A deleted Times article alleged Boris Johnson tried to gift Carrie a £100K Foreign Office job
If you were wondering whether the government would be on its best behaviour in the run-up to this week’s two crucial by-elections, the answer seems to be a resounding NO.
The New European reported on a political story published on page five of the Times that was pulled from subsequent pressings and from the website.
The Strange Case of The Times's Disappearing Scoop About How Johnson Once Attempted to Instal His Mistress as His £100,000-a-year Chief of Staff. https://t.co/VUIDo3LDaQ
— Tim Walker (@ThatTimWalker) June 18, 2022
Here’s how the story – first touted in Lord Ashcroft’s biography of Carrie Johnson, First Lady: Intrigue at the Court of Carrie and Boris Johnson – appeared in the paper.
“The Johnsons have not taken legal action over the book.”
The Times journalist who wrote the piece, Simon Walters, is confident his report was accurate.
Times journalist: I stand by my Johnson scoophttps://t.co/al7SbQtvum
— The New European – Think Without Borders (@TheNewEuropean) June 19, 2022
The mystery of why the story of Johnson’s alleged attempt to misuse public funds in the same way he was accused of doing with his other mistress, Jennifer Arcuri, has vanished from the Times calls into question the freedom of the press – a point picked up by some tweeters.
1.
BREAKING: Looks like the prime minister nuked all the newspaper stories about Carrie's £100k job with a super-injunction. This looks an awful lot like "woke leftie cancel culture" to me. Can't believe the prime minister isn't so keen on free speech x
— Laura Kuenssberg Translator (@BBCFLauraKT) June 19, 2022
2.
The leader of the opposition buying his mum a donkey sanctuary made the front pages
Our PM trying to give his mistress a £100k Govt job when Foreign Secretary did not
Joke country
— Marina Purkiss (@MarinaPurkiss) June 19, 2022
3.
Bet Red Wall voters could not be more delighted that Boris Johnson, as Foreign Secretary, sought to give his extra marital girlfriend a six figure taxpayer funded job. He's just like us. Who hasn't. Hurrah for Boris pic.twitter.com/NcHrTfSwfB
— Otto English (@Otto_English) June 18, 2022
4.
Just because I shagged Jennifer Arcuri behind my wife's back and gave her £100k of public money, that's no reason to believe that I tried to give Carrie a £100k/year job while I was shagging her behind my wife's back. https://t.co/ZMpZ2pEFpY
— Parody Boris (@Parody_PM) June 18, 2022
5.
And anyone doubts he used public money to benefit Arcuri? https://t.co/aaYXHNAdCC
— Jessica Simor QC (@JMPSimor) June 18, 2022
6.
— Toby Earle 🇺🇦 (@TobyonTV) June 19, 2022
7.
Hey British public you know that £100,000 he was going to pay his mistress was coming out of your pocket ….right ?#JohnsonTheCorruptPM
— Con O'Neill (@cononeilluk) June 19, 2022
8.
Extraordinary that the silencing of the Sunday Times & Mail, over a story that alleges gross misconduct & corruption by Boris Johnson, failed to get a mention in the paper review on the BBCs flagship #SundayMorning politics show
If @BBCPolitics isn't questioning, it's complicit https://t.co/BotlaW158I pic.twitter.com/63opJg9IrT
— Incorrigible FCA (@ImIncorrigible) June 19, 2022