I didn’t make ‘bodies’ remark, insists Boris

Furious denial after Labour leader puts him on the spot

Boris Johnson yesterday angrily denied saying he was prepared to let the ‘bodies pile high’.

in a bruising exchange in the Commons, he put on record his insistence that he never made the comment – and challenged Labour to bring forward witnesses to prove he had.

Keir starmer countered that ‘somebody here isn’t telling the truth’, saying ministers who knowingly mislead Parliament would be ‘expected to offer their resignation’.

The Mail revealed on Monday that, after he had reluctantly agreed to a second national lockdown, Mr Johnson allegedly said: ‘No more ***king lockdowns – let the bodies pile high in their thousands.’

sir Keir had opened Prime Minister’s Questions by highlighting reports attributing the remarks to Mr Johnson. The Labour leader told MPs: ‘it was reported this week, including in the Daily Mail, the BBC and iTV – backed up by numerous sources – that at the end of october the Prime Minister said he would rather have, and i quote, “bodies pile high” than implement another lockdown.

‘Can the Prime Minister tell the House categorically yes or no, did he make those remarks or remarks to that effect?’

Mr Johnson replied ‘No’ and challenged sir Keir to substantiate the allegations.

He added: ‘Lockdowns are miserable, lockdowns are appalling things to have to do, but i have to say that i believe we had absolutely no choice.’ it is believed that the Prime Minister

gave into pressure from his colleagues to order the lockdown after being warned that soldiers would have to be deployed to protect overwhelmed hospitals.

The ‘bodies’ remark was said to have been made in his study after a crucial meeting in the Cabinet room.

The two respected political editors of the BBC and iTV – Laura Kuenssberg and robert Peston – both said they had heard the same reports from their sources.

Yesterday scottish secretary Alister Jack was asked by Labour’s ian Murray to respond to the allegations against Mr Johnson. Mr Jack replied: ‘in many conversations, in Cabinet committees, Cabinet and in private, i have no recollection of him being anything other than totally focused on saving lives and protecting the NHs.

‘He hasn’t taken his eye off the ball, he’s been focused on the pandemic, he’s tackled vaccines and the programme, and he now wants to lead our economic recovery.’

The Prime Minister had previously dismissed the ‘bodies’ claim as ‘total rubbish’.

Asked on Tuesday whether he would repeat the denial under oath, a No 10 spokesman said: ‘That’s very much in the realms of extreme hypothetical.’

But Downing street officials were less clear on a separate report that Mr Johnson told aides in september that he would rather let coronavirus ‘rip’ than impose a second lockdown because of the economic harm further restrictions would cause.

He was reported to have argued during a debate in september that lockdowns were ‘mad’ as he raised concerns about the financial impact.