Boris Johnson ‘hates being touched’ claims Labour MP who wound him up so much they wrestled on live TV
Andrew Gwynne revealed he deliberately wound up the Foreign Secretary by repeatedly patting him on the shoulder before their bizarre on-screen encounter
BORIS Johnson “hates bodily contact” claims a senior Labour MP who wound him up so much they ended wrestling with each other on live TV.
Andrew Gwynne revealed that he deliberately wound up the Foreign Secretary by repeatedly patting him on the shoulder during their bizarre on-screen encounter back in June.
Mr Johnson then put his arm round the shadow local government minister’s shoulder and appeared to try to push him towards the ground.
It was the culmination of a feisty on-screen debate, leading Mr Gwynne to tell the Cabinet Minister not to be "a pillock".
Today at a fringe meeting at the Labour party conference he said that in a previous TV head-to-head he had noticed that Johnson did not like being touched.
Speaking at a t event the Denton & Reddish MP said: "Boris was so rude and condescending.
"I do think it is a class thing. 'How dare this oik, educated at some comprehensive in eastern Greater Manchester challenge and speak up against this great Foreign Secretary who was Eton-educated?'
"I held my ground and I very quickly noticed that when I put my arm on Boris's shoulder he absolutely hated it. He hated bodily contact, so I remembered that for the next time."
Soon afterwards, Mr Gwynne was invited to appear again alongside Mr Johnson on Sky News before the leaders' debate in York on June 2.
He revealed that despite being scheduled to appear separately he was egged on by Labour press officer David Prescott to jump in whilst Mr Johnson was on camera.
He said: "Boris started his interview live on camera and David half-jokingly nudged me and said 'You could go over there and doorstep him, because he can't do anything now he's live on TV’.
"Before he could say 'I'm only joking' I was over there and put my hand on his shoulder, because I knew it wound him up."
After challenging Mr Johnson to debate with him he was labelled "a big girl's blouse” by the Foreign Secretary, who put his arm round his back and pushed him, causing him to lurch forwards.
Mr Gwynne added: "I think at that split second he thought 'Oh s**t, I shouldn't be doing this' and he pulled me back up and I said to him 'Boris, don't be a pillock' and that went viral."