Coronavirus: Ex-Wrightbus employees to clap on doorsteps for Boris Johnson as he battles Covid-19

An ex-employee of Ballymena company Wrightbus has told of huge support for Boris Johnson among former workers on account of the amount of business he put their way.
Then London Mayor, Boris Johnston, officially opened the new Wrightbus plant in Ballymena in 2013. Photo: Charles McQuillan/Pacemaker.Then London Mayor, Boris Johnston, officially opened the new Wrightbus plant in Ballymena in 2013. Photo: Charles McQuillan/Pacemaker.
Then London Mayor, Boris Johnston, officially opened the new Wrightbus plant in Ballymena in 2013. Photo: Charles McQuillan/Pacemaker.

He was speaking as world leaders voice their support for the Prime Minister as he battles Covid-19 in intensive care in hospital.

In 2013 when he was Mayor of London, Mr Johnson opened a new Wrightbus plant in Ballymena where part of the new bus for London was being built, affectionately known as ‘The Boris Bus’.

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The facility produced the chassis for the hybrid engine double decker, with a contract for 600 buses worth over £200m to the company.

The former shop floor worker was one of many who were later made redundant after ailing fortunes at the company, which was taken over by Jo Bamford.

However he was full of praise for Mr Johnson’s support during the good years.

“There is most definitely great sympathy for him at this time in the Ballymena area, because north Antrim is a unionist stronghold that looks on Boris as a patriot,” said the ex-employee, who asked for his name not to be used.

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“He was also regarded very highly by the workers in Wrightbus. There have been a lot of posts going around on Facebook today in support of him among former employees.

“There is a wild lot of sympathy for him. Everyone is going out to clap for him on their doorsteps at 8pm.”

The widespread view was that the orders for the Boris Bus which went to Wrightbus were good years.

“People would say we got six or seven good years at Wrightbus due to Boris.

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“He secured a lot of jobs here and lots of them were high quality positions such as engineers and designers.

“And it was not just in Wrightbus either. There were many jobs created in sub contractors, for example companies which made windscreens and door handles.

“They were great years. He came to visit us a couple of times.

“He was very jovial, getting in below the buses, you know the way Boris got on, a very lively character for a Prime Minister.

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“For an aristocratic type, he was more than happy to speak to any man in the street.”

A spokeswoman for Wrightbus told the News Letter: “On behalf of all employees at Bamford Bus Company / Wrightbus we extend our warmest wishes for a speedy recovery to the Prime Minister.”

Green Pastures Church, which was closely associated with Wrightbus, also issued a statement.

“As a church we are holding our prime minister Boris Johnson up in prayer for complete healing and a speedy recovery as he leads the government and the country through this current crisis,” it said. “We are also believing that through this illness, he will have a life changing encounter with God.”

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