‘A likely story!’ Boris Johnson is slammed on social media after claiming that he hasn’t visited flood victims for 19 days to make sure he doesn’t obstruct emergency services
- Boris Johnson has once again been branded a ‘part-time PM’ on social media
- Comes amid criticism aimed at Boris Johnson for not visiting flood victims
- The PM claims that emergency services told him he’d be a distraction to them
Boris Johnson has been slammed over his excuse for not visiting flood victims across the country for 19 days.
The Prime Minister claimed on This Morning that he’d stayed away from devastated areas left under water because he didn’t want to obstruct the emergency services.
He was roundly ridiculed on Twitter following the show, as Maureen Clarke tweeted: ‘Boris Johnson declares today that the emergency services had instructed him not to visit the flooded areas in U.K. as it would distract from their work -a likely story.’
One user going by the name Highwayman mocked the Prime Minister’s claim that he’d been busy ‘directing operations’ and so couldn’t visit.
Another added: ‘Couldn’t find the time to visit flood victims but sat having a cosy chat on This Morning. Tells you all you need to know about our #PartTimePM.’
And a social media user named Sarah branded him ‘a complete let-down’ as she accused the politician of not being able to give a straight answer.
This Morning presenter Phillip Schofield joked that people could be forgiven for thinking he’d self-isolated amid the coronavirus crisis.
The presenter said: ‘People thought you’d put yourself into self-isolation because there are many people watching this who are out of their home. Their houses are completely flooded and you weren’t anywhere to be seen – where were you?’
Mr Johnson said he was focusing on practical support for those affected and claimed that the emergency services has suggested he stay away.
‘What we have been doing is homewners get the support that they need,’ he said, before adding: ‘I am very proud of the work the emergency services do.
‘They said to us when you go to a flood everyone has to down tools, they all meet for an hour or more to brief you, when they could be getting on with the emergency
Flood water at Snaith in the East Riding of Yorkshire, has only dropped by inches in over six days
Pictured: Floods in Snaith in the East Riding of Yorkshire as Boris Johnson faces criticism over his response
Snaith in the East Riding of Yorkshire is pictured as flooding devastates the country and Johnson faces criticism for his response
‘They said to us is all you will do is distract us, and helping people with their immediate crisis.
‘I was directing operations, getting money they are entitled to, plus that we get the flood defences, we are putting £4billion into flood defences.’
In November last year Mr Johnson was pictured visiting flooding victims alongside the emergency serves.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson helps with the clean up at an opticians as he visits Matlock, Derbyshire to view the effects of the flooding in November
Johnson today claimed that emergency services told him he’d be a distraction visiting flooded areas but in November last year was pictured alongside police officers during the floods
Yorkshire and the Midlands were the worst affected areas by the flooding, with Doncaster particularly badly hit in November