Tory MP claims people are 'over interpreting' Boris Johnson being booed at the Jubilee

A Tory MP has attempted to claim that the significance of Boris Johnson being booed at the Jubilee is being 'over interpreted'.

The PM and his wife Carrie were greeted with boos as they arrived at St Paul's Cathedral for the National Thanksgiving Service as part of Queen Elizabeth II's Platinum Jubilee.

The boos were heard as the pair walked up the steps of the cathedral, and a second alternate angle left viewers in no doubt of the crowd's distaste for the prime minister.

It comes after months of controversy surrounding the Partygate scandal which resulted in Johnson receiving a fine, before the Sue Gary report published photos of the prime minister and other Downing Street staffers at various parties that were held during lockdown.

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Now, cabinet minister Grant Shapps has tried to downplay the moment by claiming "politicians don't expect to be popular all the time".

Shapps told the BBC's Sunday Morning show: "There were also people cheering him. You are not asking me why they did that.

"Look, politicians don't expect to be popular all the time. Getting on with running the country is a job in which you have to take difficult decisions a lot of the time."

He added: "I wasn't there but I heard people booing, I heard people cheering. I think it's best to get on with the job at hand - running the country - rather than being overly distracted by the clips you just played."

The transport secretary also went on to compare it to the moment Chancellor George Osborne was booed by the crowd at the Paralympics medal ceremony in 2012.

Shapps said: "It didn't mean that election wasn't won in 2015. I think you're rather over interpreting if you don't mind me saying."

He was also asked about the growing resentment of Johnson currently brewing amongst back bench Tory MPs with rumours of a no confidence vote incoming.

Shapps dismissed growing speculation that the PM will face a no confidence vote, and asked if Johnson would win a vote if it materialises, he said: "Yes he will."

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