SNP Westminster leader Ian Blackford accuses Number 10 of endangering his family
The Scottish National Party’s Westminster leader Ian Blackford has accused Downing Street of “politically smearing” him and putting his family in danger, after it was claimed he leaked the location of Boris Johnson’s Scottish holiday.
Blackford told MPs today that he was not the source of the leak – which forced Johnson, his partner and baby to abandon their holiday – and that it had been a “targeted political smear from the Prime Minister’s office” to blame him.
Johnson’s location for his Scotland “staycation” was revealed on the front page of the Daily Mail on 21 August.
Following up the story, The Sun was then told the SNP and Blackford leaked the location to the press – a claim that was widely reported.
The location of Johnson’s holiday was within Blackford’s constituency.
The SNP’s Westminster leader said at Prime Minister’s Questions (PMQs) today that the claim led to death threats directed at him and his family.
“This allegation and briefing was entirely and deliberately false, it was a targeted political smear from the Prime Minister’s office,” he said.
“The photographer who provided the material for the original Daily Mail front page later confirmed that I was not his source in revealing the Prime Minister’s location.
“This matter has not only been the worst kind of political smear, the false allegation has equally resulted in security implications for myself and my family given its serious and personal nature.
“It is a very serious situation when the apparatus of the UK government can be deployed in this way, manufacturing false briefings in order to attack an opposition politician.”
Johnson retorted by saying that Blackford’s Twitter account dropped a hint on 17 August, shortly before the Daily Mail’s front page photos, that he was holidaying in his constituency.
However, the Prime Minister said he was “happy to accept his assurances and his protestations and I think we should leave it at that”.