'Apart from Brexit and lockdown, Boris was a superb and underrated PM' says LBC's Rachel Johnson

12 June 2023, 06:33

Rachel Johnson shares her thoughts on her brother resigning

By Chay Quinn

Boris Johnson was a "superb and much-underrated PM", says LBC host and his sister Rachel Johnson.

Johnson used her monologue to address the resignation of Boris on Friday, after the alleged slimming down of his honours list by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.

After detailing issues with her brother's conduct in office, Rachel caveated: "On the other stuff: the vaccine rollout, levelling up, Ukraine; as I say to him myself, apart from getting Brexit and lockdown done ('cause I also didn't think lockdown) was a great idea, you have been a superb and much-underrated PM.

Remarking on Boris's career as Prime Minister, Rachel added: "So, he did it his way, but is this the final curtain? Or will it be more like Elton John's Farewell Yellow Brick Road Tour (which I remind you so far has had about 300 dates): will it go on forever?

Read More: Boris and Rishi 'had secret peace summit' before shock resignation as Sir Keir claims PM has 'lost control'

Read More: 'A carousel of cronies': Angela Rayner blasts 'gaslighting' Boris following former PM's resignation honours list

"When he stood down as PM he said 'hasta la vista'. When he stood down as an MP, he said 'that's it folks, at least for now.'

"Well, I am not going to comment on whether he should come back or not.

"In my view, politics is nasty, brutish, toxic, and far too long. He is still only 58. There's still a tiger in his tank and clearly lead in his pencil."

Listen and subscribe to Rachel Johnson's Difficult Women podcast on Global Player
Listen and subscribe to Rachel Johnson's Difficult Women podcast on Global Player. Picture: LBC

Boris Johnson, Nadine Dorries and Nigel Adams stood down immediately to give Sunak a triple by-election headache earlier this week.

The triple quitting came after the Privileges Committee findings into 'partygate' were delivered to Boris - a probe which he branded a 'kangaroo court'.

Rachel remarked that she also believed the committee had overstepped and that some of their findings were "unfair".

The trio of resignations has been described by some as a targeted attempt to undermine Rishi Sunak's premiership.

It's also not expected to be the last resignation in the coming days in an apparent show of solidarity for Johnson.

58-year-old Johnson claims he is the victim of a "witch hunt" over Partygate - revelations that saw the PM accused of breaking lockdown rules and misleading the Commons.

Adams had previously said he would quit at the next General Election but followed in the footsteps of Mr Johnson and Nadine Dorries by resigning now.

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