Nadine Dorries Suggests Boris Johnson Wasn't Booed That Much And It's Not Helping

Nadine Dorries has leapt to the defence of Boris Johnson after he received a bracing reception from the public at a Platinum Jubilee service – but the culture secretary’s loyalty appears to have been counter-productive.

The prime minister faced boos – and a smattering of cheers – as he walked up the St Paul’s Cathedral steps with wife Carrie Johnson to attend the service of thanksgiving for the Queen on Friday.

As BBC presenter Jane Hill, who was standing yards away, noted: “There is quite a lot of booing, actually. A substantial amount.”

The Prime Minister @BorisJohnson arriving with wife Carrie at St Paul’s Cathedral for the Platinum Thanksgiving Service is booed by some in the crowd@BBCNews pic.twitter.com/rHbBgX8Jzh
— Victoria Derbyshire (@vicderbyshire) June 3, 2022

American broadcaster CBS tracked the incident from another angle.

Boris Johnson was booed as he arrived at St. Paul's Cathedral on Friday for the queen's Platinum Jubilee celebration. The British PM is facing calls to resign after it was revealed he and others partied during the pandemic, as lockdowns were enforced. https://t.co/JP7MDq9YbA pic.twitter.com/oJ2URdRxCq
— CBS News (@CBSNews) June 3, 2022

And it was arguably worse on the way out.

.@BorisJohnson booed relentlessly as he left @StPaulsLondon thanks giving with his wife @carrielbjohnson. #PlatinumJubilee pic.twitter.com/gTJ3dVdy6O
— Karl Turner MP (@KarlTurnerMP) June 3, 2022

The online mockery appeared to prompt Dorries to weigh in, with the Cabinet minister in charge of the media taking umbrage with a headline published by The Times that read: “Queen’s thanksgiving service: Boos and jeers for Boris Johnson outside St Paul’s.”

She wrote: “There were far, far more cheers, but that doesn’t make a good headline does it.”

There were far, far more cheers, but that doesn’t make a good headline does it.

Queen’s thanksgiving service: Boos and jeers for Boris Johnson outside St Paul’shttps://t.co/7TFYaQDoWE
— Nadine Dorries (@NadineDorries) June 3, 2022

The Times, seen by many as the UK’s national newspaper of record, replied brutally with an emoji, a video and poll.

🤔 https://t.co/NAiNDOWaH8
— The Times (@thetimes) June 3, 2022

Was Boris Johnson greeted with booing or cheering?
— The Times (@thetimes) June 3, 2022

a tweet for the ages https://t.co/rdZkuNkVZu
— Emma Yeomans (@Effy_Yeomans) June 3, 2022

😬 https://t.co/ZXUaaTGwsM pic.twitter.com/kbmnEj2ztQ
— Will Jennings (@drjennings) June 3, 2022

Dorries found very little support on the platform that she aired the grievance.

Can you recall an occasion when a prime minister has received *any* boos in the middle of a big royal event?
— Matt Chorley (@MattChorley) June 3, 2022

Because I’ve just come from @hayfestival, I wonder what it would be like to have a Culture Secretary who tweeted her support of extraordinary arts events like that, and hundreds of others, instead of this nonsense https://t.co/yvOyx2KAQf
— Alex Clark (@AlexClark3) June 3, 2022

Genuine question; are you aware of the fact that other people can hear sounds
— James Felton (@JimMFelton) June 3, 2022

That’s not what it sounds like on the footage I’ve seen. Some catcalls too https://t.co/GiNyy1X8Vn
— Adam Boulton (@adamboultonTABB) June 3, 2022

Tories 2021: "There was no booze"
Tories 2022: "There were no boos"
— Richard Littler (@richard_littler) June 3, 2022

Remember, Dorries will be responsible for "tackling misinformation" under the new Online Safety Bill, with robust provisions for ministerial orders. https://t.co/yqEjWxuMKp
— Jakub Krupa (@JakubKrupa) June 3, 2022