STANLEY Johnson has flouted essential travel rules imposed by his own son Boris to take a trip to Greece.

The Prime Minister’s father flew from England, via Bulgaria, to visit his holiday villa.

The Foreign Office says people from the UK should only make “essential” foreign trips.

Johnson publicly documented his journey every step of the way on Instagram, including pictures from the airport and plane.

The 79-year-old was forced to travel via Sofia since Greece has banned direct flights from the UK.

Upon arrival in Athens, Johnson travelled to his mountain villa. Speaking to his Instagram followers from the balcony, he claimed the trip was “essential business”.

“I’m in Pelion on essential business trying to Covid-proof my property in view of the upcoming letting season,” he said. “I need to set up distancing measures at the property because they’re taking it very seriously here.”

Johnson added: “The Greeks are trying to stop bulk arrivals from the UK but they were quite happy to have me coming in.

“All they wanted to know where I was coming from and what I was doing. Then I had my temperature taken and was swabbed twice.

“We must get these air bridges set up as soon as possible. From what I’ve seen the arrival of the British will not be a danger to the Greeks because they’re so careful here.”

Another of Stanley Johnson’s pictures, posted on his Instagram

Responding to the news of Johnson’s trip, photographer Vagelis Georgariou posted on Twitter: “Not allowed to fly to Greece with my dad for my grandads funeral because it’s not essential travel, meanwhile @BorisJohnson dad claims that setting up a villa for holidays is essential travel. The @Conservatives disgust me.”

During the early stages of lockdown, Johnson suggested he’d visit a pub just hours after his son had urged people to avoid pubs, clubs, restaurants and theatres, particularly if they are aged over 70, pregnant or have a chronic health condition.

Asked by This Morning’s Philip Schofield if he would go to a pub, Johnson said: “Of course I’ll go to a pub if I need to go to a pub.”

Challenged on the claim that such a visit would be essential, he added: “Well, because the people who run pubs need a little bit of people – they don’t want people to not be in the pub at all. That’s my line.”