Netherlands vaccine invasion plan was 'mad' and Boris Johnson 'done' with politics, says former Number 10 comms director

By Katy Ronkin

Boris Johnson's Number 10 communications director told LBC the ex-PM is 'done' with politics and admitted an invasion into the Netherlands for vaccines was 'a mad plan'.

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Guto Harri told LBC's political editor Natasha Clark that Boris Johnson was trying to "think outside of the box" and start a "discussion" when he he drew up plans for British special forces to step in after "futile" negotiations with EU chiefs over the release of five million vaccines.

Writing in his new memoir, Unleashed, Mr Johnson says he intended to take matters into his own hands when supplies were "kidnapped" by Brussels bureaucrats in a warehouse in Leiden.

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Mr Harri said the plan to invade the Netherlands was never serious but instead an exercise to encourage "outside the box" thinking.

He added: "[Boris Johnson] wasn't going to do that, but he's trying to say, let's not kill this idea before we've really thought it through.

"Because we need those vaccines. It's a question of life and death. And the EU are preventing them from coming to the UK. And so how are we going to unlock that? Shall we invade them? That is the start of a discussion and that is his style."

"I mean, I was in there once and I tried to calm him down by saying we were going to send a drone strike to take out Sue Gray and that would solve his problems.

"There was never any attempt to send a drone strike to sort of take out Sue, but it was just a way of lightening the mood and just conveying what people were thinking to clarify the true choices available. And so, we've got to be a little less prissy and a little more, more open minded here."

Mr Guto also revealed that Boris Johnson is "done" with politics.

He said: "He really is done and he enjoys writing.

"And I think from what we've already seen in this book, you can tell he's had a really good time in that study, looking out over some beautiful Cotswolds countryside, sort of revisiting happier times in his life."

The former communications director also shared his pick for Tory leader, throwing support behind James Cleverly.

Mr Harri said the Shadow Home Secretary is "the man to beat" citing his skills as a communicator and charm.

"He's always been the man to beat. I think he's a stand-up member of the human race. He's charming. He's a great communicator. He's got a connection. He's got a great backstory. He's got experience of two of the great officers of state. What's not to like? "