Boris Johnson found himself on the defensive during a tense interview on BBC Radio 5Live. He appeared on the show to promote his memoir Unleashed, but faced tough questions from presenter Matt Chorley.
Chorley revealed that many listeners had used the word “liar” to describe the former prime minister. He asked, “Do you want to guess what word keeps coming up? It’s ‘liar’. Are you a liar?”
Johnson, who resigned as prime minister in 2022 after many ministers quit, defended the controversial claim made during the 2016 Brexit referendum. The Vote Leave bus famously stated that leaving the EU would save the UK £350 million a week, which could be spent on the NHS instead.
Johnson stood by the claim, calling it “the bus of truth.” However, Chorley pushed back, reminding Johnson that he had admitted in his book that the figure was wrong. Johnson claimed that the figure was an underestimate, but Chorley insisted that Johnson had written in his book that the actual number was closer to £170 million.
Becoming increasingly frustrated, Johnson explained that the £350 million was the net amount the UK sent to the EU. He added that the EU spent the rest on projects in the UK, without the UK having control over how the money was used.
As Chorley tried to move on, Johnson grew angry. He said, “That’s the problem. You accuse me of being a liar, and when I come back with the truth, you don’t want to hear it.”
You can watch the clip below:
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