Video: Rachel Johnson denies Covid deaths were on PM’s ‘watch’

Rachel Johnson, sister to the prime minister, was on Good Morning Britain today discussing her sibling’s performance during the pandemic.

Asked by Susanna Reid whether she thinks we went into lockdowns far too late and if the 127,000 plus deaths were on Boris Johnson’s watch, she responded:

“No I don’t think so, the deaths are down to an out of control virus.”

Adil Ray then chipped in: “Do you think the situation we are in now is because we were slow putting India on the red list?”

Johnson replied: “I think that’s debatable, the virus was probably already in the country before.”

The defence of her brother didn’t quite cut it with Ray, who pointed out that if they knew it was in the country, “why didn’t they respond to it?”, to which Johnson took a backwards step.

“Sadly I don’t have a Government role and it’s not my place to defend government decisions,” she said, but that didn’t cut it with Reid, who shot back:

“You have the ear of the PM as you just admitted.”

Stanley Johnson loophole

Co-presenter Adil Ray also hit out at Rachel Johnson as he pointed out her father Stanley Johnson travelled to Greece during lockdown last year.

“Your dad had a nice holiday last year as well, didn’t he?” Adil quipped.

“Well that was last year actually,” Rachel replied. “He hasn’t been away this year.”

“That was a nice holiday,” Adil remarked and Rachel then said: “He hasn’t used the Stanley Johnson loophole this year.”

Football VIPs

Johnson also said she felt football VIPs should be exempt from quarantine, saying: “The reason I want this to go ahead, it’s not because I want VIPs to have an exemption that’s not available to Joe public.

“The reason I want this to go ahead is it’s important that Britain hosts, this is the chance Britain has to pitch to host the World Cup in 2030.

“But above all, I think if this event does go ahead on British soil with 2,500 VIPs and hangers-on and wives, I think it will put the final nail in the coffin of the Covid restrictions.

“The Government will have to open up before the terminus date of July 19 because I think the Covid restrictions will be collapsing under the weight of their own contradictions.”