TOTAL RHUBARB!
PM denies claim he ordered evacuation of Pen’s animals
BORIS Johnson yesterday dismissed claims he ordered the airlift of animals from Afghanistan as ‘total rhubarb’ – despite fresh emails linking him to the rescue effort.
The Prime Minister said he had ‘absolutely not’ intervened to save 170 dogs and cats from a shelter run by former Royal Marine Paul ‘Pen’ Farthing. But messages emerged last night showing guidance was sought from Downing Street on approving the evacuation.
An email from an aide to then Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab suggested both he and No10 were involved. Rachel King wrote on August 25: ‘I’ve just spoken to the FS [Foreign Secretary] about this.’ She added in the message obtained by the BBC’s Newsnight: ‘The FS is seeking a steer from Number 10 on whether to call them forward now.’
In another email handed to the programme, Nigel Casey, the PM’s special representative on Afghanistan, said national security adviser Sir Stephen Lovegrove had been told ‘to seek clear guidance for us from No10 ASAP on what they would like us to do’.
He added: ‘Stephen agreed to pursue this urgently.’
Mr Johnson yesterday maintained he had not been involved in the decision to evacuate Nowzad charity boss Mr Farthing, his staff and animals. Speaking during a visit to North Wales, he insisted: ‘This whole thing is total rhubarb.’
Pressed if he intervened, he responded: ‘Absolutely not – the military always prioritised human beings.’
But Sky News yesterday obtained more emails that called into question the Government’s account. They appeared to show Mr Johnson’s top parliamentary aide Trudy Harrison sought help securing a plane for the animals.
She reportedly told Virgin Atlantic her efforts were backed by the Government and permissions would be ‘fast-tracked’. In a statement yesterday, the MP said: ‘I was assisting Pen Farthing and Nowzad as a constituency MP in response to many Copeland constituents’ requests to assist.’
Labour’s shadow defence secretary John Healey claimed the Prime Minister had been ‘caught out lying’. Mr Johnson’s spokesman said the PM and wife Carrie ‘had no involvement’ in the evacuation. Mr Raab’s spokesman declined to comment.
‘Humans were prioritised’