Boris Johnson’s Christmas Holiday 2021
Boris Johnson has urged ‘caution’ when it comes to social mixing at Christmas and New Year, by a video message before Christmas and a brief interview from Milton Keynes in 29th December,
This is a rare piece of sensible advice from Johnson. It’s just a pity he didn’t start out with this approach some weeks back and then follow it through
This does however beg the question of what Johnson did at Xmas.
There are some, one presumes fans of Scrooge, who think Johnson shouldn’t have had a holiday at all because there is a national crisis. The problem is that capitalism is a system of crisis so on that basis he would never have a holiday. More pragmatically there are clearly those in the NHS and other key areas who didn’t get a holiday over Christmas. However they should have done.
Where Johnson actually was remains unclear. He has said he was in the UK but possibly not at the PMs usual retreat of Chequers.
Again to be clear I don’t care where Johnson is or is not. The point is that wherever it was history suggests that it was with dodgy people and paid for not by Johnson but at best by some doubtful arrangement.
We do know that Johnson likes holidays and perhaps particularly at Christmas
There are some clues in several biographies of Johnson as to where. Sonia Purnell in Just Boris notes that he eagerly participated in his youth in a game to see who could eat the hottest mince pie.
In his adult years he seems to have enjoyed Xmas breaks in India or ski-ing. According to Andrew Gimson’s’ Boris’ at a Spectator Xmas lunch in 2004 he opined about some relationship difficulties ‘put on a good Christmas and it’ll be all right’.
Sonia Purnell in Just Boris notes that in 2010 he took his then wife Marina Wheeler on holiday to India. It was not a short affair. They were still at Serai on New Year’s Eve.
Purnell describes the location as ‘a luxury camp of tented villas in the Thar desert, Rajasthan.. Conde Naste Traveller observed the 24 ‘tents’ around a pool (in a desert) inspired by a traditional Indian step-well represented ‘a new level of luxury’.
Suites for two cost up to £716 for bed and breakfast per night.
In short Johnson is someone who enjoys a good Christmas period which is more than can be said for those who will be using foodbanks or on the streets this December
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