Boris Johnson sings 'I Will Survive' to his new communications director
February 7, 2022, 5:01 pm

Boris Johnson sings 'I Will Survive' to his new communications director

Levelling up means giving everyone, no matter where they live, the opportunity to flourish-UK PM Boris Jonhson official Facebook page

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.

American singer Gloria Gaynor/Official Facebook page

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

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BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has sponsored the BuildHer CityHack 2025 Hackathon, a two-day event spearheaded by the College of Engineering and Technology at the Royal University for Women (RUW).
Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
BENEFIT’s Chief Executive Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi, commented: “Our support for this educational hackathon reflects our long-term strategic vision to nurture the talents of emerging national youth and empower the next generation of accomplished female leaders in technology. By fostering creativity and innovation, we aim to contribute meaningfully to Bahrain’s comprehensive development goals and align with the aspirations outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030—an ambition in which BENEFIT plays a central role.”
Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”