Boris Johnson has history of comparing himself to Jaws’ reckless mayor who kept beaches open

Prime minister previously hailed mayor Larry Vaughn as real ‘hero’ of film

The mayor of Amity, Larry Vaughn, in the film Jaws (YouTube)

Boris Johnson has reportedly again compared himself to the feckless mayor in the film Jaws, during a row over Covid lockdowns last year.

In September, in the middle of intense debate within Downing Street over whether to introduced a second lockdown, Mr Johnson is said to have expressed regret over the first lockdown and likened himself to Larry Vaughn, the mayor of Amity in Jaws who orders the beaches to stay open despite the shark attacks, The Times reported.  

Incredibly, this is not the first time the prime minister has hailed the mayor as a model to emulate.

In 2006, as he was preparing to run for mayor of London for the first time, Mr Johnson said in a speech Mr Vaughn was the “real hero” of Jaws.

“A gigantic fish is eating all your constituents and he decides to keep the beaches open. OK, in that instance he was actually wrong.

“But in principle, we need more politicians like the mayor – we are often the only obstacle against all the nonsense which is really a massive conspiracy against the taxpayer."

The foolhardy Mr Vaughn recklessly orders Amity’s beaches to stay open after the shark devours its first victim. The mayor argues her death was in fact a boating accident and insists closing the beaches would ruin the town’s summer economy.

Later, after an innocent tiger shark is caught by fisherman, Mr Vaughn chooses to believe the predator has been caught and again declares Amity’s beaches safe for all. The shark kills several other residents before it is finally exterminated by the film’s hero, police chief Martin Brody.

TheJaws remarks are the latest controversial comments reportedly made by Mr Johnson which have emerged in leaks in recent days.

Several news outlets have reported the prime minister was heard in Downing Street loudly saying he would prefer to “let the bodies pile high” rather than order another lockdown last autumn. 

Mr Johnson has denied he said this although others who were there at the time, including Michael Gove, have used more equivocal language.