BORIS Johnson is back on holiday, shortly after returning from another break, as he enters his final few weeks in Downing Street.
Johnson, who will resign from No 10 on September 6, took a holiday earlier this month despite warnings of further inflation and the threat of a recession later this year.
Now, the outgoing Prime Minister is reportedly on another break, this time in Greece.
The Times newspaper reports that Johnson is spending a week-long holiday in the country, with locals spotting him shopping alongside wife Carrie in a supermarket in Nea Makri, a town to the east of Athens.
READ MORE: Keir Starmer defends holiday and rules out nationalising energy firms
On Monday, former Cabinet minister Brandon Lewis defended Johnson, rejecting any suggestion that he had “thrown in the towel”.
He told LBC: “Even when you are not in the office in Downing Street you are working.”
He added: “He’s probably in about his second week [of] holiday in the last year or so, certainly this year. So while somebody is away, whether they are secretary of state or let alone the Prime Minister, they will be continuing to work.
“I can assure you he will still be going through inboxes, he will still be dealing with national security issues where relevant. Being out of the country does not mean the Prime Minister stops working.”
READ MORE: The next Prime Minister must make good on pledge to Afghans
Labour hit out at the Prime Minister, accusing him of treating recent months as “one big party”.
A spokesperson said: “On the evidence of the last few months it seems to make little difference if the Prime Minister is in the office or on holiday as he has continually failed to meet the challenge of the Tory cost-of-living crisis. It’s all just one big party for Boris Johnson while the country struggles to pay their bills.”
Later, Downing Street insisted that the Prime Minister will be kept informed of any “urgent issues” while on holiday.
The PM's official spokesman told reporters that Johnson had paid for his own holiday and would be kept informed of any pressing government business while away.
“The Prime Minister is on holiday this week,” he said.
“As is the way with prime ministers as you know by virtue of their role they’ll obviously be kept informed on any urgent issues and make decisions particularly those (related to) national security for example.”
He added: “If there were urgent decisions that required the PM’s input he will, of course, be involved in that. But the Deputy Prime Minister [Dominic Raab] is able to be deputised for meetings should they come up but as far as I’m aware there are no such meetings currently scheduled.”
Asked if Boris Johnson’s holiday could have waited a few weeks, his spokesman said: “I can’t get into the decision around timings but he is on leave this week. He will be back this weekend.”
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel