BoJo’s New Adviser Branded Brexit a ‘Spectacular Miscalculation’, Said Boris Didn’t Believe in It

LONDON, ENGLAND - FEBRUARY 08: Downing Street Director of Communications Guto Harri arrive
Rob Pinney/Getty Images
Kurt Zindulka

Boris Johnson made a “spectacular miscalculation” by backing Brexit as his “heart” was not “in it”, the prime minister’s new spin doctor previously said following the 2016 EU Referendum.

Guto Harri, who previously served as communications director for Boris Johnson during his tenure as Mayor of London, was brought back to reprise his role on Monday to help aid the scandal-ridden administration reset the political narrative after months of being mired in “partygate” drama.

However, in the first two days of his tenure as Number 10 spin doctor, the former BBC journalist and ex-GB News presenter, has himself become a center of controversy after it emerged that he lobbied the government on behalf of Chinese telecom giant Huawei.

To make matters worse, an unearthed interview with the BBC has shown Harri stating that he believed Boris Johnson made an error in supporting Brexit as he didn’t actually believe in the independence movement.

Speaking to the BBC just days after the EU Referendum in July of 2016, Harris said that Boris Johnson’s decision to campaign for Brexit “was a spectacular miscalculation,” adding: “I don’t think his heart was in it.”

“He’s a sufficiently, uniquely good communicator that he almost single-handedly delivered 17 million people to vote for this course of action”, he said.

“Clearly Michael Gove, among others, had grave doubts over whether Boris was going to deliver on what he persuaded the British public to vote for, and there lies the mistake, in the end, the miscalculation on a key issue of our day.”

“He’s paid the price for it and the rest of us are paying quite heavily for it as well,” ardent remainer Harri concluded.

The recently tapped communications director was previously embroiled in controversy after his controversial decision to perform the Black Lives Matter “take the knee” gesture live on GB News following a row over alleged racism against footballers on the England national team last summer.

Brexit leader Nigel Farage, who has warned that Johnson’s failures to govern as a conservative will likely sink his premiership even if he survives the partygate scandals, has also cast doubt on the move to bring in Harri as comms chief.

“A woke Remainer is just what Boris needs in Number 10!” Farage mockingly said of Harri.

Follow Kurt Zindulka on Twitter here @KurtZindulka

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