‘Boris Johnson gave stray dogs priority in evacuation over Afghan refugees’. Prime Minister Boris Johnson may have given an animal activist and his stray animals priority over Afghans in making available one of the last evacuation flights from Kabul.

Animal activist Paul ‘ Pen ‘ Farthing was able to take one of the last flights from Kabul last August, thanks to personal intervention by British Prime Minister Boris Johnson with 94 dogs and 68 cats. That comes up in leaked emails. Johnson previously strongly denied having anything to do with approving this rescue operation in Afghanistan.

,,Utter nonsense”, Johnson called the suggestion that he put the lives of stray animals above those of Afghan civilians, as the Taliban approached the capital. Due to the work of a special commission, which published the emails, this explanation was seriously faltered. The prime minister had, according to a message from an official at the State Department, given permission to bring Farthing, his animals and his staff to safety.

Farthing, a former Marine, ran a veterinary clinic and shelters for dogs, cats and donkeys in Afghanistan. Ally Dominic Dyer, who lobbied for him in the UK, indicated a few months ago that Johnson and his wife Carrie played a crucial role in arranging his safe passage. Carrie Johnson is a close acquaintance of Farthing, whose 68 employees were later also given priority.

Johnson spokesmen today denied that their boss had any influence on this decision. Defense Minister Ben Wallace agreed. According to him, the evacuation from the ravaged country was completely under his auspices. Its implementation was in the hands of the British Army.

“The prime minister has not instructed me or the army leadership at any time to rescue Pen Farthing, his staff or his animals,” Wallace told the BBC.

The publication of the correspondence is yet another scandal in a short time in which Johnson is involved. While awaiting a report on partying during lockdowns in and around his official residence, his position hangs by a thread. Detectives from London police, who want to question him under oath about the possible violation of Covid legislation, are making the situation extra sensitive.

The new’ lie’, if supported by additional evidence, could cause Johnson considerable damage. Farthing’s preferential treatment caused anger among Britons who did everything in their power to save the lives of Afghans. Farthing did not endear himself with his lobbying for his own organization. ,,Time has been wasted on that bastard,” an anonymous source told The Times. ,,His animals were even given priority over his staff.”