On Thursday, Boris Johnson announced his intention to step down as prime minister. I’m not a parliamentarian, so I don’t exactly understand what happens next other than “Boris Johnson spends his last weeks and months in office furiously covering up his crimes” and “Larry the Cat takes a dump in some of the moving boxes.” While there are some schemes afoot to get Boris out of office ahead of his formal October surrender, it feels like there’s a good chance he’ll still be technically in office for weeks more, possibly months more. There are some major perks to being prime minister, like the official PM’s country home, Chequers. As it turns out, Boris had already made some plans to host a lavish party at Chequers later this month!
Boris Johnson wants to stay on as caretaker Tory leader in part to throw a big wedding party at Chequers later this month, sources claim. The Mirror can reveal the Prime Minister and wife Carrie have planned a lavish bash at the grace-and-favour country home to mark their marriage. The couple tied the knot in a secret ceremony at Westminster Cathedral in front of just a handful of guests in May 2021. They then celebrated in the Downing Street garden but were only allowed 30 guests because of Covid restrictions in place at the time.
The couple’s Chequers do, planned for July 30, is expected to be a much bigger and more glamorous affair. Two separate sources told the Mirror that Mr and Mrs Johnson were keen to go ahead with the party, to which they have invited many of their family and friends. But allies of the PM dismissed the suggestion, saying he wanted to stay on as caretaker out of a sense of duty to guide the country until a new leader is found. The PM, who has finally announced that he would resign, would have to cancel the lavish do if he leaves office immediately.
One Tory source told the Mirror: “It beggars belief that even after all the criticism Johnson has faced regarding integrity and probity, one of the reasons he is staying is to have his wedding party at Chequers. It’s a national asset not his personal home. The Johnsons should do the decent thing and find a different venue. And Boris should do the decent thing and leave No 10 immediately”.
A second insider added: “It’s crass if it goes ahead.”
But a spokesman for Mr Johnson said: “The PM has a strong sense of duty and will continue to serve his country until a new leader is in place solely to continue his obligation to the public.”
Chequers is a a 16th Century mansion with a heated indoor swimming pool, putting green and 1,500 acres of grounds. It was donated to the nation in 1917 by Lord and Lady Lee of Fareham as a “place of rest and recreation for Prime Ministers” because some premiers did not even have their own country estates. Built in 1565 and costing taxpayers almost £1million a year, the sumptuous red-brick is far from most Brits’ everyday experience.
I don’t have anything to say about the idea of a prime minister’s residence outside of London, because I feel like… American presidents have that kind of thing too. Every POTUS can use Camp David however much they want. Every POTUS gets expensive security upgrades to their private homes and estates too. And it’s a bit rich (literally) to complain about the maintenance on Chequers when the Queen and her family are costing British taxpayers more than $100 million a year. But yes, in Boris Johnson’s particular situation, the whole thing is massively tacky. Imagine being so corrupt and awful that your whole cabinet resigns in protest but you refuse to step down right away just so you can throw a big party on government property. LOL.
Update: Just a short while ago, “sources” claimed that Boris and Carrie are moving their wedding party to another location. Do you believe that?
Remember yesterday when I said that I imagined the Benny Hill theme song played over the activities at Downing Street? Hugh Grant had the same idea.
Hugh Grant tweeted a request at activists protesting outside Westminster to play the Benny Hill theme on their loudspeakers; when they did it became the soundtrack for street interviews with leading Tories trying explain the situation to the British people pic.twitter.com/V1LxUoxRUE
— Aaron Fritschner (@Fritschner) July 7, 2022
Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Backgrid.
