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Boris Johnson sings 'I Will Survive' to his new communications director
The National News reported, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson sang "I Will Survive" during his first meeting with his new communications director Guto Harri who was appointed to help reset his flagging premiership.
The PM has weathered a number of scandals in recent weeks, including the publication of a report into 'Partygate' which found an unacceptable level of alcohol consumption at Downing Street while the UK hunkered under stringent lockdown measures.
Mr Johnson's team has also been hit by a raft of senior resignations, while the role of his Carrie Johnson on policy within Number Ten has come under increased scrutiny from the media, leading to accusations of 'misogyny' from her supporters.
Guto Harri, who was appointed on Saturday, said in his first interview that the pair launched into a rendition of Gloria Gaynor's hit song after he asked the prime minister if he could survive.
Mr Harri, a former BBC journalist who worked for Johnson when he was Mayor of London, told the Welsh-language news website Golwg360 that the prime minister is "not a complete clown" and described their meeting on Friday.
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"I walked in and I made a salute and said 'prime minister, Guto Harri reporting for duty' and he stood up from back to his desk and started taking the salute," Mr Harri said in comments translated from Welsh to English.
"We were both laughing. Then I asked 'Are you going to survive Boris?' And he said it in his deep voice, slowly and purposefully and started singing a little while finishing the sentence and saying 'I Will Survive'."
He invited me to say 'You've got all your life to live' and he replied, 'I've got all my love to give', so we had a little blast of Gloria Gaynor.
The prime minister's spokesman refused to comment when asked about Mr Johnson's conversation with his new communications director and if they sang the song.
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The Prime Minister made other new appointments to his team over the weekend, with Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Steve Barclay becoming his chief of staff.
The Times reported No 10 was hoping to announce the return of Dame Emily Lawson as the new permanent secretary this week.
Dame Emily, who currently runs NHS England’s vaccination programme, was seconded to Downing Street’s delivery unit – a team in charge of ensuring the Governm ent delivers on its policies – in April last year before returning to the health service in October.
Meanwhile, Sajid Javid, the UK's Health Secretary, branded the attacks on Carrie Johnson 'misogynistic' following revelations made in a new soon-to-be published book by billionaire Lord Ashcroft.
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Mr Javid said: “”I just think as a general rule, a politician’s partner – any politician, any party – should be off limits.
“It’s the politician that has chosen to have a public life… I think the, this whole focus on Carrie Johnson in some of these reports, I think it’s very undignified and very unfair.”
Source: thenationalnews
