PM "is like a baby": columnist condemns Johnson for bike ride 7 miles from home

12 January 2021, 10:47

PM "is like a baby": columnist lambasts Johnson for bike ride

By Fiona Jones

Columnist Zoe Williams said the Prime Minister is incapable of "denying himself any pleasures" after he cycled seven miles from his home for daily exercise, despite the guidelines to stay local.

Mr Johnson was spotted cycling with his security in the Olympic Park in Stratford on Sunday afternoon.

He has been accused of hypocrisy for travelling so far from his home after imposing sweeping Covid restrictions on others.

Speaking to LBC's Nick Ferrari, Ms Williams said: "His entire message at the moment, his whole guiding light, everything that comes out of his mouth is don't push at the rules, don't try and make it work for you, try and make it work for the whole country."

Read more: PM 'within the rules' by taking seven-mile Olympic Park bike ride, Policing Minister says

James O'Brien reacts to PM's cycle ride

"He's like a baby. All he has to do is deny himself a pleasure for a couple of weeks in order to role model incredibly compliant behaviour.

"That's all he has to do and he can't do it because he just can't control his own impulses.

"And I think we're kind of seeing what it's like to be governed by somebody who has no impulse control and it's a bit scary." 

Nick countered that the Prime Minister did not break the rules and needed to cycle for mental and physical health.

Ms Williams made the point that due to his position, he is here to set an example to the UK public.

"If he wants to model really cautious behaviour, he has to do that," she said.

In response to public criticism, a Downing Street source told the BBC: "The PM has exercised within the Covid rules and any suggestion to the contrary is wrong."

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