BORIS Johnson has denied making a remark about letting ‘bodies pile high’ rather than have another coronavirus lockdown.
The Prime Minister was asked about the reported remarks, alleged to have been made after a meeting about the second lockdown in Downing Street, during a visit to Wrexham today,
It was reported that Mr Johnson shouted “No more f*****g lockdowns. Let the bodies pile high into their thousands” and it has been alleged that several staff in Downing Street overheard through an open door.
Mr Johnson has categorically denied the remarks, telling journalists when asked if he said them: “Absolutely not. No, but I think the important thing I think people want us to get on and do as a Government is to make sure that the lockdowns work.
“They have, and I really pay tribute to the people of this country, this whole country of ours, really pulled together and, working with the vaccination programme, we have got the disease under control.”
During the same visit, the Prime Minister did not deny that he had discussed using donors to fund the £58,000 refurbishment of his Downing Street flat, which was described by his former senior aide Dominic Cummings in a bombshell statement on Friday as "unethical and possibly illegal".
When asked, he said: "If there’s anything to be said about that, any declaration to be made, that will, of course, be made in due course.”
In a briefing this afternoon, the Prime Minister’s official spokesman denied the claims that Mr Johnson had shouted he would "let the bodies pile high into their thosands".
The spokesman said: “No, this is untrue.”
Asked if anyone in Downing Street made the comments, he said: “No. I can't speak to… All I can confirm is that the Prime Minister did not make that statement.
“I'm not aware of anyone else making that statement.”
Asked what Mr Johnson’s response was to Nicola Sturgeon saying it was “all too believable” that he would make such a remark, his official spokesman said: “The PM has fully denied saying this.
“He is on the record just now saying it, and I've said to you, and I think the Defence Secretary made the point this morning.
"I won't go any further than that, given there are elections going on but a number of people, including myself, are on the record saying it is not true.”
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