Michael Gove has been questioned about Brexit after he was caught in huge queues at a Greek airport.
An anti-Brexit holidaymaker confronted the prominent Leave campaigner after a 30-hour delay, which he said was “burdened” by Britain leaving the EU.
Former Labor councilor Candida Jones, who also works for a Labor peer, blasted the former minister over his Brexit involvement in the queue at Athens International Airport last night.
Mr Gove, who is recently divorced, was pictured standing alone in the same queue but is not believed to have been on the same flight to Gatwick.
Ms Jones tweeted yesterday: “Almost 30 hours delayed on easyJet flight now.
“I’m told the problem is staff shortages due to the pandemic exacerbated, in the UK’s case, by #Brexit. So it’s at least comforting to find the arch Brexiteer (Michael Gove) stuck in the same sh**show #BrexitChaos #BrexitShambles’.
The 50-year-old also told the Mirror that she had chatted with the former cabinet minister for 15 minutes in the luggage queue.
The south Londoner described the Brexit-backing Tories as “polite but very passive-aggressive”, adding that he insisted the delays had nothing to do with Brexit.
He told the newspaper he was asked to name “opportunities” from leaving the EU – and he said the availability of vaccines and farm reforms.
Ms Jones told the Mirror: “I said ‘come on, this is just ridiculous. There is nothing about being a member of the EU that in any way prevented us from making the vaccine earlier.”
I said “you’re a smart guy and you know what you’re telling me is not true and you need to stop treating the Brit like we’re idiots”.
He added that Mr Gove said he was on holiday and did not think it was a good time or place for the debate.
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The exchange came after months of suspensions at travel centers across the UK, which experts say have been exacerbated by Brexit, although other issues are at play.
The incident went viral on social media
Mr Gove was a prominent supporter of leave but went on to blow up Boris Johnson’s first bid to become prime minister.
In the final hours of his premiership, Mr Johnson sacked him in apparent retaliation, even as dozens of ministers resigned.
More: Politics
It is not the first time Ms Jones, who says every trip she has taken this year has been disrupted by Brexit, has met a leading Tory on holiday abroad.
In 2008 she claimed that George Osborne “ruined” her day on the beach in Corfu with his motor boat.
Metro.co.uk has contacted Mr Gove’s office for comment.
An ally of his told the Mirror that he “was polite as always”.
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