not break the law with his bike ride seven miles from his home. Johnson has been accused of hypocrisy following reports he went cycling away from his home after imposing sweeping Covid restrictions on others. The prime minister was seen at the Olympic Park in […]

Boris Johnson has been under pressure to explain why he broke coronavirus lockdown rules to exercise at a park seven miles away from Downing Street. Johnson was spotted wearing a hat and face mask at Queen Elizabeth Park on Sunday. A source told the Evening Standard that Johnson was exercising and had been accompanied by his […]

Downing Street has defended Boris Johnson’s father receiving two coronavirus vaccines – insisting the move was made before a change in policy. The prime minister’s press secretary Allegra Stratton said: “This is a matter for the prime minister’s father. “It’s not something I’ve spoken to Stanley Johnson about. By way of explanation in the early […]

A tweet by Downing Street seeking questions from the public ahead of Boris Johnson’s press conference has backfired spectacularly. The prime minister’s Twitter account asked if anyone had questions about coronavirus that they would like to ask the government. The request did not go down well. One user asked: “Where is Dido Harding and can she […]

A global parcel courier has said it has stopped road deliveries from the UK to the EU – including the Republic of Ireland – because of new “red tape” caused by Brexit. DPD said that as much as 20% of parcels destined for Europe are being returned because as they do not have the correct customs forms required under […]

The prime minister’s father has said his application for French citizenship was a “sentimental gesture” to his mother and said Boris Johnson should be “jolly pleased” about it. Stanley Johnson revealed he was applying for a French passport in December, soon after the Brexit deal negotiated by his son was approved by MPs. Appearing on […]

The UK’s pandemic plight might seem hopeless. But there are some measures which could help alter its course. One of the most frequent complaints levelled at newspaper columnists is that we snipe from the sidelines. Usually, it’s a bit of an unfair one: sniping from the sidelines is, in fact, what columnists are paid to […]

A Tory peer recently ennobled by Boris Johnson has urged the prime minister to remove EU consumer and worker protections now that Brexit has happened. Daniel Hannan has said safeguards on the use of data, workers rights, GM foods, and environmental standards should be scrapped. “Change is coming. To succeed outside the EU, we need […]

Scotland would not have received a single dose of the coronavirus vaccine if Nicola Sturgeon had been in charge of distributing it, Boris Johnson has claimed. Johnson told Tory MPs that Scots would have missed out on doses of the new jab had Sturgeon’s party been responsible for its distribution, the Guardian understands. Johnson apparently made the remark during […]

Boris Johnson’s Brexit deal is “very unstable” and could see the UK miss out on millions of pounds worth of investment, a legal expert has warned. EU legal scholar Catherine Barnard told MPs companies may be put off investing in the UK because of unresolved questions on tariffs and trade. This comes as customs professionals […]

Boris Johnson has been accused of following Nicola Sturgeon’s lead on coronavirus lockdowns after he put England under one hours after his Scottish counterpart did. England entered its third national lockdown on Monday evening which saw schools shut and the toughest restrictions imposed since March following a recent, steep rise in coronavirus cases. Johnson ordered people […]

A TV presenter has blasted Downing Street after it emerged Boris Johnson would be holding another coronavirus press conference on Tuesday afternoon. Phillip Schofield did not hold back when he found out that No 10 announced another Covid conference for 5pm this afternoon. The news comes less than 24 hours after the prime minister announced […]

Former chancellor Sajid Javid is likely to return to Boris Johnson’s cabinet to lead the coronavirus recovery, reports claim. The Daily Mail reports that Johnson is set to reshuffle his top team with business secretary Alok Sharma set to become full-time president of the Cop26 climate change summit. In his place is expected to be […]

Politicians are to be recalled to parliament as Boris Johnson plans tougher Covid-19 restrictions for England. The prime minister’s televised address is expected to take place at 8pm on Monday, with reports that Johnson could put every part of the country into Tier 4, with schools moving to online learning. 78% of England’s population is […]

Remember the lessons of 2016… A new year doesn’t mean everything will be better. Over the last few weeks, as I’ve read and heard many people express an entirely understandable longing to be rid of 2020, I’ve been reminded of the eerily similar outpouring of relief and/or hope which issued forth four years ago. 2016, […]

IAN DUNT offers a rallying cry for pro-Europeans. We’re out of the EU. No more Article 50. No more transition. For all intents and purposes, January 1, 2021, is the first true day of Brexit. It’s remarkable that after nearly half a decade it’s still possible to burn with shame and indignation at what is happening […]

ALASTAIR CAMPBELL on how the ‘bastard’ tendency which tormented John Major over the Maastricht Treaty has finally got its way. Have a guess where I was in early December 1991, and again in February 1992. Very well done at home, as mega-selling novelist Richard Osman says to viewers of BBC’s Pointless show, if a Dutch city the […]

TIM WALKER on frustrations in the House of Lords, Boris Johnson’s messy office and the latest Gina Miller pile-on. As the nation learns of Boris Johnson‘s New Year’s honours list, spare a thought for Norman Fowler – the Lord Speaker – who not so long ago set up the Burns committee to reduce the number of members of the […]