11 Barnard Castle flashbacks over the Johnsons’ excuse for having a friend to stay at Christmas
People are having a hard time believing the reason given for Boris and Carrie Johnson to have had their friend, Nimco Ali, staying with them in Downing Street at Christmas.
Carrie Johnson 'broke lockdown to have a friend stay over for Christmas' https://t.co/SIsXi8mA9S
— Rachel Wearmouth (@REWearmouth) October 17, 2021
Carrie and I did not break the rules last Christmas! We stuck rigidly to the main one that says it's one rule for us and another rule for everyone else. https://t.co/1uUDACqdTR
— Parody Boris Johnson (@BorisJohnson_MP) October 18, 2021
Tier 4 rules, which applied in London, barred people from mixing indoors with anyone from a different household, with exceptions for separated parents and support bubbles.
It was under the childcare support bubble exemption that Downing Street claims Nimco Ali stayed with the Johnsons.
.@annietrev confirms on Today that “kind support of Nimco" in a childcare bubble – with Nimco Ali looking after Wilfred as her God parent – was why @NimkoAli had Christmas with @carrielbjohnson and @BorisJohnson. She insists no rules were broken
— Robert Peston (@Peston) October 19, 2021
There was a lot of chin stroking on Twitter, as the explanation seemed to push with enthusiasm at the bounds of reason.
1.
People weren’t allowed to see their lonely nans on Christmas Day
But Boris and Carrie had their pal over to No.10
…when they were both at home
…with one baby
…to help with childcare
— Marina Purkiss (@MarinaPurkiss) October 18, 2021
2.
364 days out at work: no childcare.
Christmas Day, with both parents at home: childcare desperately needed. Will pay in Turkey.
Totally legit. https://t.co/FO9bXfWMVW
— Russ Jones (@RussInCheshire) October 19, 2021
3.
Ah yes, I’m sure Carrie and Boris Johnson definitely needed a childminder when they both had to put in a shift at work on Christmas Day https://t.co/GbamKJJVQs
— Red Sky At Night (@redskyatnight) October 19, 2021
4.
They should have just gone for the Dominic Cummings approach: "Fearing that my oven was not working, I did what any parent would do: tested it by cooking a large turkey and inviting a friend over for lunch." https://t.co/zQERGACHcd
— Robert Hutton (@RobDotHutton) October 18, 2021
4.
The notion Boris Johnson invited Nimco Ali for Christmas so she could provide childcare is as absurd as the notion Dominic Cummings drove to Barnard Castle to test his eyesight.
The truth is, they don't believe the law really applies to people like them.
— Jo Maugham (@JolyonMaugham) October 18, 2021
5.
Johnson fucks off at the start of a pandemic.
Johnson fucks off when Afghanistan falls.
Johnson fucks off during a labour & fuel crisis.The Tories: Yeah, he needed childcare on Christmas Day cause he was working.
Fuck off
— joe heenan (@joeheenan) October 19, 2021
6.
I once got round my own lockdown rules by saying Nimco Ali was staying with us for Christmas because she was a babysitter pic.twitter.com/D8TuLeKAOC
— dave ❄️ 🥕 🧻 (@davemacladd) October 19, 2021
7.
If only that Tory donor had forked out for the nanny. Pray for them. https://t.co/0FEUnbgo2p
— Otto English (@Otto_English) October 19, 2021
8.
Turns out Dominic Cummings drove Nimco Ali down from Barnard Castle to look after Carrie & Boris Johnson's kid.
Makes as much sense as the Downing Street version. pic.twitter.com/6sxEPdRlet
— El Christo (@ElRaynerista) October 19, 2021
9.
Barnard castle don’t do child care during a pandemic. But if they did, it would still be illegal during a pandemic.
— Dr. Jennifer Cassidy (@OxfordDiplomat) October 19, 2021
10.
To all those people who still don’t accept it was completely fine that Carrie needed to have her best friend to help look after her baby on Christmas Day I simply say this: have you ever tried raising a child in a small flat with gold wallpaper at £400 a roll? No you haven’t.
— Tom Peck (@tompeck) October 19, 2021
11.
Downing Street confirms PM was shocked to discover he was living under the same roof as one of his children last Xmas and a friend of Carrie’s came over to “explain what a child is and what you do with it”
— LCD Views (@LcdViews) October 19, 2021
Of course, if it’s true, it raises a different issue.
If the PM and his wife can’t get through Christmas Day in a house full of staff without additional childcare help for one tiny child, I am unconvinced he is the man to solve the supply chain, climate or covid crises.
— Brendan May (@bmay) October 19, 2021
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