11 reactions to news that Boris Johnson and Carrie Symonds are expecting a baby

Couple’s first child together is due to arrive in early summer

Boris Johnson and his partner Carrie Symonds are engaged and expecting a baby, it has been announced.

In a post shared on her private Instagram account on Saturday, the 31-year-old Ms Symonds said: “Many of you already know but for my friends that still don’t, we got engaged at the end of last year ... and we’ve got a baby hatching early summer. Feel incredibly blessed.”

Reactions to the news of the prime minister and Ms Symonds’ engagement and first child together have been mixed, with some individuals congratulating the couple and others stating their belief the announcement was made as a means of distracting the general public from other news in politics.

Meanwhile, several people have taken the announcement as an opportunity to mock the supposed number of children the prime minister has, as it is rumoured the former London mayor may have fathered a child outside of marriage who he has yet to publicly acknowledge.

Here are 11 Twitter reactions to the news of Ms Symonds’ pregnancy and engagement to Mr Johnson:

Claims of distraction

On Saturday, it was reported that the most senior civil servant at the Home Office, Sir Philip Rutnam, had resigned from his position.

Sir Rutnam threatened to sue the government for constructive dismissal amid a row over alleged accusations of bullying made against Priti Patel.

In an explosive statement delivered to cameras, the outgoing Home Office permanent secretary said he had been the “target of a vicious and orchestrated briefing campaign” that left him no choice but to step down from his role in government.

Following the announcement that Mr Johnson and Ms Symonds’ are having a baby together and are due to get married, several people mused that the news was being used as a distraction from Sir Rutnam’s resignation.

“Mad that this comes out the same day a leading civil servant announces they’re quitting and taking the government to court for constructive dismissal isn’t it...” one person tweeted.

Writer and Labour supporter Owen Jones said he has known of Ms Symonds’ pregnancy “for a while”, and that the couple chose a “pretty convenient” time to make their announcement.

“I’m sure our right wing press will not do No 10’s bidding and use it to knock the main news off the front pages,” Mr Jones added.

Messages of congratulations

A number of people congratulated Ms Symonds and Mr Johnson on their two-fold news, including several politicians.

Sajid Javid, who recently quit the prime minister’s cabinet, tweeted: “Congratulations @carriesymonds @BorisJohnson wonderful news!”

Conservative MP for Stroud Siobhan Baillie, who announced on 1 February she was pregnant, wrote: “Welcome to the magical bump gang!”

Nadine Dorries, parliamentary under-secretary of state for health and social care, said she is “thrilled” for the couple, adding: “Remember, Twitter, being pregnant can be daunting and overwhelming. #Bekind.”

Ridiculing prime minister’s supposed number of children

Prior to his relationship with Ms Symonds, Mr Johnson was married to lawyer and columnist Marina Wheeler.

The couple had four children together before divorcing in 2018.

Nine years before their separation, Mr Johnson’s fifth child was born following an extramarital affair.

It is believed the prime minister may have fathered another child who he has not publicly acknowledge, with it even stating on his Wikipedia page that he has “five or six” children.

In response to the news of Ms Symonds’ pregnancy, several people poked fun at the supposed number of children Mr Johnson has.

“Looking forward to the ‘children’ number getting updated to ‘six or seven’ later this year,” one commentator tweeted with regards to the politician’s Wikipedia page.

“Well THAT withdrawal agreement didn’t work,” another person wrote, referencing the withdrawal agreement Mr Johnson signed in January to take the UK out of the European Union.

To read more about Ms Symonds, her career and when she and Mr Johnson first started dating, click here.