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Fundraiser set up to buy Boris Johnson £1,000 Harrods cufflinks to thank him after coronavirus scare

 A sign of support for British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who has been in hospital since Monday  as the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) continues, in Swynnerton, Britain, April 9, 2020. REUTERS/Carl Recine
A sign of support for Boris Johnson (Picture: Reuters)

An online fundraiser has been set up to buy Boris Johnson new £1,000 Harrods cufflinks.

The Crowdfunder was created by Darren Street from Newport after the Prime Minister was transferred to intensive care on Monday when he suffered complications from COVID-19.

Since then Johnson’s condition has improved and he has been moved back to a ward at St Thomas’ Hospital, in central London.

In the fundraiser description, Mr Street wrote: “No matter where you stand left-wing or right-wing, you can only agree that Boris has led the United Kingdom through COVID-19 with sheer determination and passion for his country and the people within.

“Boris has worked relentlessly and if we look at what our UK Prime Minister is paid compared to that of a professional footballer It is minuscule especially for doing the job that he does and having the burden of responsibility that he does.”

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LONDON, ENGLAND - MARCH 22: British Prime Minister Boris Johnson gives his daily COVID 19 press briefing at Downing Street on March 22, 2020 in London, England. Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has spread to at least 182 countries, claiming over 10,000 lives and infecting hundreds of thousands more. (Photo by Ian Vogler-WPA Pool/Getty Images)
Johnson gives his daily COVID 19 press briefing at Downing Street on 22 March (Picture: Getty)

He initially wanted to raise £1,000 to buy Purdey Sterling Silver Duelling Cufflinks from Harrods and get them engraved with a personal message saying thank you.

The target has since been stretched to £5,000, with Mr Street promising to donate the remainder of the money to mental health charity MIND.

He added he wanted to thank the PM for “the tireless work that he as our Prime Minister has put in over the past four weeks taking this country through COVID-19 and clearly work that has compromised his own health/life/safetywork.”

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Johnson, 55, was transferred to intensive care on Monday after his condition worsened, but he was discharged back to a ward on Thursday.

Number 10 has since confirmed he is able to take short walks as he begins his recovery.

A spokeswoman said on Saturday that he “continues to make very good progress” in his recovery.

Johnson’s fiance Carrie Symonds sent the Prime Minister daily updates, including images of their unborn child, as he struggled with coronavirus, a Downing Street source confirmed.

The couple have not seen each other since he was admitted to the hospital almost a week ago, according to a report in the Sun newspaper.

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Environmental campaigner Ms Symonds, who is due to give birth in two months, has also been ill with coronavirus-like symptoms in recent weeks but has not been tested.

The Department of Health confirmed on Saturday a total of 9,875 people had died in hospital after testing positive for coronavirus as of 5pm on Friday, up by 917 from the same point on Thursday.