New cost of living tsar called for PM to quit

No10 to stand by David Buttress despite historical tweets saying Johnson must resign over partygate

Boris Johnson’s new cost of living tsar previously said the Prime Minister should quit over partygate and accused him of lacking “intelligence or integrity”. David Buttress, the founder of Just Eat, said in tweets in December and January there was “not a chance” Mr Johnson would have made it to No 10 “on merit”. The revelations emerged hours after Mr Buttress was unveiled in the unpaid role. Downing Street last night stood by him and said he would not be asked to resign.

BORIS JOHNSON’S new cost of living tsar has previously said the Prime Minister should quit over the partygate row and accused him of lacking “intelligence or integrity”.

David Buttress, the founder of takeaway service Just Eat, said in historic tweets there was “not a chance” the Prime Minister would have made it to No 10 “on merit”.

In a series of social media posts he also criticised the Government for playing “fast and loose” with the economy and described voting Tory as “a form of self harm”.

The revelations emerged just hours after Mr Buttress was unveiled in the unpaid role.

No10 last night stood by him and insisted he won’t be asked to resign.

Mr Johnson welcomed his new tsar yesterday afternoon saying he will “develop and promote initiatives that help households and families with rising costs”.

The former businessman is a prolific Twitter user and has repeatedly used the social media platform to criticise the Prime Minister and praise his political opponents.

He called on Mr Johnson to quit in a tweet on Jan 11 this year, which was the day allegations of a large drinks party in the No10 garden emerged.

“For me, it isn’t important what job you do or your title, but it is vitally important why you do the job and what you achieve,” he wrote.

“Boris has to go, he just has to. You can’t survive judgment like this.”

In further posts two days later he suggested the Prime Minister had only reached the top of British politics because he attended Eton college.

“Never confuse an expensive education with intelligence or integrity,” he tweeted. “I don’t think Boris is particularly blessed with either, imagine if he had not had the many privileges he has experienced.

“Does anyone believe he would be PM on merit? Not a chance mate. 19 PM’S from Eton.”

The former businessman has also criticised the Prime Minister’s immigration policy and blamed it for cost of living pressures.

In October last year he praised a BBC report on the issue “for tackling the evidence based truth that immigration is a driver of productivity growth”.

He added: “Boris once again, gambling and being fast and loose with the UK economy and the impact on the most vulnerable.”

Two months later he said the Government’s policy on Channel boat crossings showed “prejudice, lack of common decency and humanity”.

Mr Buttress, a big rugby fan, has also voiced his backing for Welsh secession from the UK.

“No party in the last hundred years has done more damage to Wales than the Conservatives”, he wrote.

Mr Buttress deleted some tweets once they began to garner attention.

No 10 defended its new hire, insisting the views he had expressed “are not relevant to the role he is doing”.

The PM’S spokesman said: “Anyone that looks at David Buttress’s CV can see that he is well qualified to advise the Government in this specific area.”

Asked if Mr Johnson was told about the tweets, he replied: “I don’t know if he’d be aware of every comment but there was the relevant due diligence.”

Ministers had earlier trumpeted hiring Mr Buttress as a major coup.

Steve Barclay, Cabinet office minister, said the Just Eat founder was “bringing with him a wealth of experience along with the vigour and ingenuity of business”.

He added that the appointment would help the Government “to go even further in efforts to support British families throughout this difficult time”.

Mr Buttress said: “I am looking forward to working closely with my private sector colleagues, to help support our communities and customers with practical and real cost of living saving initiatives.”