Boris Johnson 'discussed idea of cable car stretching whole length of Wales'
He also rapped to Goldie Lookin Chain during a visit to Wales
Former Prime Minister Boris Johnson spoke about the prospect of a cable car stretching from north to south Wales, it has been revealed. Former MP Simon Hart has released a book of his memoirs detailing his years at the heart of the UK Government during which he served as Welsh secretary and chief whip.
Within it he details visits from Prime Ministers to Wales and the trials of tribulations of dealing with the Welsh Government. His comments on Mark Drakeford are particularly stark – labelling him a "dull academic, the sort of lefty philosophy lecturer you used to find at Luton Polytechnic in the 1970s". He criticises his appearance in his memoirs, released on Thursday, saying the current Welsh Government finance minister "looks like a scruffy old university lecturer with dirty shoes". You can read the full story about the book here.
In the book Mr Hart speaks about a trip to Wales for the Welsh Conservative Party Conference in Llangollen, where he spent 20 minutes with Mr Johnson. The diary entry reads: "Paul Davies [leader of Welsh Conservatives] spoke well, Byron Davies [Welsh chairman] was fine but I think my speech went even better and people were kind about it. Certainly, Jack Sellers and I were on about draft 10 by the time we got there. The key thing is to keep it short and funny. Then the main gig was Boris. There was a lively introduction video, big entrance, shout-out, and he was funny, irreverent and compelling.
"The punters loved it even if the speech contained little by way of actual content. Then I had 20 mins face to face with him – we talked about Goldie Looking Chain [Welsh comedy hip-hop group] and some other frivolities (like a North–South cable car). I find him incredibly hard to fathom." Read the biggest stories in Wales first by signing up to our daily newsletter here.
It's one of two references to Goldie Lookin Chain in the book. In the other Mr Hart explains how on February 17, 2021, the Prime Minister was visiting a vaccine centre in Cwmbran. "We start at the Cwmbran vaccine centre. He bounds into the centre, shirt flying, looking to all intents and purposes sufficiently wired that he must have had at least three double espressos on the trot.
"He explained, to a somewhat bemused reception party, that he had been learning the words to Goldie Lookin Chain’s greatest hit. Off he went: ‘I’ve been from LA to Japan but I’ve never seen a vaccine centre like the one here in Cwmbran’. And repeat . . .It’s remarkable really and somewhat unusual." During the same visit Mr Hart accompanied the PM to the UK Government's office block in central Cardiff overlooking the Principality Stadium. Mr Hart wrote that while looking at the venue "Boris wistfully announced: ‘God, I’ve got properly p***ed in there over the years.’" He added: "All light-hearted stuff. There is nothing routine about BoJo."
An earlier trip to Wales, in November 2020, saw the pair visit Wrexham. Mr Hart wrote: "That sounds simple enough, but it never quite is... No. 10 insists on flying which means leaving early from Northolt, boarding the ancient Royal jet – with 28 colleagues and officials no less – and then a convoy from the Airbus landing strip at Hawarden to the factory. The trip was uneventful and short. As the PM took his seat he was passed two serious-looking Ministerial boxes. ‘A PM’s work is never done,’ I thought. So, he opens the first one to reveal three sticks of celery and some carrots. ‘Nobody is going to nick your lunch, PM,’ I said, to which he replied: ‘I know, but Carrie insists.’ He then opens the second box in which there is a huge pile of Christmas cards to sign. He would have been better employed having a 20-minute kip."
Ungovernable, by Simon Hart, is available to buy now, published by Pan Macmillan.
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