Boris Johnson attempted to water down the official inquiry that found Home Secretary Priti Patel bullied staff, Whitehall sources have confirmed. Why this is news when Boris has never been too concerned over violence and bullying is the real shocker. Johnson has a history of playing down violence and bullying.
It follows claims the prime minister tried and failed to convince his ministerial standards adviser Sir Alex Allan to tone down his finding that her behaviour amounted to bullying as he found instances of shouting and swearing.
The adviser resigned on Friday after Mr Johnson overruled his conclusion that Ms Patel breached the ministerial code and stood by his home secretary.
Offering what she described as an “unreserved, fulsome apology”, Ms Patel seized on Sir Alex’s finding that she received no feedback on the impact of her behaviour.
However, this was disputed by Sir Philip Rutnam, who quit as the Home Office’s permanent secretary after accusing Ms Patel of a “vicious and orchestrated briefing campaign” against him.
He said she was advised not to shout and swear at staff the month after her appointment in 2019 and that he told her to treat staff with respect “on a number of further occasions”.
Sir Philip also said he was not interviewed for the inquiry despite him having launched a constructive dismissal claim at an employment tribunal.
Boris Johnson is used to shrugging of bullying and even threats of violence as long as its friends that are doing the threatening.
“β¦.Boris was on tape talking to Darius Guppy – a schoolfriend and a ‘great chap’, despite being a convicted fraudster – who rang you up, on tape, and suggested that you help him beat up a journalist that was looking into him.” – Ian Hislop
“I won’t deny a word of it. I’m not ashamed of it – whatever there is not to be ashamed of. It was thanks to me that he didn’t get beaten up.” – Boris Johnson
“β¦.because you didn’t do what you said you’d do?” – Hislop
“Yes.” – Johnson
“I bring it up because there is a transcript of the conversation – which I have a copy of – and I print it in my magazine as much as humanly possible to remind people that you conspired to beat up a journalist.” – Ian Hislop.
Boris Johnson, British Prime Minister, once conspired to intimidate & beat up a journalist who was investigating one of his criminal friends.
The true test of a manβs character is what he does when no one is watching.
βA couple of black eyesβ: Johnson and the plot to attack a reporter
Bullingdon Boy thuggery watch the video.
Boris Johnson engaged in a conversation with Darius Guppy about having someone beaten up. While Johnson is not the one urging the beating, he does not protest against the idea that someone be given βtwo black eyes and a cracked ribβ, and appears more worried about possible political fallout or attachment to him. There is a reference to someone βgoing through the filesβ.
I donβt know the context of this conversation. And it was not Boris who initiated the discussion. It is also fair to say he sounds uncomfortable about the violence. But his failure to tell Guppy not to commit the violence is difficult to excuse.
Here is a transcript:
Guppy: Boris, have you got this number?
Johnson: [inaudible] look, there is a guy at the moment, going throughβ¦
Guppy: Youβre brilliant.
Johnson: β¦ files at home
Guppy: Fantastic. But I am telling you something, Boris. This guy has got my blood up, alright? And there is nothing which I wonβt do to get my revenge. Itβs as simple as that.
Johnson: How badly are you going to hurt this guy?
Guppy: Not badly at all.
Johnson: I really, I want to know β¦
Guppy: Look, let me explain to youβ¦
Johnson: If this guy [see/sues?] me I will be fucking furious.
Guppy: I guarantee you he will not be seriously hurt.
Johnson: How badly will he β¦
Guppy, interrupting: He will not have a broken limb or broken arm, he will not be put into intensive care or anything like that. He will probably get a couple of black eyes and a β¦ a cracked rib or something.
Johnson: Cracked rib?
Guppy: Nothing which you didnβt suffer at rugby, OK? But heβll get scared and thatβs what I want β¦ I want him to get scared, I want him to have no idea whoβs behind it, OK?
Johnson: If I get trouble, if I getβ¦
Guppy: You will not, Boris. I swear to you. If youβ¦
Johnson: [unaudible bluster]β¦ I got this bloody number for you. OK, Darrie. I said Iβd do it. Iβll do it. Donβt worry.
Guppy: Boris, I mean it; I really love you. Guppy: But Boris thereβs absolutely no * proof: you just deny it. I mean, thereβs no proof at all.
Johnson: Well yeahβ¦
Guppy: I mean, you know, big deal. Youβre sitting in Brussels and the day it happens youβre in Brussels, itβs as simple as that.
By now you may have noticed that Boris Johnsonβs primary concern is that his role in this planned assault will be discovered.
Compassionate conservative
Also, just in case there is any doubt about the nature of the information he promises Guppy, here is a fuller transcript of the tail end of the conversation, where he promises to deliver both the phone number and address of the man Darius Guppy plans to have beaten in a revenge attack:
Guppy: Well do it discreetly. I β¦ if itβs in any way going to look suspicious. Thatβs all I require β just the address: the address and the phone number β¦ all right? Now I guarantee you, you have nothing to worry about. [Slowly, emphatically] Believe me. All right? You have my personal guarantee. Iβve never let you down, all right?
Johnson: OK Darrie, I said Iβll do it and Iβll do it. Donβt worry.
Guppy: Boris, I really mean it, I love you and I will owe you this, all right? And Iβm a man who keeps my word.
Guppy was a Bullingdon Club member along with not only Johnson, but also Osborne and Cameron. It comes as a wake up call to those who believe the carefully crafted βcompassionate conservativeβ propaganda.
In the event the assault did not occur, while Guppy ended up being jailed for a separate Β£1.8m fraud and Johnson later dismissed the call as a joke. But after being tracked down by the Guardian, the retired reporter said he had been so disturbed by the βGuppygateβ incident he had told his wife to be careful answering the front door.
Collier the intended victum learned of the call long after the fact, he was sufficiently unsettled by the discovery to worry for his familyβs safety, he said. The 69-year-old called on Johnson to apologise to him and his wife over the incident, which he said had left her frightened at home with their then young son, Ross. He said he thought it was βdisgracefulβ Johnson could become prime minister and he should βdefinitely apologiseβ. Johnson is now the British Prime minister.
Asked about the politicianβs claim the conversation was a joke, he replied: βI didnβt treat it as a joke. Thatβs why I warned my wife to be careful about who she answered the door to. I took it seriously at the time and it concerned me. I was worried, certainly worried enough to put my wife on a warning.β
During the call, Johnson told Guppy he had tried four contacts to obtain the reporterβs details but was fearful his role in the plot would be uncovered. Guppy told him: βI am telling you something, Boris, this guy has got my blood up, all right, and there is nothing which I wonβt do to get my revenge. Itβs as simple as that.β
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