No.10 Says Johnson Has 'Not Lost His Grip' But People Are Drawing Their Own Conclusions

"This sounds like the sort of thing I would tell my line manager when I was visibly hungover at my temp job."
Boris Johnson has been rinsed on Twitter after No.10 jumped in to defend him
Boris Johnson has been rinsed on Twitter after No.10 jumped in to defend him
Twitter @PeterRNeumann

Few people on Twitter agree with No.10′s claim that the prime minister has “not lost his grip” after his rambling speech on Monday.

Speaking to the Confederation of British Industry (CBI), Boris Johnson left the public completely bemused after he referenced Peppa Pig World, compared himself to Moses, imitated the roar of a car engine and lost his place in his speech for a staggering 21 seconds.

Afterwards, a reporter asked Johnson: “Frankly, is everything OK?”

He smiled in reply and said: ”I think the people got the vast majority of the points I wanted to make and I thought it went over well.”

More than 24 hours after his speech, few people agree. A BBC report caused further commotion after a “senior Downing St source” claimed there was “a lot of concern inside the building about the PM”.

No.10 has even had to respond to these worries that the prime minister is struggling. A spokesman claimed on Tuesday that people who watched the speech in the CBI audience were impressed with it.

He said: “Of course [Johnson has a grip].

“I’d point to the CBI themselves, who when asked about the speech said leaders would be heartened to hear the prime minister talk passionately about the role of the private sector working in partnership with government to achieve our shared ambition for a high-skilled, high investment economy.”

Defending the prime minister’s 21-second pause, the spokesman said: “I don’t think it’s unusual for people, on rare occasions, to lose their place in space.”

The spokesman also defied claims that the prime minister might still be recovering with a cold from last week, claiming: “The prime minister is well. He’s focused on delivering for the public.”

The spokesperson refused to comment on anonymous source quotes from Downing Street about Johnson.

But safe to say, not everyone on Twitter was as convinced that things were going quite so swimmingly.

This is a totally normal headline, nothing to see herehttps://t.co/HPd96b3eIO

— Claire Fletcher (@claireefletcher) November 23, 2021

Boris Johnson is not not not unwell and has not not not lost his grip, says No 10 https://t.co/Wwg4ze5vAV pic.twitter.com/suylzFubKZ

— University of Hal Duncan (unaccredited) (@Hal_Duncan) November 23, 2021

If you have to say this then you’re already past a point of no returnhttps://t.co/1IYT1Y2IdA

— JMcC (@jmcc500) November 23, 2021

And the bad news: this is what it looks like when Boris is well and in charge. 👇 https://t.co/24Gv3dAUBz

— Peter R. Neumann (@PeterRNeumann) November 23, 2021

This sounds like the sort of thing I would tell my line manager when I was visibly hungover at my temp job. pic.twitter.com/trS7ZPgIzE

— Nish Kumar (@MrNishKumar) November 23, 2021

No. He’s just a dreadful prime minister.

“Boris Johnson is not unwell and has not lost his grip, says No 10” https://t.co/BQwqzNbHPz

— Dr Joanne Pearman (@DrJoPearman) November 23, 2021

what grip?

— Simon Schama (@simon_schama) November 23, 2021

Well I'm convinced *Harry Hill look to camera* https://t.co/4cEop2SKJx

— Stuart C Taylor (@stuartctaylor) November 23, 2021
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