‘Cheese-lover’ Boris Johnson: Veganism requires ‘so much concentration’

Boris Johnson has revealed that he will not go vegan in his bid to lose weight after finding the diet requires "so much concentration" when he tried it last year.

The Prime Minister attempted to give up meat and dairy during the Tory leadership campaign, but said he would not be doing Veganuary where people avoid animal products during January.

"I had thought of it but it requires so much concentration," he told BBC Breakfast.

"I take my hat off to vegans who can handle it, who can manage to avoid all the non-vegan products, but... you can't eat cheese can you, if you're a vegan?

"It's just a crime against cheese lovers."

Mr Johnson earlier said that he hoped to lose some weight this year, when asked whether he would be changing his style as PM to be less of a showman in what had been dubbed a "submarine strategy".

Asked if the country would see a different Boris Johnson to the one it has seen before, the PM replied: "No, I hope to lose some weight.

"But in terms of the submarine, the submarine is crashing through the ice floe.

"I want to be as available as I possibly can, but I do believe in Cabinet government.

"I do believe in the strength of our Cabinet, they're a fantastically able bunch of people – I want them to be leading."