Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
Bantering with Boris
Our Pride of Britain winners joke with the PM on their visit to No10
PRIME Minister Boris Johnson had a laugh with our Pride of Britain winners at No10 – even managing a smile when one told him: “Get on yer bike.”
Jamie “Adventureman” Mcdonald, who ran 5,500 miles across America to raise £1million for sick kids, told the PM how he also cycled 40,000 miles around the world.
He then quipped: “You should come and do a ride with me.”
Boris replied: “Well, I’ve still got my bike – it’s in Parliament somewhere as they make me go everywhere in a convoy now.
“But if I am relieved of the cares of office then perhaps I will.” He was speaking as Labour announced it would back a pre-christmas general election, so, who knows?
Just hours after receiving their awards at a star-studded ceremony, the men, women and children had been posing for photos outside the famous front door of No10.
Larry the Downing Street cat greeted them as they were shown into the state rooms.
When the PM joined them after Cabinet, he was bowled over by their stories, paying tribute to their inspirational spirit on behalf of the nation.
He also shared a few laughs and took some good-natured ribbing from fundraiser Jamie as they posed for a photo.
“Your head’s in the way, Boris, they can’t see my award,” said Jamie, 33, of Gloucester.
He was wearing the faded superhero costume he had worn on his run across the US, and also to the Daily Mirror’s Pride of Britain Awards, in partnership with TSB.
His dad, Donald, wore a vest and combat shorts, and Jamie joked to our famously scruffy and dishevelled PM: “Sorry, Boris, we should have made more of an effort.”
Mr Johnson also met Child of Courage Dante Marvin, 11, who suffers from brittle bone disease and scoliosis, but is an advocate for other disabled children.
“What did you win for?” asked Boris. “For being myself,” said Dante. “I’ve broken 92 bones already and it might be 100 by the time I’m 15. I want to be in the Guinness Book of Records.” Boris admired Dante’s electric wheelchair, asking: “How fast can you go in that? 21mph? Wow, that’s incredible. And so are you. Keep on doing what you are doing – you are inspirational.”
No10 aides looked relieved when Boris moved on, because when Dante had appeared on the Lorraine show earlier, he had shouted: “Stop Brexit, NOW!”
The PM then spoke to Josh Littlejohn, founder of the Social Bite movement to end homelessness. Josh told him about The World’s Big Sleep Out.
Boris told Josh he had slept on the streets twice for charity, once in a London churchyard and once in his constituency.
But, he added, surprisingly: “When I was a teenager I did it quite a lot, mainly because I didn’t have much money.
“The tragedy of homelessness is a real scandal and we have to sort it out. What you are doing is fantastic.”
Boris was also amazed – and enlightened – by Child of Courage Jaydee-lee Dummett, seven, who saved her family’s lives by raising the alarm when she noticed her brother Laylan, four, was disorientated, and spotted the red warning light on their carbon monoxide alarm.
“What is a carbon monoxide alarm?” Boris asked. “Why on earth did you have one of those?” When Jaydee-lee’s mum Lindy told him 50 people a year die from carbon monoxide poisoning and that every home should have one, he said: “Really? I wouldn’t have had the faintest idea.”
After the reception, Boris told the Mirror: “It has been an amazing privilege to hear their stories. They’ve shown courage, determination and selflessness and, on behalf of the entire country, I say a big thank you.”