PM will be tormented not to lead the UK during crisis says friend of Boris Johnson

7 April 2020, 13:22 | Updated: 7 April 2020, 13:52

Boris Johnson's friend says PM will be distraught to hand over reins

By Seán Hickey

Guto Harri was Boris Johnson's Director of External Affairs while the PM was Mayor of London and admitted to Nick Ferrari that the PM "moving into intensive care last night was extremely worrying".

He recalled that when the PM was Mayor of London he had hired a personal trainer who brought him to the physical condition where he could run ten kilometres three times a week and could do 100 press ups easily. Mr. Harri also revealed that Boris Johnson carries a powerful left hook.

"He is a man of robust good health" the communications consultant told Nick.

Sharing the determination of the PM, Mr. Harri told LBC that Mr. Johnson "will be distraught at the idea that he's on his back in the hospital".

"He knows that the judgement calls here about lives and livelihoods are massive ones" and will of course be aware that the decisions at hand will be better made by someone in good health, such as his deputy Dominic Raab.

The PM was moved to an ICU unit on Monday evening
The PM was moved to an ICU unit on Monday evening. Picture: PA

"He's very conscious as a man with a unique gift of communication" Mr. Harri told Nick, admitting that the PM will have his finger on the pulse of the nation despite sitting in intensive care.

Nick heard next from an ICU consultant, Dr. Ron Daniels who shed some light on the medical situation surrounding the Prime Minister's admission to intensive care.

"We don't know quite how unwell the PM is" Dr. Daniels stated, but he knew from the news that it was clear that "he is obviously needing high levels of oxygen".

Referencing the fitness of Mr. Johnson that Guto Harri referred to, Nick said that "this shows that covid-19 can affect anyone".

The ICU consultant assured the public that "his relative youth, his fitness and his robustness" gives the PM a more than 50/50 chance, should his condition worsen.

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