UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson called David Cameron a “girly swot” in a recent private cabinet paper, according to a leaked document obtained by Sky News.
The media outlet has published the partially-redacted cabinet papers, released by a court on 5 September, that disclosed the prime minister's reasoning for suspending parliament until mid-October from next week, and offers a glimpse into how Boris Johnson allegedly regards his predecessor Cameron, and generally communicates in private.
The document was initially revealed on 5 September by Downing Street as it resisted legal challenges in Edinburgh and London to the prorogation of parliament.
The two cases were eventually won by No 10.
The documents released to the courts showed what is said to be Johnson’s handwritten note arguing that the suspension had limited impact, since MPs only sit briefly in September after the summer recess, before going into another hiatus for the autumn conference season.
“The whole September session is a rigmarole introduced [redacted] to show the public that MPs were earning their crust,” reads the court-released version.
However, a full copy of the document, leaked to Sky News, claims to show the missing words were “by girly swot Cameron”. According to Merriam-Webster, the British slang term 'swot' is a synonym of 'bookworm' or 'nerd'.
It is assumed the words were removed to minimise potential embarrassment to Johnson, says the publication.
Johnson has not commented on the reports.
Boris Johnson has bad-mouthed the former prime minister before, when he was London mayor. In 2013 Johnson called Cameron and his own brother, Jo, “girly swots” for graduating from university with first-class honours degrees.
Earlier this week, during his first prime minister’s questions on 4 September, Boris Johnson was criticised after seeming to comment, while Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn was speaking, “Call an election, you great big girl’s blouse,” in relation to the latter’s rejection of an immediate general election.
Johnson Doubles Down on Brexit Strategy
The embattled UK Prime Minister has been trying to fight back after a series of defeats for his Brexit strategy this week, culminating in the resignation of his own brother in protest at his plans.
UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson travelled to Scotland on Friday to campaign for a general election despite failing to trigger one in the House of Commons on Wednesday.
Labour party and opposition leader Jeremy Corbyn is allegedly in talks with the SNP leader and Scottish First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon, to block the Prime Minister's general election bid, which sources cited by Bloomberg claim he aims to trigger on 19 or 29 October.
Johnson has doubled down on his plan to trigger a general election to win a parliamentary majority so he can take the UK out of the European Union - with or without a divorce deal - on 31 October.
The prime minister declared that he’d “rather be dead in a ditch” than agree to another Brexit delay. However, his opponents won’t agree to his plan, claiming to be concerned Johnson aims to crash the UK out of the EU with no deal.
