Boris Johnson’s dad Stanley, 79, flies to Greek villa flouting PM’s ‘essential travel only’ rules

THE Prime Minister’s dad flew to Greece last night despite the government saying Brits should not travel abroad unless it is essential.

Stanley Johnson, who turns 80 next month, touched down in Athens last night to visit his mountain villa in Pelion.

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He posted a selfie inside an airport while wearing a face mask and posted a pair of Instagram videos to his 140,000 followers showing his plane coming in over Athens.

The former Tory MEP had flown via the Bulgarian capital Sofia because the Greek government has banned direct flights from the UK until July 15 due to the UK’s Covid-19 rate.

Speaking from the balcony of his villa in northern Greece last night, Mr Johnson told the Daily Mail: “I’m in Pelion on essential business trying to Covid-proof my property in view of the upcoming letting season. 

“I need to set up distancing measures at the property because they’re taking it very seriously here. 

“The Greeks are trying to stop bulk arrivals from the UK but they were quite happy to have me coming in. 

“All they wanted to know where I was coming from and what I was doing. Then I had my temperature taken and was swabbed twice.

“We must get these air bridges set up as soon as possible. From what I’ve seen the arrival of the British will not be a danger to the Greeks because they’re so careful here.”

AFP

Boris Johnson’s government advised against all but essential travel abroad [/caption]

 

It comes as Stanley’s son is preparing to give Brits the green light for travel to up to 95 countries that effectively ends the government’s blanket quarantine policy.

But some of the countries on the list, likely to be published today or tomorrow, still have restrictions on people travelling in from the UK.

It is understood some countries have raised questions over the safety of opening to UK holidaymakers following the coronavirus outbreak in Leicester. 

Mr Johnson’s trip to Greece as echoes of Dominic Cummings’ revelation that he drove from London to Durham during lockdown.

The Prime Minister’s top aide went to Durham to ensure his son would have childcare.

He later drove his family to the town of Barnard Castle to test his eyesight and sit by a river for 15 minutes.

Despite the rules containing no exceptions to allow Mr Cummings’ trip, the Prime Minister defended his chief adviser’s actions.

Mr Johnson has landed a book deal to reissue a thriller novel from 1982 he wrote about a mysterious virus and one man’s fight to stop a deadly pandemic.

Originally titled The Marburg Virus, it is now to be called The Virus.

He said: “Yes, I predicted this outbreak. I was working in Brussels at the time and I’d already written four thrillers by then. The Marburg Virus was my fifth thriller, which was based on a visit I made to that small town in Germany which in 1967 had a tremendous outbreak of a disease.”