'Can Sunak separate himself from the legacy of Boris Johnson?', asks James O'Brien

12 June 2023, 15:46

By Maddie Wilson

James O'Brien shared his thoughts with his listeners after Rishi Sunak accused Boris Johnson of asking him to do something he thought was incorrect, at the London Tech Week conference.

James O'Brien shared his reaction with his listeners after Rishi Sunak accused Boris Johnson of asking him to do something he "wasn't prepared to do".

It comes amid a row with former Prime Minister Mr Johnson and his allies, as they blame Downing Street for Conservative MPs failing to appear on his resignation honours list despite them being nominated for the House of Lords.

Appearing at the London Tech Week conference, for his first public remarks since his predecessor's decision to quit as an MP, Mr Sunak said: "Boris Johnson asked me to do something that I wasn't prepared to do because I didn't think it was right and if people don't like that then tough."

James responded: "I just found that really interesting, you almost wanted to go: 'Ooo'...Get you Rishi, Mr Tough, he thinks he's Tyson Fury."

James went on to say: "This is a crucial question for Rishi Sunak, it might in fact be the most important question of all, is can he detach himself from Boris Johnson?

"That's the first really big attempt to do so, I thought the professionalism and accountability and integrity comments on the steps of Downing Street were but then he put Braverman back in the Home Office so he completely torched any claim to the moral high ground in that moment.

"Here's another claim to the moral high ground, is it more persuasive?"

James finally asked: "Is he going to be able to separate himself from the legacy of Boris Johnson?

"Can he wash off the stench of Johnson?"