Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Politics
Dan Bloom

Downing Street declines to say Boris Johnson is a good role model for children

Downing Street has declined to say whether Boris Johnson is a good role model for children.

The Prime Minister’s Deputy Official Spokesman said he was “obviously” not going to discuss “individual comments” after the remark by the government’s social mobility tsar.

Katharine Birbalsingh, Britain’s ‘strictest head teacher’ who was lauded at Tory conference and made chair of the social mobility commission, last night said the PM is "not professional enough for me".

Asked by Sky News if he was a good role model for kids she replied: “No, I don't think so, I don't

“I wish he could be but he isn't and that is a bit sad.” Asked for examples she said “his personal life” after multiple divorces and “his hair”.

“The other day I saw a picture of him in the Metro and I looked at his hair and I thought, oh my goodness, you know, we expect our children to have professional looking hair,” she said.

Katharine Birbalsingh, Britain’s ‘strictest head teacher’ (S Meddle/ITV/REX/Shutterstock)

The PM’s deputy official spokesman was asked today if Mr Johnson was a good role model for kids.

He replied: “So I’m obviously not going to get into private or individual comments.

“I think what the Prime Minister is focused on is what you heard in his speech yesterday. He set out the government priorities in growing the economy, tackling the cost of living, which we know is putting pressure on households up and down the country, funding the NHS to clear the Covid backlogs, to make our streets safer.

“And yesterday you saw the Prime Minister making announcements to make it easier to get on the housing ladder.”

Asked if Mr Johnson needed to neaten his hair, the spokesman replied: “The Prime Minister is entirely focused on what the British people elected him to do, which is to focus on the problems we know many people up and down the country face, and that’s what the Prime Minister is entirely focused on.”

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.