Accusations against PM's wife Carrie Johnson are 'sexist', says Javid

Sajid Javid has said comments made about Carrie Johnson in a biography written by Tory peer Lord Ashcroft are misogynistic and “sexist”.

The health secretary’s intervention came after Mrs Johnson claimed she is the target of a “brutal briefing campaign” from her husband’s “enemies” following an accusation that she was meddling in decisions taken by the prime minister.

A spokesperson for Boris Johnson’s wife said “bitter ex-officials” were trying to discredit her and insisted she played “no role in the government”.

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What has Carrie Johnson been accused of?

A new biography written by Lord Ashcroft, serialised in newspapers over the weekend, made claims about Mrs Johnson’s alleged influence on the PM’s decision-making.

Writing in the Daily Mail, Lord Ashcroft said his research had suggested her behaviour is preventing Mr Johnson “from leading Britain as effectively as the voters deserve”.

It has been alleged that Mrs Johnson pushed for the luxury redecoration of the Downing Street flat they live in, and that she was key in the decision over evacuation of animals from the Nowzad charity from Kabul.

Number 10 has denied Mr and Mrs Johnson had any involvement in the evacuation.

Speaking to Kay Burley on Sky News, Mr Javid said Lord Ashcroft’s claims are “sexist, undignified and unfair”.

Asked if this is misogyny, the health secretary replied: “Yes, yes it is. It is sexist.”

“I think the partners of politicians should be off limits,” he added.

“Why would you go after, attack the partners of politicians? By all means go after the politicians, but why their wives, their husbands, their partners?”

He continued: “This is just about going after an individual…I actually do think there is sexism involved in this.

“And I just think doing this, in this case going after Carrie Johnson, is undignified, is unfair, and it is just wrong.”

‘Bitter ex-officials’ blamed for claims

In a rare statement at the weekend, Mrs Johnson’s spokesperson told Sky News: “Yet again Mrs Johnson has been targeted by a brutal briefing campaign against her by enemies of her husband.

“This is just the latest attempt by bitter ex-officials to discredit her. She is a private individual who plays no role in government.”

Mr Javid said the statement is “absolutely correct”.

“She was my special adviser, and she was an excellent special adviser. But she is not in government in any way – she has no formal role in government – to the extent she would have anything to discuss with her husband to do with government would be any different to anyone before her,” the health secretary said.

“So why is she different to anyone who came before her as a partner of the prime minister?”

Asked what he would say to Lord Ashcroft and the PM’s former senior aide Dominic Cummings, who have both made comments about Mrs Johnson, he said: “I would just say that if you want to talk about Number 10, these issues, then by all means please do so – but focus on the prime minister.”

Mr Johnson’s future as prime minister remains uncertain, as several Conservative MPs have publicly called for him to resign over his handling of the partygate scandal.

Mrs Johnson reportedly attended the surprise birthday gathering for her husband in June 2020 which is being investigated by police for allegedly breaking lockdown rules.

She is also reported to have attended an alleged party in the couple’s flat on the day Dominic Cummings left Downing Street in November 2020, which is being probed by officers.

Mr Cummings, the prime minister’s former chief aide who has been one of Mrs Johnson’s most vocal critics, has previously claimed she wanted to “get rid” of him from Number 10 and tried to “appoint her friends to particular jobs”.

Mrs Johnson – who became the Conservative Party’s director of communications when she was aged just 29 – married Mr Johnson last year, and the couple have two children together.