An ITV journalist said that Boris Johnson took his phone mid-interview and put it in his pocket rather than look at a photo of a sick boy, which he was trying to show him.
Footage from the North East, where Johnson is campaigning, shows ITV's Joe Pike accusing him of pocketing his phone rather than looking at the picture.
Tried to show @BorisJohnson the picture of Jack Williment-Barr. The 4-year-old with suspected pneumonia forced to lie on a pile of coats on the floor of a Leeds hospital. The PM grabbed my phone and put it in his pocket: @itvcalendar | #GE19
At the end of the interview, Johnson gives back the phone and says: "I'm sorry to have taken your phone. There you go."
A Tory source told the Mirror that Johnson only pocketed the phone after looking at the picture.
The picture that Pike was attempting to show him went viral last night.
This is a terrible picture. A four-year old forced to sleep on the floor of A&E. THIS is where politicians should be focusing their attention. https://t.co/zkB7r7gfUH
It shows a 4-year-old boy, Jack Williment-Barr, lying on a pile of coats while wearing an oxygen mask. He had pneumonia at the time. The boss of Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust apologised to Williment-Barr's mother after the incident, which was a result of the hospital's high demand.
Twitter users were stunned by the footage.
He... he took his phone. He just actually. Took. His phone. https://t.co/Z7rQ1WIEyA
"You've refused to see the photo, you've taken my phone & put it in your pocket Prime Minister" is now my most memorable interviewer's remark of the campaign. https://t.co/nRJR4EwXav
CCHQ watching Boris Johnson snatching the phone of a reporter trying to show him *that* hospital pic
And opposition politicians weighed in with their views.
A four-year-old boy from Leeds was forced to sleep on the hospital floor because the Tories have cut our NHS to the bone. Boris Johnson takes the reporter's phone so he can avoid seeing the consequences of his actions. Heartless.
For a moment the mask slips here - I fear this is the real Boris Johnson. No wonder his minders won't let him be interviewed by Andrew Neil. https://t.co/kglbbGO3Yk
Hours later, he was asked why he took the journalist's phone and put it in his pocket. Johnson didn't answer the question; he spoke about investment in the NHS instead.
.@PaulBrandITV asks Boris Johnson why he took the phone away after he was shown a picture of the four-year-old boy on the floor of an A&E department. The prime minister replies they are investing in children's services and the NHS #GE2019