The UK prime minister was criticised by the media after he was spotted painting in an expensive villa. The British media attacked him, saying that while Boris Johnson was enjoying his luxury holiday, the British people were struggling with labour and fuel shortages, rising prices, and many other problems, including job losses.
The High Cost of Boris Johnson’s Holiday
Johnson is spending his holiday in a luxury villa in Marbella, Spain, the media reported. The PM’s spokesman did not want to confirm whether the prime minister paid for the trip himself. The rent for the villa where Johnson is currently staying is said to be £25,000 a week. The prime minister and his wife, Carrie Symonds, are currently vacationing on the 600-hectare property. The villa has two swimming pools, a tennis court and a helicopter landing area. All the staff on the property who prepare food for Johnson and his wife must stay on site until the end of the holiday.
All the cooks, cleaners and gardeners present at the villa have signed stringent contracts that prevent them from disclosing any personal information to others. It is worth mentioning that Churchill also painted, and one of his paintings is of Morocco which has become very famous. The painting was purchased in 2011 by Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt.
Boris Johnson Holidays at the Height of Crises
The Johnsons are currently holidaying in Spain and are expected to return to the UK this week. The family holiday comes as the UK grapples with its biggest crisis since the Covid-19 pandemic. While the country is severely affected by the consequences of the fuel crisis these days due to a shortage of truck drivers and rising energy prices, Johnson’s trip to Spain and his stay in a luxury holiday villa has drawn sharp criticism against him.
Rising Criticism of Boris Johnson
As the UK prime minister traveled to Spain and stayed in a luxury villa despite growing concerns about rising energy prices and fuel shortages, he will now have to accept new criticism. Gareth Stace, the director-general of UK Steel, said now is “not the time” for Mr Johnson to take a holiday. “I’m sure he can get on the phone and get talking to them, but to my mind, now is not the time for a prime minister to be on holiday, from the steel sector point of view,” he said
The UK in the Midst of Crises
The British steel sector has long sought help from the UK government to cope with the enormous costs. The UK is one of the countries most affected by the global increase in gas prices. At the same time, the severe shortage of skilled workers is increasingly being felt in many parts of the country. Many supermarkets are empty, and many gas stations are closed due to insufficient truck drivers.
Boris Johnson’s Holiday is Expensive!!
Boris Johnson was also heavily criticised last year for an expensive Caribbean holiday. Johnson was investigated for spending his holiday in 2020 on the island according to paragraph 14 of the British Parliament Act. This research was particularly relevant to travel outside the UK in 2020. The rules state that any spending over £300 must be record if it is not fully funded by the individual. Of course, Johnson was acquitted at the time.
Lack of Fuel and Closure of Petrol Stations
In recent weeks, fuel shortages have forced Britons to line up at petrol stations for hours. The country’s supply chain, which has been under pressure by Brexit and the spread of Covid-19, was strained further by public panic buying. Some petrol stations imposed restrictions on filling car tanks. Police officers have been forced to show up at some stations, and the government has put the army on standby to help solve the problem. Petrol prices rose to their highest level in eight years amid the fuel crisis. The average price of a litre of petrol in the UK rose from 135.87 pence last Friday to 136.59 pence on Sunday, the highest level since September 2013.
Empty Store Shelves on Christmas Eve
These days, empty store shelves and the removal of some foods from restaurant menus are becoming more and more prominent. The British Retail Consortium (BRC) has warned that the situation will worsen this month as new rules on imports of animal products from the UK take effect. Dr Jonathan Owens, the logistics expert from Salford Business School, commented on the situation, saying we could see higher prices and lack of availability this festive season. Dr Owens said, “Empty shelves and delayed or cancelled deliveries have become a familiar sight for many as companies struggle to meet demands online and traditional supply channels with decreased capacity. Christmas supply routes are now running, and many companies are finding it challenging to book their place on ships, as currently the main supply route for our manufactured products is China.” Most companies try to adapt to the situation. Supermarket chain Tesco and e-commerce giant Amazon have no hesitation promising to give job rewards in the UK to attract the drivers or vendors they need to serve their customers. The British meat industry is considering starting partnerships with prisons to bring some prisoners into the work cycle.
The Declining Reputation of Boris Johnson’s Holiday
The combination of these developments has pushed the ruling Conservative Party’s popularity to its lowest level since the general election two years ago. Support for the Conservatives dropped by five points to 33% according to a recent opinion poll conducted by YouGov, with the Labour Party up by one point to 35%, putting it in the lead for the first time since January. A combination of the UK’s exit from the EU and the terrible outbreak of Covid-19 have exacerbated the crisis in the UK. More than for HG drivers in 2020 due to the pandemic. The UK’s Road Haulage Association (RHA) estimates that 20,000 truck drivers left the UK following Brexit. Most of them have not returned. Boris Johnson’s holiday has made people nervous as they are struggling with all manner of crises. Their economic situation and standards of living are declining day by day. They say that the prime minister does not care about them, because if he did he would not leave them at the height of the crisis to go on holiday. Rising protests over Boris Johnson’s mismanagement and inability to resolve various concerns have raised new doubts about the Conservative vote in the UK. Experts predict that if this trend continues, the Conservative Party will lose the next general election.
