So, did he go to Perugia incognito - or not?

I think what is significant is that whether Johnson went on a jolly that particular weekend or not, the backbenchers believed it was a possibility and that says it all.

Farage for once refused to speak to the BBC. Aaron Banks wife is Russian.

Cummings spent a few years in Russia- doing what?

For Heavens sake! Groan.
The report was from an Italian rag, that’s all.Doubt they even checked which PM even if there was any PM there at all.
It’s just gossip.
It was confirmed however, that Wilfred’s christening took place in London on the very Saturday the Italian gossip paper reported that he had flown in on the Friday and left on the Monday.It’s all hot air to sell papers by the sound of it.
If...( a big if) he had flown to Italy for the weekend then that’s his business.Strewth!

Many people are re Christened into the C of E Deedaa when they have been christened as RC, and also, the other way round.

Strangely enough, I agree with you lemongrove, although I think somebody really would need to go to Specsavers to confuse Johnson and Blair.

What I find a bit odd is that so much effort seems to have gone into denying it. Maybe I'm getting cynical, but it sounds like a manufactured story.

Twitterati started suggesting that Johnson had gone to Italy to get his baby baptised. Immediately, the alibi was produced - the baby was being baptised in London at the same time Johnson was allegedly in Italy. Well, how convenient!

I couldn't care less what religion either Johnson or Symonds follow, but it does see strange that Symonds' Wiki account was updated at 17.10 to add that she's a practising Catholic. Weirdly, a quick Google reveals that the Catholic Church didn't realise that she's a practising Catholic.

Whatever the truth about it all, I'm still concerned that Lebedev was given a seat in the HoL, especially given his history. Presumably it's a return for some favour or other.

lemongrove

For Heavens sake! Groan.
The report was from an Italian rag, that’s all.Doubt they even checked which PM even if there was any PM there at all.
It’s just gossip.
It was confirmed however, that Wilfred’s christening took place in London on the very Saturday the Italian gossip paper reported that he had flown in on the Friday and left on the Monday.It’s all hot air to sell papers by the sound of it.
If...( a big if) he had flown to Italy for the weekend then that’s his business.Strewth!

Apparently it's been reported that at the time BJ was supposed to be in Italy, he was in meetings with politicians in London and leading a Zoom meeting with over 200 participant.

If there was a Christening as well, then he must have a magic carpet or be a time traveller to be in Italy and London at the same time!

Have any rich Russians or any other nationality ever given any money to the Labour Party? Just asking!

Who paid for his Christmas holiday in the Caribbean? Did he ever remember?

So hopefully another Chinese Whisper bites the dust and pearls can be unclutched.
Still it made a lighthearted diversion from some of the other non-stories such as chaos at Calais and Brittany Ferries making passengers for Portsmouth have to swim.
For any still in doubt....

Most people can tell the difference between Tony Blair and Boris Johnson. Alas, an official at a provincial Italian airport is not one of them.

Perugia airport’s self-confessed “stupid mistake” led not only to an international mystery, but to the disclosure that the Prime Minister was in fact baptising his son Wilfred in Westminster Cathedral on the day in question.

Exasperated by the claim that he had flown to the Italian city in the middle of the coronavirus pandemic, a spokesman for Mr Johnson insisted that journalists could “confirm with the priest” that he was at the ceremony at the Catholic cathedral.

Finally, after a day of speculation, the airport’s director admitted that it was in fact Mr Blair who had travelled through on the weekend of Sept 12-13

FGS! Today's burning question? Is Carrie a practising Catholic?!! Now there's a conundrum to keep us occupied all day! I doubt very much that the Catholic church have long list of practising Catholics world wide! However we could perhaps find out which church she goes to, how regularly she attends, does she take communion regularly, what time does she attend?, early morning or high mass? does her mother to with her? Last, but certainly not least, does she attend Evensong?!! All these vitally important questions now need answering to the satisfaction of left wing GN posters to make absolutely certain that there are no shenanigans about Carrie being a Catholic and Wilfreds christening which clashed with a presumed trip to Italy for the weekend, which, if true, would of course have been appallingly disgraceful, but it may not have been true as it could have been Tony Blair!!! Dear God do you people never give up!!?!!

So it seems that Johnson did not go to a jolly in Italy after all.

What confusion!

Of course if we could trust No 10 to tell the truth, we would have been quite happy with the rebuttal when it came.

But we don’t. Remember all the lies told over Cummings?

