Boris Johnson snaps at Hugo Keith during Covid inquiry: ‘Nobody is suggesting you had your feet up’

The Independent

Boris Johnson lashed out at Hugo Keith KC, accusing the inquiry counsel of suggesting he “had his feet up at Chevening” through February.The inquiry has been told by Dominic Cummings that Mr Johnson was on holiday during the February 2020 half term as Covid struck.Mr Keith asked about the break, but stressed that Mr Johnson was working while away, saying: “Nobody is suggesting you had your feet up at Chevening.”“Apart from you that is,” Mr Johnson replied.Mr Keith clarified that it was Mr Cummings who had suggested he was on holiday and not working.Mr Johnson said “I take it back” and apologised to Mr Keith.He added: "I hope the inquiry is satisfied there wasn't a long holiday I took personally... I was working throughout."Source: Reuters

Transcript

00:00 In that very period, I rang President Xi of China to offer our, the UK's condolences for

00:10 what was happening in China, to discuss the origins of COVID and to compare notes on what

00:19 was happening. I also, I think a couple of days later, I rang President Trump in America

00:28 to discuss exactly the same thing. So it was, despite what has previously been said to the

00:37 inquiry by some of the evidence, there was a lot going on and it really starts to mount

00:47 in tempo round about the time that we get Catherine Hammond's note of the...

00:54 On the 28th.

00:55 So the question to you, Mr Johnson, is this, and nobody is suggesting you put your feet up

01:00 at evening during that week.

01:03 Apart from you, that is.

01:05 What I'm suggesting to you is by your very own reference, the fact that tempo increased after

01:09 the half-term break, between the 14th of February when cabinet discussed the plans that would need

01:14 to be drawn up to the 25th of February after half-term, relatively little overall was done

01:21 in terms of responding to this immediate crisis. Was that?

01:24 I think that the, sorry, forgive me, I was, Ms Keith, forgive me, I was referring to a

01:30 conversation I happened to catch on the, between you and a previous witness in which I thought

01:35 the impression was being given by somebody that I was relaxing during that period.

01:39 I think it was Mr Cummings.

01:41 It may have been.

01:41 And not given by me, Mr Johnson, but by the witness.

01:43 I take it back unreservedly, Ms Keith, and I apologize.

Category

Transcript

Recommended