Boris Johnson was pictured Saturday visiting his wife Carrie Johnson and their newborn daughter at a hospital in central London – as pressure on his premiership and government continues to mount.
The prime minister was seen climbing out of a Range Rover donning a black face mask emblazoned with a Union Jack, paired with a grey suit, red jumper and white open-collared shirt.
It came after the list of scandals facing the government was added to yet again last night – when it was revealed that the Treasury had a boozy impromptu party in late November last year, which allegedly went against Covid rules in place at the time.
Meanwhile, surveys show the PM is losing support among key portions of the voting public, while the Labour party is polling as much as eight points ahead of the Conservatives.
A Tory MP today compared his premiership to that of the doomed Theresa May’s, claiming he had ‘f***ed’ it over the Christmas party furore – which saw him fire spokeswoman Allegra Stratton after she was caught on camera joking about an alleged No10 Xmas bash, believed to have taken place on December 18 last year.
Boris Johnson was pictured climbing out of a black Range Rover donning a black face mask emblazoned with a Union Jack and clutching his mobile phone in his left hand as he visited his wife and newborn on Saturday
The PM waves to photographers outside the central London hospital
‘The anger is right up there now with the dog days of the May premiership,’ the MP told the i.
‘Two years on almost to the day from Boris’s biggest triumph he has, not to put too fine a point on it, f***ed it.
‘His chances of making the next election have slipped well below 50-50. He is treating the British public like he has his previous relationships and it’s not an edifying sight.’
The scathing review comes amid:
- Growing Tory anger over the announcement of Plan B restrictions on Wednesday
- Continued fallout from the allegedly rule-breaking No10 party last Christmas
- The £17,800 fine handed to the Conservatives Thursday over a controversial donation which helped cover refurbishments to the PM’s Downing Street flat
- A Savanta ComRes poll for the Daily Mail on Friday showing two thirds of voters don’t trust the PM
- The Conservatives falling eight points behind Labour in a snap poll by Focaldata on Friday
Following the birth of his daughter, Mr Johnson said he would be taking some family time, but not the full two weeks paternity leave he is permitted to under law.
The girl is the second baby for the couple and is the little sister of Wilfred, who was born in April last year.
The couple announced they were expecting their second child together at the end of July, as the 33-year-old environmental campaigner spoke of having a miscarriage earlier in the year.
There are growing concerns that Mr Johnson is damaging the Conservative Party’s chances at the next election (pictured outside hospital on Saturday)
The birth came the morning after the Prime Minister announced England is entering Plan B to combat the spread of the Omicron variant of coronavirus.
As well as facing Tory anger over the latest restrictions, Mr Johnson was battling the fallout of an allegedly rule-breaking No10 Christmas party last year which forced the resignation of senior Government aide Allegra Stratton.
Also on Thursday morning, the Conservatives were fined £17,800 over a controversial donation which helped cover the lavish refurbishments to his and Carrie’s Downing Street flat.
The Prime Minister’s official spokesman said Thursday: ‘I think there’s a recognition the Prime Minister has a unique role and this is a particularly challenging time for the country, and the Prime Minister will continue to lead, as the public would expect, while making time for his family.’
But there are growing concerns that Mr Johnson is damaging the Conservative Party’s chances at the next election.
A Savanta ComRes poll for the Daily Mail on Friday found that two thirds of people do not trust the PM.
Meanwhile among female voters, Labour’s lead has grown from six points to 14 points in just the past few days.
It is now on 45 per cent – compared to the Tories who fell by four points to 31 per cent.
YouGov research today found that the PM’s personal ratings have plunged to an all-time low of minus 42, down 11 points in a month
A stark focaldata poll showed Labour eight points in the lead, compounding the Tory anxiety over the PM’s stewardship
Overall support for the Tories has dropped five points since last weekend to 33 per cent. This is their lowest since October 2019.
A snap poll by Focaldata on Friday showed the Tories polling eight points behind Labour.
Meanwhile, another senior Conservative MP told the i that he has failed to build a long-term power base in the party, adding: ‘The trouble is, no one likes him.
‘He has never been an MP who gets along with people, so it means he has no support base inside the Commons.’
It comes after fresh revelations last night claimed that around two dozen civil servants attended a drinks party in the Treasury on November 25 last year.
The party was held despite coronavirus restrictions which had asked people to stay at home unless exercising or food shopping.
At the time, non-essential shops, bars and restaurants were closed.
Sources revealed that Chancellor Rishi Sunak’s officials, who had been working on his spending review announcement, stayed for a drinks party afterwards.
Wine and beer were brought into the Treasury but the officials insisted the party had been spontaneous.
Carrie Johnson and security arrive at central London hospital where Carrie had a baby daughter
A source said: ‘They’d all been working really hard. They had to be in the office anyway that day.
‘It was not a formal party but perhaps in hindsight it was not the most sensible thing to do.’
Another insider said nobody had questioned the drinks party or thought there was anything wrong with the event.
They described the situation with parties and events coming to light as a ‘blame game’, according to the Times.
Mr Sunak was not at the event and it is understood he did not know it was happening.
A spokesman said of the Treasury drinks party: ‘In line with the guidance at the time, a number of staff came into the office to work on the Spending Review 2020.
‘We have been made aware that a small number of those staff had impromptu drinks around their desks after the event.’
An inquiry is set to take place into three parties which came to light before this latest bash was revealed.
Simon Case, the cabinet secretary, is leading the investigation into last year’s Downing Street Christmas party on December 18, a leaving event on November 27 and an education department party on December 10.
He will also decide whether to investigate the drinks party held at the Treasury.
Seven parties… and the explanations that just did not stack up
Nov 30: After story about first Downing Street party breaks, No 10 spokesman says: ‘Covid rules have been followed at all times.’
Dec 1: Health Secretary Sajid Javid tells LBC: ‘I didn’t attend. I don’t know who attended these parties, but I don’t even think there were parties that I’m aware of. But the point is, whether it’s in No10 or any government department, all rules would have been followed at all times.’
At a Downing Street press briefing, the PM’s spokesman denies there was a party and says: ‘We don’t recognise these accounts.’
At PMQs, Boris Johnson insists: ‘All guidance was followed completely in Number 10.’
Dec 2: Mr Johnson refuses to give reporters further details ‘because I have told you [what happened]’.
Dec 3: Vaccines Minister Maggie Throup tells BBC’s Question Time that ‘all guidance was followed’, dismisses the reports as ‘rumour and hearsay’, and says she wasn’t aware of a party.
Dec 5: Justice Secretary Dominic Raab insists the rules were followed, but tells the BBC’s Andrew Marr: ‘Of course, if there was a formal party held, of course that it something that is clearly contrary to the guidance. If anyone held a party that is contrary to the rules, of course that is the wrong thing to do.’
Dec 6: The PM’s spokesman reiterates the Government’s denial, saying: ‘There was not a party and Covid rules have been followed at all times.’
Policing Minister Kit Malthouse tells LBC: ‘Officials at No 10 have assured me, as part of my briefing… that no regulations were broken.’
Dec 8: Mr Johnson tells PMQs: ‘I repeat… that I have been repeatedly assured since these allegations emerged, that there was no party and that no Covid rules were broken.’
Dec 9: Mr Javid on LBC: ‘I have received assurances that there were no [Covid] rules that were broken at any time in Downing Street. That means a party could not take place. If the rules were not broken, then a party could not take place.’
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10299441/Boris-Johnson-heads-hospital-newborn-daughter-wife-Carrie.html
