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Johnson claims Starmer donations look ‘greedy’ as he defends his PPE record

08 Oct 2024 3 minute read
Former prime minister Boris Johnson. Photo Kirsty O’Connor PA Wire/PA Images

Sir Keir Starmer’s decision to accept clothing freebies looks “greedy”, Boris Johnson said as he defended his record on PPE contracts during the pandemic.

The former Tory prime minister criticised his Labour successor’s decision to accept gifts of clothing and glasses, as Sir Keir “must be worth a bob or two” due to his legal career.

Mr Johnson meanwhile defended his government’s decision to award contracts for personal protective equipment (PPE) to inexperienced suppliers during the pandemic, some of which had close links with ministers.

“Unbelievable”

Speaking to LBC on Tuesday morning, former MP Mr Johnson said: “I want you to know, I have no donors paying for my suits. Or spectacles. Who pays for your spectacles? You pay for your spectacles, don’t you? It’s unbelievable.“I mean, the guy (Sir Keir), he’s a silk, right? I mean, he must be worth a bob or two. Why has he got some guy paying for his spectacles?”Mr Johnson, who is promoting his memoir Unleashed, questioned why Sir Keir had accepted lavish gifts from Labour peer and donor Lord Alli when he was “on a perfectly good salary from the Government anyway”.

He added: “You know, that looks greedy, right? But if you then give the guy a pass to Number 10, that looks corrupt. And so I just don’t get it. I don’t know why he’s still wearing those spectacles.

“Well apart from the fact he can’t see. He can’t see what a mess he’s making of things.”

Elsewhere, Mr Johnson was asked if he would apologise for initiating wasteful and dubious Covid contracts related to PPE during the pandemic.

Red flags

In recent months, campaign group Transparency International UK has raised red flags about more than 130 such contracts, claiming some of them are at risk of corruption as they were awarded to inexperienced companies with close links to the Tories.The BBC has meanwhile reported PPE worth an estimated £1.4 billion, which was acquired by the government in a single deal during the pandemic, has been destroyed or written off.Mr Johnson told LBC he remembered “our absolute desperation” to get PPE into the UK.

He then apologised for the dubious nature of some contracts, telling LBC: “They did and I’m sorry about that but, you know, frankly, we needed that stuff as fast as possible.

“And I think most people really understand that. Our country was desperate for protective equipment.

“And, you know, I defend the government in trying to get it as fast as possible. And all sorts of crazy people were recommended to us for PPE, but we just had to act as fast as we could.”


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Jeff
Jeff
1 month ago

Johnson trying to out trump trump. Johnson was getting high end food deliveries paid for at No10 (Bamford links to food firm). He had use of goldsmiths chalet in Italy, he was off to Mustique holiday destinations, who paid for those? He had his flat ion No 10 redecorated at someone else’s expense and his wedding at the bamford estate, he then needed 800k to live off and Sharp was trying to arrange a 800k loan for him. You have a PM skint, a PM that put a Russian in the HoL after he went to an ex kgb party,… Read more »

Amos Johnston
Amos Johnston
1 month ago

Does anyone know how he got through £27k of wine from the government wine cellar?

Rob Pountney
Rob Pountney
1 month ago
Reply to  Amos Johnston

I believe a funnel was involved…

Chris
Chris
1 month ago
Reply to  Amos Johnston

Not that I want to defend that idiot, but it was the entire government and diplomatic corps who got through £27k of wine, not Boris by himself, but I suspect you already knew that.

Amos Johnston
Amos Johnston
1 month ago
Reply to  Chris

This was the covid era. Official engagements with visiting dignitaries were all happeng over Zoom.

Rob Pountney
Rob Pountney
1 month ago

Golden wallpaper…

hdavies15
hdavies15
1 month ago

If the pot gets an opportunity he will call the kettle “black”. Nothing surprising to report there.

Our concern should be about the prevalence of greed and entitlement in our politics. All these clowns who preach the virtues of self restraint, austerity, freezing in winter, hunger, etc etc are engaged in their own campaigns of excess at public expense or taking gifts from assorted dodgy donors.

Steve Woods
Steve Woods
1 month ago

Let he that is without sin cast the first stone.

Y Cymro
Y Cymro
1 month ago

Pot calling the kettle black from the king of clowns Boris Johnson.

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