A BBC documentary chronicles the political turmoil in the United Kingdom between the Brexit referendum and Liz Truss’ brief mandate.
Senior former British government officials have asked to be taken to Buckingham Palace to speak to Queen Elizabeth II and express their concerns about Boris Johnson’s conduct, leading to her private audience with the then prime minister.
Victoria Jones/Pool via REUTERS
The revelations were made in a BBC documentary which does not mention Boris Johnson’s actions, which have made senior officials uncomfortable, but one of the documentary’s sources says the prime minister “needs to be reminded of the constitution”.
In Laura Kuenssberg: State of Chaos Journalist Laura Kuensberg reports on the political turmoil in the UK between the Brexit referendum and Liz Truss’ short tenure.
In May 2020, near the start of lockdowns caused by the pandemic, concerns were raised at Buckingham Palace over “significant tensions” between Boris Johnson’s political team and the public services.
Calls between government officials and those in the palace during this time have been described as “beyond normal communication” to discuss the latest episodes.
It is never made clear what these episodes are or the type of communication adopted. However, it is understood that the communications were intended to raise the concerns of senior officials during a private conversation with the then Prime Minister.
Another unnamed source said the atmosphere in Downing Street at the time was “absolutely dark and hysterical” and that relations between political officials and civil servants were “simply toxic”.
Buckingham Palace has already raised its “grave concerns” about Boris Johnson’s behaviour, particularly after the then prime minister’s decision to forcefully suspend the Commons of Parliament in the summer of 2019 on behalf of the Queen, a move deemed illegal.
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