Emily Maitlis questions how Boris Johnson can be ‘proud’ of his coronavirus record

Emily Maitlis presents BBC's Newsnight. Photograph: BBC. - Credit: Archant

Newsnight presenter Emily Maitlis has used an introduction on her latest show to question Boris Johnson’s claim in which he said he was ‘proud’ of his government’s coronavirus response.

Maitlis, who was recently reprimanded for a monologue about Dominic Cummings, questioned the prime minister’s claims in the Commons when he said he was ‘very proud’ of the government record.

Responding to a question from Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer, he told the Commons: ‘I take full responsibility for everything this government has been doing in tackling coronavirus and I’m very proud of our record.’

But Maitlis was less than impressed. She told Newsnight viewers in the opening to her latest programme: ‘When it come to excess deaths, Britain is a world leader. Is that really something to be proud of?’

The presenter was praised last month for her comments about Boris Johnson’s senior aide, but bosses criticised the remarks, claiming it crossed a line over impartility despite the police finding that Cummings had breached lockdown rules.

There was more support for her latest introduction, with one tweeting the BBC saying: ‘You need to apologise to Emily Maitlis publicly for speaking the truth.’


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