Boris Johnson has been criticised for laughing at a reporter’s simple question asking where he’s been.
On BBC News this morning, the prime minister was interviewed at a vaccination clinic on the Open University Campus in Milton Keynes.
In footage shared across social media, the interviewer from ITN asked Johnson: “Where have you been for the last 10 days.”
What an extraordinary panic from Johnson, asked the simplest possible question: Where have you been for the last ten days? ~AA pic.twitter.com/DA9XixS6dR
— Best for Britain (@BestForBritain) December 29, 2021
A relatively simple question some would argue, but the PM’s shifty answer might suggest, for him, it was not.
In his panicked response, Johnson said: “I’ve been in… I’ve been… in this country. Where do you think?”
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As the country experiences the highest rate of Covid infection since the pandemic began, Johnson’s awkward response has been widely condemned.
Would be nice to one day have a prime minister that doesn’t answer the question “where have you been for the last ten days” like a man who’s been ankle tagged returning to explain some odd data to the judge pic.twitter.com/cgDRlJ513R
— James Felton (@JimMFelton) December 29, 2021
I don't think he lied, I think he just made a Mustique.
— Woodo (@Mister_Woodo) December 29, 2021
Born to bullshit. Brace yourselves for an ongoing tsunami of it in 2022. https://t.co/6t1Zxi8atZ
— Tom Sherrington (@teacherhead) December 29, 2021
Is Johnson losing his sole talent - the ability to lie at the drop of a hat? https://t.co/DPYnQkkHXP
— Alan Ferrier (@alanferrier) December 29, 2021
His uselessness deepens, which is saying something pic.twitter.com/phpXx8nsaC
— John Harris (@johnharris1969) December 29, 2021
Boris Johnson’s answer here must have set Pippa Crerar’s Spidey-senses tingling pic.twitter.com/m06duO1Kol
— Toby Earle (@TobyonTV) December 29, 2021
Britain deserves so much better than Boris Johnson. pic.twitter.com/QyfAVuFQNv
— Luke Pollard MP (@LukePollard) December 29, 2021
All in all, Johnson’s visit to Milton Keynes was as awkward as it looked especially when he spoke to members of the public getting their booster jab and continued to loom over them while they were getting vaccinated.
Elsewhere, Johnson urged people to think about the risk they are running with their own health if they fail to get a booster jab.
He told reporters: “We’re looking at the data and what we’re seeing is that we’ve got cases certainly going up, we’ve got a lot of cases of Omicron.
“But, on the other hand, we can see the data about the relative mildness of Omicron. What we can also see is the very, very clear effect of getting those jabs, getting those boosters in particular – and that’s what’s making a huge difference.
“According to some of the surveys I’ve seen, 90% of the patients in ICU are people who are not boosted. So, think about that. Think about the risk you’re running with your own health if you fail to get a booster.”
Additional reporting from PA.