A senior official in the biggest rail workers union has been suspended after making disparaging comments over the Prime Minister being ill with coronavirus.
Steve Hedley, assistant general secretary of the Rail, Maritime and Transport union, is believed to have made comments on social media about having a party, in reference to Boris Johnson's condition.
He is a longstanding RMT official and is effectively the union's number two.
A spokesman for the union said: "Following a meeting of the union's National Executive a decision has been made to suspend senior assistant general secretary Steve Hedley with immediate effect while a formal investigation takes place into his conduct."
In a joint statement RMT president Michelle Rodgers and general secretary Mick Cash said: "Steve Hedley's comments do not represent the views of this trade union and are wholly unacceptable."
The Prime Minister was admitted to hospital on Sunday due to persistent symptoms of coronavirus and spent three days at an intensive care unit at St Thomas' Hospital when his condition worsened.
He waved to NHS staff as a gesture of thanks while he was being moved out of intensive care, Downing Street said today.
After three days in intensive care, Mr Johnson was moved out onto a ward last night shortly before the 8pm 'Clap for Carers'.
Today his spokesman said: "The Prime Minister is back on a ward and continuing his recovery which is at an early stage. He continues to be in very good spirits."
Johnson was the first world leader to be hospitalised with the coronavirus, forcing him to hand control to foreign minister Dominic Raab just as Britain's situation worsened drastically.
As of Friday afternoon, 9,016 people have died in hospital after testing positive for coronavirus - 8,114 in England, 495 in Scotland, 315 in Wales and 92 in Northern Ireland - but the true toll is likely much higher as hundreds are thought to have died in private homes, care homes and hospices.
Despite his condition improving, it remained unclear how long Johnson would be incapacitated. His spokesman said his recovery was only just beginning and he would take advice from his medical team.
"He must rest up," his father, Stanley Johnson, told BBC radio. "You cannot walk away from this and go straight back to Downing Street and pick up the reins without a period of readjustment."
Johnson's pregnant fiancee, Carrie Symonds, who has also had coronavirus symptoms, tweeted a rainbow picture - in support of healthcare workers - along with hand-clapping emojis.
