Johnson thought Sue Gray was a psycho, says his former aide

BORIS JOHNSON thought partygate investigator Sue Gray was a “psycho”, his former No 10 director of communications has suggested.

Guto Harri said Mr Johnson came to the view that Ms Gray “lacked perspective” as her inquiry into Covid rulebreaking parties became “completely out of all proportion”. In an interview with LBC Radio, Mr Harri also claimed that the former prime minister was preparing to sack Rishi Sunak as chancellor prior to the collapse of his premiership.

He also poured cold water on Mr Johnson’s prospects of making a political comeback, saying he did not currently consider that “realistic”.

Mr Harri was speaking before his new podcast starts tomorrow. It has already made headlines over a claim that Mr Johnson “squared up” to the King, who was then the Prince of Wales, in a row over the Government’s Rwanda asylum scheme.

Mr Harri was a senior press figure for Mr Johnson when he was London mayor, and went on to serve in the No10 role from early 2022 until his boss left Downing Street.

Asked how the former prime minister had described Ms Gray to him, Mr Harri said: “If I were to say one word maybe that will be recurring in it, ‘psycho Sue Gray’ would be part of it,” he told LBC. “Towards the end, I think he rightfully thought that… things were completely out of all proportion in the way partygate was viewed.”

Mr Harri claimed Mr Johnson was preparing to sack Mr Sunak as chancellor before his administration fell apart last year. But he said Mr Sunak – who was part of an exodus of ministers that precipitated his downfall – “beat him to it” and “brought the whole show down”.

Mr Harri said there was a “fundamental disagreement of policy between the two of them” with Mr Johnson wanting to cut taxes and Mr Sunak apparently “reluctant” to do so.

On Mr Johnson’s apparent clash with the King, Mr Harri said “it wasn’t a fight” but did describe it as a “bit of a showdown”.

Last night, sources close to Mr Johnson said: “This account is simply inaccurate and does not reflect the conversation that took place. Boris Johnson has had nothing to do with this podcast… and deplores any attempt to report such conversations in public.” Features: Page 1