Boris Johnson’s father reveals Tory MP was offered anal swab Covid test

A senior Conservative MP has confirmed he received no anal swabs to test him for Covid-19 when questioned by Boris Johnson’s father.

Cop26 President Alok Sharma appeared in conversation with Stanley Johnson in the main auditorium at the Conservative Party conference in Manchester.

The pair were expected to focus their talks on the forthcoming global climate change conference, Cop26, which is to be held in Glasgow next month.

Opening the chat, Mr Johnson joked: “I am delighted to be speaking with Alok Sharma.

“Actually, I think you should be called Alok Charmer judging by the success you’ve had in persuading any number of countries to come to this meeting.

“Actually, you must feel like a pin cushion with all the tests you’ve had as you’ve gone around the world, the Covid tests.

“Apparently the Chinese offered you, out of the kindness of their hearts, the option of taking an anal swab – but I’m told you declined.”

Mr Sharma replied: “We’ve been doing a double act so this is the third occasion today we’ve been speaking together, it’s the first time the anal swab joke has been used.”

He added: “No anal swabs to be clear, just normal swabs.”

Mr Johnson later briefly returned to the “anal swabbing” theme, with Mr Sharma again stating he had not had one.

Anal swabs have been used in a bid to detect Covid in China, in addition to nasal and throat swabs.