Boris Johnson’s holiday ‘lack of work’

A senior Conservative MP has defended Boris Johnson for taking a second week of holiday within three weeks of the energy crisis, insisting that the prime minister is still able to work while abroad.

Brandon Lewis, who was Northern Ireland secretary before resigning last month, was working even when he was not in the office of Downing Street when a rush of ministerial departures occurred soon before Johnson agreed to step down, told LBC.

While No 10 does not comment on the prime minister's exact whereabouts, he is believed to be in Greece and has been spotted in a supermarket in Nea Makri, a town east of Athens. Johnson returned from another holiday in Slovenia a week ago.

While Johnson's caretaker role limits his scope for making new policy, he has been accused of running a zombie government and spending his final few weeks in office relaxing.

Johnson has spent time at Chequers, the prime ministerial country retreat, and he and Carrie hosted a belated wedding at the Cotswolds home of JCB owner Anthony Bamford, a major Tory donor.

Asked if the PM had thrown the towel in the towel, Lewis rejected the characterisation.

Lewis said that he probably has had a second week of holiday in the last year or so. They will be continuing to work while someone is away, whether they are the secretary of state or the prime minister.

He will still be dealing with national security issues, but he will still be going through inboxes. The prime minister does not have to be out of the country because of being out of the country. Keir Starmer called Johnson a lame duck, saying the hopefuls to succeed him, Liz Truss and Rishi Sunak, were merely squabbling instead of presenting a plan of action as part of Unveiling Labour's plan to help households this winter by stopping any increase in the energy price cap.

A Labour spokesperson said it seemed to make little difference if the prime minister is on holiday or in office if he doesn't meet the challenge of the Tory cost-of-living crisis. It's just one big party for Boris Johnson while the country struggles to pay bills.