Johnson ducks crisis meeting for leaving do
Boris Johnson has gone AWOL on duty yet again – leaving his crew to handle the heatwave crisis while he parties.
The outgoing PM will host a farewell shindig at Chequers today.
Yesterday, he missed a vital meeting of the emergency Cobra committee, called to prepare for this week’s 41C heatwave.
Cabinet Office Minister Kit Malthouse was left to chair that while Johnson was looking forward to relaxing at his grace-and-favour country house which, handily in the heat, has a pool.
A No10 spokeswoman said today’s party was a “private event with no taxpayers’ money being spent”.
She declined to say who had been invited.
Labour deputy leader Angela Rayner said: “Boris Johnson has gone missing in action again.
“He’s back to his old tricks of skipping important Cobra meetings.
“Where’s the plan for the delivery of essential services and how people will be kept safe at work, on transport, in schools, hospitals and care homes?
“The public will have no confidence in this zombie Conservative government responding swiftly and decisively to this national emergency as this disgraced Prime Minister prepares to party while
Britain boils. If he still can’t take the responsibility of the job, he should leave right now.”
Johnson infamously missed five Cobra sessions as Britain sleepwalked into the pandemic.
Johnson and wife Carrie had planned a delayed wedding reception at Chequers – but that was scrapped after a fierce backlash.
It comes as the PM was urged not to “skive off” in his last week at work, amid rumours he planned to skip his final PMQs this Wednesday.
He was accused of presiding over a “zombie government” with Cabinet ministers including Priti Patel failing to turn up to key engagements.
No10 has insisted the PM plans to appear in the Commons as scheduled, for his final grilling from MPs – and says there are “no plans currently” for him to be out of the country this week.
But rumours spread around Westminster that he planned to skip the showdown with opposition leader Sir Keir Starmer.
“The next leader of my party may be elected by acclamation, so it’s possible this will be our last confrontation... it’s possible,” Johnson told Starmer last week.
Lib Dem deputy leader Daisy Cooper said: “If Boris Johnson does skip PMQs next week then it’s just further proof that he’s already checked out, content to cash in on all the perks but do none of the work.
“We deserve far better than a lame duck Government that is trying to avoid all responsibility.”