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- 08/11/2020. London, United Kingdom. Boris Johnson attends Remembrance Sunday. The Prime Minister Boris Johnson accompanied by his partner Carrie Symonds speak to Veteran’s after the Cenotaph Remembrance Sunday service.,Image: 567991049, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: This image is for Editorial use purposes only. The Image can not be used for advertising or commercial use. The Image can not be altered in any form., Model Release: no, Credit line: Andrew Parsons / Avalon
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- LONDON, ENGLAND – NOVEMBER 08: Britain’s Prime Minister Boris Johnson with partner Carrie Symonds, on their way to meet veterans during the National Service of Remembrance at The Cenotaph on November 08, 2020 in London, England. Remembrance Sunday services are still able to go ahead despite the covid-19 measures in place across the various nations of the UK. Each country has issued guidelines to ensure the safety of those taking part.,Image: 567991896, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Credit line: Chris Jackson / Avalon
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- Boris and Carrie Johnson in the garden of 10 Downing Street after their wedding on Saturday.,Image: 613259850, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Credit line: Rebecca Fulton / Avalon
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- 11/06/2021.Eden Project, G7 LeadersŐ Summit, Cornwall. Queen Elizabeth II speaks to The Prime Minister Boris Johnson and his wife Carrie as she arrives for the G7 leaders summit reception & dinner at the Eden Project as the Prime Minister Boris Johnson chairs the G7 Leaders Summit in Carbis Bay, Cornwall.,Image: 615377235, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: This image is for Editorial use purposes only. The Image can not be used for advertising or commercial use. The Image can not be altered in any form., Model Release: no, Credit line: Andrew Parsons / Avalon
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- Prime Minister Boris JOHNSON with his wife Carrie SYMONDS at the Tribuene Semifinals, Game M50, England (ENG) – Denmark (DEN) 2-1 nV on 07.07.2021 in London / Wembley Stadium. Football EM 2020 from 06/11/2021 to 07/11/2021.,Image: 620287589, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: picture alliance / SvenSimon, Model Release: no, Credit line: Frank Hoermann/SVEN SIMON / DPA Picture Alliance / Avalon
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- Boris and Carrie Johnson attend, St Pauls Cathedral for the National Service of Thanksgiving to Celebrate the Platinum Jubilee of Her Majesty The Queen .,Image: 696627077, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: -, Model Release: no, Credit line: Ian Vogler / Avalon
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- 03/06/2022. London, United Kingdom. Service of thanksgiving for the Queen. The Prime Minister Boris Johnson and his wife Carrie join members of the Royal Family at St Paul’s Cathedral for the Platinum Jubilee Service of thanksgiving for the Queen.,Image: 696688805, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: This image is for Editorial use purposes only. The Image can not be used for advertising or commercial use. The Image can not be altered in any form., Model Release: no, Credit line: Andrew Parsons / Avalon
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- Downing Street, London, UK. 6th July 2022. British Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, departs from Number 10 Downing Street to attend weekly Prime Minister’s Questions (PMQ) session in the House of Commons following the double resignation of Sajid Javid and Rishi Sunak yesterday and several others today.,Image: 705460399, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: Supplied by AVALON – Fee Payable Upon Reproduction – For queries contact Avalon – sales@avalon.red London: +44 (0) 20 7421 6000 Los Angeles: +1 (310) 822 0419 Madrid: +34 91 533 4289, Model Release: no, Credit line: Photo by Amanda Rose / Avalon
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- British Prime Minister Boris Johnson departs for PMQs – Downing Street, London, England, UK on Wednesday 6 July, 2022.,Image: 705460463, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: Please credit photographer and agency when publishing as Justin Ng/UPPA/Avalon., Model Release: no, Credit line: Justin Ng / Avalon
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- London, UK, 07th July, 2022. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson resigns with a speech outside 10 Downing Street in Westminster, London, UK,Image: 705713754, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Credit line: Imageplotter / Avalon
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- London, UK, 07th July, 2022. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson resigns with a speech outside 10 Downing Street in Westminster, London, UK,Image: 705713807, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Credit line: Imageplotter / Avalon
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- Carbis Bay, UNITED KINGDOM – Her Majesty The Queen speaks to the First Lady, Dr Jill Biden as she arrives for the G7 leaders summit reception and dinner at the Eden Project. The Prime Minister Boris Johnson chairs the G7 Leaders Summit in Carbis Bay, Cornwall. Pictured: Queen Elizabeth II, Boris Johnson, Carrie Johnson BACKGRID USA 11 JUNE 2021 BYLINE MUST READ: Best Image / BACKGRID USA: +1 310 798 9111 / usasales@backgrid.com UK: +44 208 344 2007 / uksales@backgrid.com *UK Clients – Pictures Containing Children Please Pixelate Face Prior To Publication*
The Prime Ministers – some of them don’t even have their own country homes? Poor babies. That quote. My word. LOL! Thank goodness for Lord and Lady Stuffamuffins for giving the poor sausages a country place.
That made me laugh, too! Poor babies! How does one even get through Eton & Oxbridge thence to Parliament without having a country manse bolt hole?
Those plans have now been cancelled after public outcry – poor didums. I guess he and Carrie ‘£7k on a rug’ Antoinette will have to make do with having it in her flat.
Before she starts taking down all the fancy wallpaper.
They’re now changing their wedding venue because of public outcry, which potentially gives the Tory Rebels and Labour opportunities next week to try to oust him sooner.
This man and his Mrs. threw party after party during lockdown whilst he public had to stay indoors and away from their loved ones. People were dying and he was hosting bingos and shiz with his minions on our dime.
He and Carrie Antoinette can f*** right off.
Huh. I had no idea that Boris Johnson was married to Brittany the Chipette from Alvin and the Chipmunks.
