Stressed out by Partygate? Let’s order a drone strike on Sue Gray, Boris’ assistant joked – POLITICO

LONDON – Well, that’s one way to handle a boring investigation.

A senior aide to Boris Johnson calmed him down by jokingly offering to order a drone strike on Sue Gray, the government official who was leading the ‘Partygate’ investigation into anti-lockdown rallies in Johnson’s government.

Speaking to a global podcast about his brief stint at No 10 as Johnson’s communications director last year, Guto Harri said his boss was “literally hysterical” the night before Gray released his damning report on the saga.

As Johnson prepared a parliamentary speech responding to his findings, Harri recalled that Johnson grew “increasingly angry, uncharacteristically sweary and upset the more he thought about the impact of this and what Sue Gray had done. to his post as Prime Minister.

Harri then launched an unconventional plan to appease the frayed Prime Minister, telling the then Prime Minister: “Look at me. Here’s what we’re going to do. We’ll order a drone strike. We’ll take it out. We’re going to take Sue Gray out. But right now, right now, right now, you have to finish a speech you’re giving in Parliament tomorrow.

The former aide, who spent seven months as No 10 top spinner in the final days of Johnson’s premiership, stressed he ‘wasn’t serious about recommending this course of action “.

Johnson’s spokesperson said the former prime minister did not acknowledge Harri’s story of his premiership as detailed in the podcast, and clarified that Johnson had no role in creating the series .

Gray’s report and the lingering stench of the Partygate scandal dealt a serious blow to Johnson’s premiership.

Johnson is currently the subject of a parliamentary inquiry into the matter, and he has since taken photos of Gray after she left the civil service to take a job with Labor leader Keir Starmer.

According to Harri, Johnson was also happy to castigate Gray at the time.

Harri said Johnson called her “the total psychopath” and as someone planning an “orgy of pain, abuse and humiliation” at Johnson’s expense.