Holidaying politicians can’t catch a break at the moment: Boris is being attacked for his second holiday in a fortnight to his dad’s in Greece, Sir Keir’s finally out on the airwaves after two weeks in Mallorca, and Michael Gove can’t travel without mouthy lefties haranguing him at the airport. Voluble remainiac nutter Candida Jones has already garnered 17,000 likes on a photo tweeted at 5pm last night, claiming Michael Gove had been caught up in a Brexit-related “sh*tshow” over a 30-hour EasyJet delay, which she was apparently told was caused by “lack of staff due to the pandemic compounded, in the case of the UK, by #Brexit”. It’s remarkable she was given an excuse that coincides neatly with her worldview. At least there are no airport staff shortages in any other EU member states to undermine the claim…
Almost 30hr delay to our @easyJet flight now. I'm told the problem's a lack of staff due to the pandemic compounded,in the case of the UK, by #Brexit. So it's at least some consolation to find arch Brexiteer @michaelgove caught up in the same shitshow #BrexitChaos #BrexitShambles pic.twitter.com/mYT7oDD1it
— Candida Jones 🇪🇺 (@candidaj) August 14, 2022
Unfortunately for Candida, not only is her Brexit-hating worldview not backed up by facts, neither is her belief that Gove was caught up in the supposed “#BrexitChaos”. While she may have been delayed by 30 hours, according to a source close to Michael, he experienced an hour delay in landing at most after coming back from his holiday in Greece.
It’s not the first time this frothing-at-the-mouth left-wing activist has launched bile at a Tory politician during her holiday. The Guardian archives provide this bizarre piece from Candida in 2008, where for some reason Jones let George Osborne “ruin” her day at the beach in Corfu:
“a motor boat appeared… surely no one would drive a boat through crowded water and, anyway, where was it going? Couldn’t those on board see that there was nowhere to moor as the pier was packed with children playing? Several parents, in several languages, complained loudly that this was an inappropriate place to bring a motorboat. It carried on without any apology from those on board and the bathers made way – the diving games stopped and children were hurriedly helped down from the pier and sent to the beach to play.
I could tell immediately these people were English, by the way they were dressed and their seemingly superior manner. I felt embarrassed that a typically informal, relaxed and inclusive Greek afternoon was being so rudely interrupted by one small, well-turned-out, organised, English family.
I recognised George Osborne as he led the way. Shouts continued from the parents, which made the Osborne family hurry, but none of them looked back or exuded the air of bashful apology one would expect. Osborne, hearing the protests, simply said, addressing everyone, “It’s a pier, that’s what it’s for.” He said it loudly, angrily, without looking at any of those whose afternoon he had spoiled.”
Maybe Candida needs another holiday to calm down…