*faints from lack of breathing due to laughing too hard*
Ok, yeah, this is mean (kinda but it’s hard to say cause she put herself there beside…..THAT GUY) but she’s exactly what I think Jeanne Tripplehorn’s character in ‘Sliding Doors’ was referring to when she dismissed 90’s Goop as having “that British horsey look”.
LOL. Whenever I think “horsey”, I’m reminded of the Upper Class Twit of the Year sketch from Monty Python and Graham Chapman’s character: “his father was a Cabinet Minister and his mother won the Epsom Derby”.
I think the British upper class/aristos definitely have a distinctive look, don’t they? Or maybe a small handful of looks. There’s not much variation, at any rate. You have the horsey looking ones, the chinless ones, the Jacob Rees-Mogg ones… The dead eyes seem to be a running theme, though. I’ve also noticed that a lot of them (Carrie here being a good example) seem incapable of fully closing their mouths for some reason. It looks like their dentures are a size too big.
As of a couple of hours ago the wedding “celebration” has been moved to another location, no longer to be held at Checkers house.
In case there was doubt the U.K. should be chucked in the sea – one MP said since he’s being replaced, it would be cruel to deny him this. Sigh.
Nah, let me change that for you … Tory supporters should be chucked in the sea.
wonder how long till she files for divorce?
Same thought here. I’d bet they’re split within 18 months. The aphrodisiac of power will be replaced by stinging loss of stature and influence on her side. He’s going to be consoling himself in the arms of other women.
He probably already is, as a preemptive measure.
The Benny Hill theme playing is absolute class!
I sent the story to my friends last night saying occasionally I’m proud to be British.
Boris will have to be dragged out of Downing Street kicking and screaming; I genuinely cannot see him leaving of his own accord until he’s wrung every last penny and perk out of the Office, and screwed things up as much as possible for his successor.
Why do I think so? Because we have the same scenario in my province, where our toxic, grifting ambulatory rectum of a Conservative Premier was ousted as party leader for the same mixture of arrogance and incompetence- but only when the other elected members began to realize he would cost them their seats in the next election. That happened in April, but he’s still in office. I’m laying bets on him calling a snap election before a new party leader is chosen later this year, just so he can make sure his main rival doesn’t become Premier.
Can we just lock all of these dolts together in a soundproof room and throw away the key?
It’s ridiculous isn’t it; I call it the non-resignation, or I’ll leave when I want syndrome.
The sad thing is that the replacement could be even worse for the province.
As Foreign Minister, BoJo had a large, semi detached govt funded house in London. He took three weeks to move out of it when he quit that position, and only left after being hounded to get out by relevant govt officials. Guardian has an article on it. So yes, I can imagine he’ll take his time. The White House handover staff should offer master classes in timely move outs.
I mean she’s clearly e-vil for being with the weasel but I do think that wedding dress was lovely. If that white dress is indeed a wedding dress.
Yes. It’s a wedding dress. They got married in a Catholic church – although he’s been married twice before with children. A LOT of Catholics over here were upset by this.
Of course he will! No doubt in my mind.
I think she’s pretty and has the long hair that waity tries to replicate. I don’t know much about her except she’s married an old bag of gas.
Her dad owned a newspaper (The Independent, I think), her mum was his secretary then. She was sent to good (expensive) independent schools and was sacked for fiddling expenses whilst working for the Tory party. She’s supposedly known for her environmental endeavours, IIRC.
Carrie came to national prominence when herself and Johnson were having a blazing row in her apartment (she asked him to leave), and a concerned neighbour reported it to the police. The matter was covered up, and only came to light when the Guardian learnt of it. Only for the Johnsons to smear the neighbours actions with that of a “Remaniner” (people who were against Brexit).
Supposedly she gave him a blow job and he was trying to get her a government foreign office job (or work with the Royal Family ) on the back of it. This didn’t come out until they forced the Times to bury the story, which only Streistand it in the end.
Johnson took up his affair with her (discovered by an MP who traded his silence for a peerage), whilst his then-wife had cancer. Supposedly Johnson was shocked when said wife (after many of his infidelities) divorced him for good. Marianne (I think that’s her name) is a QC and not poor, so at least his children will be well supported because Johnson never seems to have money for some reason or the other.
Actually, she came into prominence for being a celebrity groupie ages ago. Her recount of “encounters” with Gordon Ramsay put her all over the front pages while nearly ruining his marriage and career. His father in law’s own scandal seem to have saved him, in the end. No word on if he was actually stupid enough to have let her near him. But the kerfuffle did what she set out for it to do.
Oh, I had to laugh at the whole Benny Hill theme song being played by protestors!! Hooray to Hugh Grant for think of it & hooray to the protestors who did it! As for Bozo & Wife, the unmitigated gall of first planning such a party at this time at that place & for somehow thinking changing the venue makes any difference.