“In my opinion, this is not the time for a prime minister to be on vacation,” said the head of the steel company UK Steel, which has come under pressure due to high energy costs, Gareth Stace, on Monday.
Energy-intensive industries such as the steel sector have been demanding a signal of support from the government in London for days in vain in order to cope with the massive costs. The UK is particularly hard hit by the global rise in gas prices because of its low inventory levels. At the same time, an acute shortage of skilled workers is becoming increasingly noticeable in many areas. Because there are not enough truck drivers, for example, supermarket shelves remain empty and petrol stations are closed.
Johnson is reportedly staying in a luxury villa in Marbella on the Costa del Sol, Spain. A government spokesman did not want to confirm on Monday whether the prime minister will pay for the trip himself. Any donation that has to be published will be displayed as usual, the spokesman said.
Johnson had already taken criticism two years ago for a vacation in the Caribbean financed by a sponsor. However, he was acquitted of having broken the code of conduct for MPs.