Boris Johnson has been pictured painting while on his holiday in Marbella, Spain, much to people’s bemusement.
The prime minister left the country last Friday despite the escalating crises erupting around the UK.
From the collapsing elements of Brexit to the soaring energy prices, empty supermarket shelves and HGV driver shortages, Britain is expecting a so-called “winter of discontent”.
A damning Covid report from MPs calling the government’s initial handling of the pandemic the “worst ever public health failure” in UK history was also released on Tuesday.
People are therefore furious after the prime minister was snapped painting on holiday in the £25,000-a-week villa he has allegedly borrowed from a Tory peer, especially after ministers repeatedly claimed he was continuing to work remotely.
As a spokesperson for the prime minister said on Monday: “The prime minister continues to be in charge as is always the case. The prime minister has taken calls with leaders already and there will be others to follow.
“The prime minister has been kept regularly updated on the ongoing work to address the current issues around fuel and supply chains.
“He is in regular contact with ministers and No 10.
“He is also continuing to take calls particularly in the run-up to Cop26.”
Johnson’s holiday comes less than two months after both he and then-foreign secretary Dominic Raab were in the firing line for going on holiday when the Afghanistan crisis erupted.
The prime minister’s critics were quick to compare him to fellow painter, World War 2 prime minister Winston Churchill – who Johnson is known to idolise, while also speculating over what kind of masterpiece he might be conjuring up.