‘Christmas at Chequers is cancelled’: The Prime Minister’s Remain-backing sister Rachel Johnson jokes about her arguments with Boris Johnson on Have I Got News For You
- The avid Remainer took umbrage to being introduced as the sibling of the PM
- Ms Johnson joked that being the Boris Johnson’s sister meant a ‘world of pain’
- Later she said after some of her comments Christmas at Chequers was cancelled
Rachel Johnson admitted that being the Prime Minister’s sister meant ‘a world of pain’ in her appearance on the BBC’s Have I Got News For You.
The avid Remainer, who has been critical of the UK’s decision to leave the EU, quickly objected to being introduced as the sibling to Boris Johnson.
Ms Johnson said on the BBC show: ‘I like the way you introduce me as Boris Johnson’s sister as if that is actually my day job.’
She joked with panelists that being the Prime Minister’s sister meant a ‘world of pain’.
Her appearance came ahead of her brother’s Super Saturday showdown in the House of Commons.
He faces an uphill task in getting MPs to back his Brexit deal after Remainers launched a plot to scupper it.
Host Victoria Coren Mitchell later asked Ms Johnson: ‘Does Boris ever phone you up and say ‘oh don’t say that it’s really embarrassing’
The broadcaster and journalist – who appeared on the popular programme with Paul Merton, Ross Noble, and Ian Hislop – quickly retorted: ‘Yup’
Host Victoria Coren Mitchell later asked Ms Johnson: ‘Does Boris ever phone you up and say ‘oh don’t say that it’s really embarrassing.’
The broadcaster and journalist – who appeared on the popular programme with Paul Merton, Ross Noble, and Ian Hislop – quickly retorted: ‘Yup’.
She added that after she made the comment about No Deal Brexit only benefiting currency speculators that ‘it meant Christmas Chequers was canceled.’
Ross Noble joked she could retort to her brother that ‘everything you do is embarassing, goodbye.’
She then added ‘No, I’m under orders to not do any chat shows, not to say anything about the Prime Minister, this is my safe space’ to raucous laughter from the audience.
In regular feature of the show, part of the show panelists were given a headline to complete that started ‘Queen set to earn £100 million from (blank space).’
Ms Johnson said: ‘I know, suing the Prime Minister for illegal prorogation.’
Ms Johnson appeared on the popular BBC comedy news show on the same team as celebrated comedian Paul Merton
Then she puts her hands to her face and exclaims: ‘Cut that bit! Christmas at Chequers is cancelled.’
Mr Merton then retorts: ‘Well he may not be at Chequers at Christmas, you don’t know.’
Boris Johnson’s sister quickly responds: ‘I hope he is.’
In a previous appearance on Sky News last month, Ms Johnson attacked her brother’s attempt to force through Brexit.
She said: ‘I think that what we are seeing is an executive that is so keen to deliver Brexit in any shape or form, to get the country out of the EU, to deliver up on that promised land, that they will do anything to justify that end’
Asked what could be behind the strategy, she said: ‘It could be (senior aide) Dominic Cummings advising the Prime Minister to be extremely aggressive and to face down opposition from all sides of the establishment in order to secure his position as the tribune of the people.
‘It could be coming from my brother himself, he obviously thoroughly enjoys being Prime Minister.
‘It also could be from – who knows – people who have invested billions in shorting the pound or shorting the country in the expectation of a no-deal Brexit. We don’t know.’
Ms Johnson is not the only family member to turn against the PM after his younger brother Jo revealed he was quitting as a minister and would stand down as the MP for Orpington at the next election.
He said there had been an ‘unresolvable tension’ between ‘family loyalty and the national interest’.