Stanley Johnson says Greece visit is essential to ‘covid-proof’ villa

The prime minister’s father, Stanley Johnson, has defended travelling to his villa in Greece amid growing condemnation by saying that he was making the property “Covid-proof”.

Government guidelines state that British nationals should avoid all but essential travel, but his son Boris has refused to criticise the trip and on Friday suggested the media should raise the issue directly with Stanley.

Johnson senior, 79, posted a picture on social media of himself apparently arriving at Athens airport wearing a mask earlier this week. He told reporters that he was visiting on “essential business” before the letting season.

However, there are no rules in Greece compelling landlords to “Covid-proof” homes for letting. He rents the property for £2,100 a week during peak season.

Interviewed by Greek media outside the villa on Saturday, Johnson senior said: “I don’t know what the reaction of the British public [is]. I’ve been, you know, not particularly … I came here to have a quiet time, to organise the house, so I’m not 100% up to speed.”

He said he intended to return to the UK on 10 July. “So, I’ve just got one week to get everything organised … I’ve got a whole load of instructions about how to make the place Covid-proof.”

Asked about the photo he posted to social media, he claimed: “I didn’t put them up in a spirit of defiance or anything like that.”

Johnson senior flew to Athens via Sofia, Bulgaria, seemingly to circumvent Greek government rules against direct flight from the UK to the country, which has been praised for its handling of the pandemic – with deaths in the low three figures.

On Thursday evening, he was photographed sitting alone in his favourite seaside restaurant with a bottle of red wine, as criticism grew that his actions could further undermine the public’s trust in government guidelines.

The former MEP had long planned to travel to Greece, telling one Greek journalist in May that he had already booked his air ticket. “I’m very worried that we may not be able to [go] this summer,” he told the Greek daily Ta Nea.

“We are in this country in lockdown and even if we can leave Britain it’s not clear to me that we would yet be welcome in Greece … of course I’d love to be there, even if I had to go and self-isolate in my house I’d do that.”