Stanley Johnson struggled to keep his cool after his son was dubbed a “liar” on GB News.
Johnson snr and Benjamin Butterworth locked horns over the potential threat of a Boris comeback, with a Tory membership rebellion potentially giving rise to a second bite of the cherry.
On Monday it was reported that over 10,000 Conservative members signed a petition to have the option of Johnson remaining prime minister.
Speaking to GB News host Dan Wootton, senior reporter Butterworth said: “What I would say is that 10,000 members is maybe one in 16 conservative party members, so the idea that this is some kind of insurgence of a majority, there’s not the evidence for that yet at all.”
Former Tory MEP, David Campbell Bannerman, who set up the petition with Tory peer Lord Cruddas, said that replacing Boris Johnson would “guarantee a Labour victory”, adding that the membership are “very upset” about what has happened to “our elected leader”.
Butterworth said: “Boris Johnson is the only Prime Minister who has been ousted because he lacked the basic decency of public office.
“All of those predecessors that you mention [Margaret Thatcher] they had some kind of policy decision that eventually became too toxic and too controversial.
“Boris Johnson lied over what happened regarding parties, he lied over the Chris Pincher interview process…”
Mr Johnson’s father, Stanley Johnson snapped back: “I’m not going to sit here next to you and hear you toss words out like ‘lie’ I’m not having that.”
Mr Butterworth added: “Well, did he tell the truth about the Partygate?”
Mr Johnson Sr replied: “Well he certainly did. As far as I’m concerned, he has not been found to have lied. There is no evidence of this, but I don’t want to go down that route.
“You all ought to be careful about the way you use language.”
Watch the tense clip below:
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