Boris Johnson blasts ‘sleaze’ claims after ripping up tax red tape so James Dyson could make Covid ventilators

BORIS Johnson yesterday said he makes “no apology” for tearing up tax red tape so Sir James Dyson could make ventilators during the pandemic.

The PM came under fire for texting the billionaire promising his staff would not be hit by a tax bomb if they came to the UK to work on kit.

In a fiery PMQs session, Sir Keir Starmer accused the PM of sleaze and flouting Whitehall lobbying rules.

But furious Boris insisted it was only right the Government did “everything we could” to save lives.

He fumed: “I make absolutely no apology at all for shifting heaven and earth to secure ventilators for the people of this country.”

He said any PM would have done the same in the circumstances.

In March last year he had urged British firms to make ventilators after Italy suffered a near-catastrophic shortage of the machines.

Sir James, now based in Singapore, texted the PM to say he was ready to help.

But he asked for reassurance his staff would not be walloped by a stinging tax bill if they travelled to the UK to work.

The PM replied: “James, I am First Lord of the Treasury and you can take it that we are backing you to do what you need.”

Labour’s Sir Keir said the exchange showed the extent of “sleaze and the cronyism at the heart of government”.

But former Labour PM Tony Blair defended Boris saying: “We were in the middle of a pandemic and asking James Dyson to make ventilators. I find it hard to get excited about this.”