Boris Johnson snapped back at Sky News reporter Beth Rigby following his press conference in response to the bombshell Sue Gray report.
Sky’s political editor asked the Prime Minister whether he has considered resigning, given the accounts of excessive drinking, altercations and poor treatment of cleaners published in the report.
She said: “It’s your culture, under your leadership, did you never for a moment in the past five months or even this morning when that report landed on your desk and you read it blow by blow think about resigning?
“A poll out today says three in five Britons think that you should.”
When Beth Rigby pushed for a follow-up, the PM snapped: "Why are only you allowed to come back Beth, it shows you have some kind of special position,” before quickly saying “forgive me”.
Boris Johnson under fire from viewers after Beth Rigby remarks
The altercation saw viewers head to social media to share their thoughts.
One social media user said: “Boris getting snappy at Beth Rigby. One of the few journalists in this presser pressing his buttons.”
Ian Dunt, columnist at the I newspaper said: “In this case a flash of anger directed towards Sky's Beth Rigby. She is very good, so naturally he despises her.”
In this case a flash of anger directed towards Sky's Beth Rigby. She is very good, so naturally he despises her.
— Ian Dunt (@IanDunt) May 25, 2022
A third added: “Yes, Beth Rigby broke the rules but she served her punishment. Boris set the rules and broke them, and that is worse. Lawmakers can't be lawbreakers. Rigby isn't a lawmaker. Boris is.”
Boris Johnson looking into reports of staff’s rude treatment cleaners
The Prime Minister said he had begun making inquiries about which staff had been rude to security and cleaning staff in No 10 and Whitehall.
Addressing a Downing Street press conference, Boris Johnson said: “On the behaviour of staff and alleged rudeness, I don’t know who is specifically guilty of that.
“In the course of my apologies today, I began to make some inquiries and I will, of course, continue them.
“As I said earlier on, I think it is utterly intolerable for people to be rude to hard-working staff.
“At the very least, they should apologise but I don’t yet have the names of those who were responsible.”
