Stanley Johnson refuses to comment on his decision to travel to Greece despite Government advice

Stanley Johnson in Greece.
The PM's father travelled to Greece despite Government advice urging Britons against all but essential international travel. Credit: AP

Boris Johnson's father Stanley has refused to comment on whether he made the right decision to travel to Greece despite Government advice urging Britons against all but essential international travel. The 79-year-old arrived in Athens on Wednesday evening to visit his mountain villa, and shared a video of his plane landing in the capital on social media platform Instagram. "I'm not going to say whether my actions are correct or not - in any case, what happened, happened," Mr Johnson told journalists in Greece. He denied provoking controversy by making the trip, which he earlier said was on “essential business trying to Covid-proof my property in view of the upcoming letting season”.

Stanley Johnson flew to Athens via Bulgaria because the Greek government has banned direct flights from the UK until mid-July. He told journalists: "Let's open up this air bridge as quick as we can. I'll go back on the 10th but people are longing to get here. "And this is a country which has everything. "But here I am, how could you be here and not look around at this fantastic place? "How wonderful it would be, if quite quickly, the two governments could come to some arrangement."

His trip angered MPs, with shadow minister Rosena Allin-Khan tweeting: “Most people have been following the guidelines and socially distancing – not everyone will get a holiday this year. “Those closest to the Prime Minister have different rules though.” Labour MP Kate Osborne said: “Dominic Cummings broke the lockdown rules now it’s @BorisJohnson’s father. “One rule for the elite and another for everyone else it seems. “They’re laughing directly in the face of people up and down this country. Shame.” The Foreign Office currently “advises British nationals against all but essential international travel” because of the coronavirus pandemic. The Prime Minister’s official spokesman confirmed that the Foreign Office advice remains in place, but said: “It is for individuals to make the judgments themselves.”