Piers Morgan responds to derisive Jim Davidson video following calls for Boris Johnson’s resignation

Morgan had suggested the prime minister should resign over UK Covid-19 death rate

Piers Morgan has responded to criticism from comedian Jim Davidson, following the Good Morning Britain host’s remarks about Boris Johnson.

Morgan had criticised the prime minister during an episode of the ITV morning show over Johnson’s handling of the ongoing pandemic.

Earlier this week, the death toll from Covid-19 surpassed 100,000 in the UK, with Sunday’s figures revealing that the UK’s death rate is the highest in the world.

Boris Johnson said in a press conference that he was “deeply sorry” for the death toll, though many in the country have called for his resignation.

Speaking on Good Morning Britain, Morgan said: “There is one resounding response on Twitter – resign. This is what the British public think and feel and there has to be some accountability.”

Davidson, whose stand-up routines are known for containing offensive jokes,  criticised Morgan’s comments in a self-recorded video featuring himself in a bathrobe.

“You idiot, you just want to lay blame on the Prime Minister to make yourself look good,” he said, as part of an extensive rant directed at Morgan and his Good Morning Britain co-host Susanna Reid.

 “Instead of trying to trip the prime minister over, why don't you do something to help?”

Adding that Morgan’s comments “disgusted” him, Davidson ended the video by saying that one of his friends had recently died from Covid-19, but he didn’t hold the prime minister accountable.

Morgan then responded to the video on Twitter, writing: “Hi Jim, Always good to hear your foul-mouthed, abusive, sexist, Boris-slathering views. Sorry about your friend.”

Pressure continues to mount on Johnson as the UK coronavirus death toll rises, with critics citing Johnson’s absence at initial Cobra briefings about the disease, the reluctance to enter lockdown last year and Johnson’s push to “eat out to help out” last August as exacerbating factors in the UK’s high death rate.