Downing Street defends PM's rambling 'Peppa Pig' speech to business leaders

23 November 2021, 16:08

Downing Street has been forced to defend the Prime Minister over a rambling speech to business leaders, insisting it was not "unusual' for him to lose his train of thought while speaking.

Yesterday in a major speech to the CBI, Boris Johnson lost his place before rambling on about a visit to Peppa Pig World.

But today Number 10 denied that Mr Johnson was suffering from ill health or stress and instead confirmed he had "got a grip".

The PM’s spokesperson said: "The prime minister briefly lost his place.

"He's given hundreds of speeches. I don't think it's unusual for people on rare occasions to lose their place."

Asked if the PM is okay, the spokesperson continued: "The prime minister is very much focused on delivering for the public."

When challenged over whether the PM had "got a grip", the spokesperson replied: "Of course."

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Johnson: Peppa Pig World is very much my kind of place

Mr Johnson's speech went off the rails yesterday after he lost his place, rifling through his notes, muttering "forgive me..forgive me" repeatedly and "blast it".

He then began a lengthy verbal wander where he explained how Peppa Pig World can be a model for UK businesses after visiting the attraction yesterday.

Losing his place, he said: "… with fantastic broadband…blast it…. ergh…forgive me."

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Boris Johnson loses his place in speech to business leaders

Recounting his visit to Peppa Pig World, he said: "Yesterday I went to Peppa Pig World... I loved it, it's very much my kind of place.

"It has very safe streets, discipline in schools, heavy emphasis on new mass transit systems I notice, even if they are a bit stereotypical about Daddy Pig.

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"But the real lesson for me, going to Peppa Pig world, I’m surprised you haven’t been there, was about the power of UK creativity.

"Who would have believed that a pig that looks like a hairdryer or possibly a Picasso-like hairdryer, a pig that was rejected by the BBC, would now be exported to 180 countries with theme parks both in America and China?"

During the rambling speech he also quoted Lenin, referred to himself as Moses and impersonated an accelerating car saying: "Broom broom brah brah!"