The lesson of course is, if you are a known liar we won’t believe you when you are telling the truth.

It is a problem you have to live with.

We have a prime minister that lies

So now it has been confirmed by the priest who performed the ceremony that young Wilfred Johnson was baptised into the Catholic faith at Westminster Cathedral on the day in question, another witch hunt bites the dust, or maybe some people on this site will start questioning the word of the Church as well, will they now start another thread saying that the prime minister wasn’t actually there at the time.

I believe that Boris was made some mistakes during the last few months, but surely there are some parts of his life that should have privacy.

I had a quick at La Repubblica (which isn’t actually a gossip paper at all just by the way) and I think an airport employee may have said he’d seen “the British prime minister “ at the airport........just that he meant Blair, being a few years behind the times OR someone didn’t hear him say ex PM.

Only Johnson could come third in a two horse race

Indeed Lucca (see my post earlier this morning)
There is a particular form of (especially) tabloid headline which raises a potential “scandal” by asking a question containing most of the mud they want to sling.
“Was Prince Philip mystery man?” at the time of the Profumo scandal was one.
The article which followed was entirely guesswork and came to no verifiable conclusion, but the damage was done without breaching the laws of libel
So basically this thread could have been reduced to two posts
“So did he go to Perugia incognito - or not?”
Not.

Next question?

@MawB

Where did all the italicised text in your post of 06.35 come from?

It would be good if people would link to their sources, or at least name them... Please... Apparently plausible refutations of any story need to be checked out too...

Now we have the left trying to bluster their way out of their ridiculous allegations!! Why aren't we surprised?!! All politicians lie and cheat at some point, even P.M's 's if needs must, even dear old sainted Churchill was known to tell the odd porky!!!!!

It was hardly a 'tabloid headline'. The initial story was in The Times (though I suppose it could be verging on tabloid these days...)

This sort of confusion would never happen if we had an honest prime minister.

Jaberwok

FGS! Today's burning question? Is Carrie a practising Catholic?!! Now there's a conundrum to keep us occupied all day! I doubt very much that the Catholic church have long list of practising Catholics world wide! However we could perhaps find out which church she goes to, how regularly she attends, does she take communion regularly, what time does she attend?, early morning or high mass? does her mother to with her? Last, but certainly not least, does she attend Evensong?!! All these vitally important questions now need answering to the satisfaction of left wing GN posters to make absolutely certain that there are no shenanigans about Carrie being a Catholic and Wilfreds christening which clashed with a presumed trip to Italy for the weekend, which, if true, would of course have been appallingly disgraceful, but it may not have been true as it could have been Tony Blair!!! Dear God do you people never give up!!?!!

Do calm down dear! You won't do your health any good!

Jaberwok

Now we have the left trying to bluster their way out of their ridiculous allegations!! Why aren't we surprised?!! All politicians lie and cheat at some point, even P.M's 's if needs must, even dear old sainted Churchill was known to tell the odd porky!!!!!

Nothing to see here! Move on! (Unless you're the one who likes making mountains out of molehills!)

Politicians of the left & right will have contacts with like minded people in other countries. As long as their politics are ' legal' and arrangements open there is no problem.
However, if an individual, or country, is buying influence..via financial support, trade etc etc. then it should be open and above board. Any " secret" arrangements or promises are not ok.
I am sure it goes on all the time. Russia, China , Israel, Gulf States & USA all want control & influence in UK politics as we are a strategic pawn now we are dropping our European alliance...which, imo, gave us a stronger ability to resist other influence that the electorate now has no say in.

Jaberwok

Now we have the left trying to bluster their way out of their ridiculous allegations!! Why aren't we surprised?!! All politicians lie and cheat at some point, even P.M's 's if needs must, even dear old sainted Churchill was known to tell the odd porky!!!!!

Who pray tell ? If you’re referring to me for example talking about “la repubblica “ you may note I had not previously contributed to the thread!

(I think also it has often been said nobody considered Churchill saintly )

Lucca ignore her. I do.

MaizieD

@MawB

Where did all the italicised text in your post of 06.35 come from?

It would be good if people would link to their sources, or at least name them... Please... Apparently plausible refutations of any story need to be checked out too...

It was a cut and paste from today’s DT- I find using links often results in them disappearing behind a paywall.
Would you like a link to Westminster Cathedral, the Catholic Church or perhaps a Pope Francis too, to check apparently plausible refutations ?