Boris Johnson singing ‘I Will Survive’ to new communcations chief branded ‘offensive’ by Nicola Sturgeon

Nicola Sturgeon has criticised the attitudes of Boris Johnson and his new communications director, Guto Harri, after the pair reportedly made light of the pressures facing Downing Street.

Harri, who has just taken over as communications chief following the resignation of Jack Doyle last week, said Johnson had sung Gloria Gaynor’s ‘I Will Survive’ when the pair were discussing the new job.

He told Welsh magazine Golwg 360: “He's [Johnson] not a complete clown, he's a very likeable character… 90 per cent of our discussion was very serious but he's a character and there is fun to be had. He's not the devil like some have mischaracterised him.”

The First Minister described the exchange as “offensive”.

She tweeted: “So many people still struggling with the impacts and trauma of Covid, or worrying about the spiraling costs of living…but for Boris and co it’s all just a bit of a laugh.

“This isn’t funny – in the current circumstances, it is offensive.”

Johnson has been facing increasing pressure, including from his own party, since revelations about several social gatherings at Downing Street during Covid lockdown.

An initial report by senior civil servant Sue Gray concluded these gatherings “should not have been allowed to take place” and demonstrated “failures of leadership and judgement”.

Meanwhile, in an exchange between Johnson and Labour leader Keir Starmer at PMQs, the Prime Minister falsely claimed Starmer had failed to prosecute sex offender Jimmy Savile.

This led to the resignation of policy director Munira Mirza last week.

Doyle, chief of staff Dan Rosenfield, principle private secretary Martin Reynolds and policy unit member Elena Naronzanski all handed in their notice within 24 hours of Mirza, though not all for the same reasons.

The looming cost of living crisis is also adding further pressure on the government.