Gary Neville has torn into Sajid Javid after he defended Boris Johnson who is facing widespread criticism for attending a “bring your own booze party” in the Downing Street garden in May 2020 during the Covid lockdown.
Johnson gave his “heartfelt apologies,” during PMQs on Wednesday over his attendance at the garden party, which was leaked by ITN News courtesy of an email sent by Johnson’s principal private secretary Martin Reynolds who invited more than 100 employees to the event.
The prime minister has insisted that he thought the gathering was a “work event.”
While facing scrutiny from opposition MPs, Johnson did receive some support afterwards in the form of home secretary Sajid Javid who took to Twitter and wrote: “I completely understand why people feel let down. The PM did the right thing by apologising.
“Now we need to let the investigation complete its work. We have so much to get on with including rolling out boosters, testing and antivirals - so we can live with Covid.
I completely understand why people feel let down. The PM did the right thing by apologising. Now we need to let the investigation complete its work.
— Sajid Javid (@sajidjavid) January 12, 2022
We have so much to get on with including rolling out boosters, testing and antivirals - so we can live with Covid.
However, this defence did not impress football pundit and former Manchester United player Gary Neville who has quite the experience in defending himself (goals not government scandals).
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Known for making his feelings abundantly clear on political issues, Neville took Twitter to slam Javid for defending his boss.
“People still working from home and kids wearing masks and you lot weren’t scared in Lockdown 1, yet terrified us all . You’ve been taking the p**s for 2 years,” he wrote.
People still working from home and kids wearing masks and you lot weren’t scared in Lockdown 1, yet terrified us all . You’ve been taking the piss for 2 years. https://t.co/vtUKEu58jG
— Gary Neville (@GNev2) January 12, 2022
It appears there are plenty of people who agreed with Neville, and that Johnson’s actions cannot be defended.
Lots of public will agree with Gary. Not parties so much as people feeling they've been taken for mugs. Covid WAS scary for vulnerable but Gov used fear to demobilise EVERYONE regardless of relative risk. Ironically closing down society at huge cost didn't even protect vulnerable https://t.co/ruFonlLCg5
— Claire Fox (@Fox_Claire) January 12, 2022
Gary nails it I'm afraid. Publicly they were going on TV with sad faces telling us to be good little children or very bad things would happen, and behind our backs they were ALL laughing, partying and dishing out dodgy contracts to their mates. Anyone else feeling mugged? https://t.co/oE8Pi34jx0
— Angharad🎈 (@DorsetAng) January 13, 2022
https://t.co/WsISfmlaQR pic.twitter.com/pIctFwT23i
— Carl G (@mvpcarlos) January 13, 2022
Gary Neville is quickly becoming a favourite of mine. Wish more ppl would stand up for what is right. https://t.co/GWy9hnh6lW
— SoccerHobbyFC (@soccerhobbyfc) January 13, 2022
Gary Neville for prime minister https://t.co/xKJ3mUApYH
— . (@a_stxx) January 12, 2022
I don’t have much time for football these days but honestly I can’t find fault with @GNev2’s analysis of the government. https://t.co/GofOU5ADnF
— Bob horsman 😀 (@Bob_horsman) January 13, 2022
Go on Gary laddddd https://t.co/T8bbUrQEAh
— Harry Allerston (@h_allerston) January 12, 2022
Gary gets it https://t.co/VwYgHzO0Li
— Aaron 🇬🇧🇺🇸🇦🇺 (@RVpoint3) January 12, 2022
While others were worried that people would interpret Neville’s tweet as saying that Covid isn’t dangerous or serious because he’s said the government weren’t scared of the virus.
Careful you don’t fall down the antivax hole there Gary. You’ve got powerful things to say, don’t undermine it by dismissing the reality of covid dangers.
— Pan Dem (@just4thepandem) January 12, 2022
The fact that they were wrong to be so careless doesn’t mean we were wrong to be careful. We aren’t out of the woods yet either - but tweets like yours encourage others to stop caring. Meanwhile https://t.co/LgCXWw6hnj
— Alison Pearson Not the other one (@alisonpearsonSW) January 12, 2022
I'm a teacher. I don't love wearing a mask at work...but I like it a bit more than some of our vulnerable students catching Covid. The tone is wrong here.
— Nancy (@nancycarnell) January 12, 2022
Please don’t use your platform to diminish the seriousness of COVID. Please think about all those who have died, their families, those suffering from long COVID. The protective measures are taken for good reason. Just because these lot don’t care, doesn’t mean we shouldn’t
— beth (@bethq16059295) January 12, 2022
Not the most helpful comment from our Gaz. It’s just emboldening those that believe this was never a serious problem when those in healthcare will tell you much different.
— Simon Carline (@simoncarline) January 13, 2022
The fact is, the politicians were and are idiots foolishly abusing their power. https://t.co/JgHYiNEmNW
I love Gary but if one thing let's him down its his seemingly unintentional flirting with covid denial, gets everything else spot on. The rich don't fear disease because they know they'll always receive the best possible treatment whilst the rest deal with underfunded NHS. https://t.co/aTwHeeP9EX
— ross.🪐 (@rxssbeach) January 12, 2022
Gary doesn’t appear to think COVID was worth worrying about. They always disappoint in the end. https://t.co/q2iC29LQTB
— Frozenwarning (@frozenwarning) January 12, 2022
It’s not the first time Neville has tweeted his anger towards the government over a scandal, as back in December when allegations of a Downing Street Christmas party arose, he told Johnson to “do one” in an epic Twitter rant.
