Isn't it past his bedtime, Boris? PM gives son Wilfred a shoulder ride as he dashes to father Stanley's book launch in London... hours after jetting back from £25,000-a-week Spanish break

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Boris Johnson took son Wilfred to see his grandfather last night - carrying him on his shoulders to a bookshop where Stanley was launching his latest read.

The event was held at Daunt Books in Marylebone, central London, from 7.30-8.30pm to promote Mr Johnson senior's novel From An Antique Land.

A witness said that the Prime Minister seemed well-prepared to both care for his son and mingle with guests as he was seen with a bottle of milk stashed in his pocket to feed him if he got hungry.  

Mr Johnson and Wilfred left shortly before it finished. 

Pictures taken earlier that evening showed Mr Johnson arriving at London's Heathrow Airport after his holiday with pregnant wife Carrie and Wilfred.

They couple had stayed at a £25,000-a-week Marbella villa owned by his Tory colleague Zac Goldsmith.

He looked less than delighted to be back from holiday today amid mounting fears the supply chain shambles will wreck Christmas.

The PM put on a grumpy face as he larked around with pupils on a visit to a school in Bristol, where he is holding a Cabinet away-day. 

But after a few days painting in the sunshine in Spain, Mr Johnson is confronted by more turmoil as he struggles to get a grip on the shortage of lorry drivers, delays at ports and surging energy prices.

Boris Johnson took son Wilfred to see his grandfather last night - carrying him on his shoulders to a bookshop where Stanley was launching his latest read

The event was in Marylebone and held to promote Mr Johnson senior's novel From An Antique Land, which is set after the September 2001 terror attacks. A witness said that the Prime Minister seemed well-prepared for the evening event at Daunts and looking after his son as he was pictured with a bottle of milk in his pocket

Stanley Johnson's book, which is published by Black Spring Press, is set shortly after the September 2001 terrorist attacks in the US.   

Mr Johnson arrived at the event with his son, before handing him to his niece briefly so he could talk to other attendees. 

The PM then left with his young son shortly before the event ended.  

Other attendees included Made in Chelsea star Georgia Toffolo, 26, who is known to be friends with the elder Mr Johnson. 

A photo showed her standing with Stanley as she held his book out in front of her. 

The event came just hours after Mr Johnson returned from Marbella.  

He was spotted landing at London's Heathrow Airport on a British Airways plane before being driven away in a Range Rover flanked by four motorcycle outriders.  

On his holiday, Mr Johnson was pictured earlier this week deep in concentration as he painted outside.  

His return comes as the country is wracked by alarm over soaring energy bills and the risk spiking inflation will force the Bank of England to hike interest rates sooner than planned.

But according to the latest YouGov poll the turbulence is not denting the Tories' standing with voters.

The party's support has gone up two points in a week, hitting 41 per cent in the research conducted yesterday and Tuesday.  

With fears that the festive season could be blighted by logjams as the global economy recovers from Covid, panic buying of toys and other products already seems to have begun.

There has also been a surge in sales of frozen turkeys, while 75 per cent more Christmas puddings have been purchased than usual at this time of year.

Stanley Johnson's book, which is published by Black Spring Press, is set shortly after the September 2001 terrorist attacks in the US

Other attendees included Made in Chelsea star Georgia Toffolo, 26, who is known to be friends with the elder Mr Johnson

Ministers have made some small changes to visa rules to allow in 5,500 HGV drivers, 5,000 workers in poultry processing and some 800 butchers to handle pigs and pork. 

Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said this morning that foreign lorry drivers will be able to make unlimited pick-ups and drop-offs domestically in an effort to ease the pressure - but he admitted it would not come in until 'towards the end of the year'.

'That's the equivalent of adding thousands of lorry drivers to the road, but we don't have to do anything with visas in order to do this,' he told Sky News.

Boris Johnson larked around with pupils as he visited a school in Bristol today after returning from his holiday in Spain

Boris Johnson gad been holidaying in fellow Tory Zac Goldsmith's lavish villa (pictured above) with his wife Carrie and Wilfred

The pool at the villa in Marbella on Costa del Sol. Mr Johnson was criticised for going on the break despite the ongoing crises back in Britain

Earlier this week, the PM was seen painting as the sun set over the Mediterranean Sea from the Andalusian hillside

'It's a straightforward measure, it'll come in towards the end of the year.

'People will be able to get things for Christmas – these measures are having an impact, things are loosening up.

'When I talk to ports they're saying 'yes, it is busy, it's a globally busy picture', but if you compare us to many ports around the world, we need to keep this in proportion – things are flowing.'

But Tim Morris, head of the Major Ports Group, which represents operators, said that despite the Government saying the supply chain crisis is getting better, we should not 'fool ourselves'.

He told Sky News: 'This week has seen improvements in what we call stack levels, so the amount of containers, for example, sat on the ground. But let's not fool ourselves.

'It has been an extraordinarily busy 12 months now.

'And what we've seen over the last week, fortnight, have been some of the UK supply chain congestion issues sort of matching up and catching ports… between surging global demand and shipping and very congested inland here in the UK.'

Boris Johnson plants flower bulbs with school children, during a visit to Westbury-On-Trym Church of England Academy in Bristol today

New Education Secretary Nadhim Zahawi and Home Secretary Priti Patel were among the ministers at the Cabinet away-day today

There have been complaints about empty shelves at Supermarkets as they struggle to get goods to the right places. Pictured, Leeds yesterday

The UK's biggest port, Felixstowe, is experiencing huge workload as businesses scramble to get goods into the country

Disruption at Britain's ports threatens shortages of many products, with Ikea warning that supply problems could continue for another 12 months. 

The British Retail Consortium (BRC) has warned that three in five retailers will be pushing up prices in the coming weeks.

Its director of food and sustainability, Andrew Opie, said: 'There are clear signs that the cost pressures from rising transport costs, higher energy and commodity prices, and ongoing labour shortages, all of which are starting to filter through to consumer prices.'

He insisted the only way to stem increases is for the Government to change visa rules to allow in more foreign workers who are needed to fill vacancies across the economy.

The supply chain issues are adding to alarm that inflation is getting embedded in the economy, with analysts warning that the Bank of England will need to raise interest rates sooner than previously expected to get it under control.  

Mr Johnson will gather his Cabinet for a meeting away from Downing Street as he seeks to portray the UK as a beacon for green investment.

The PM will attempt to turn the focus on to the looming COP26 summit today, claiming a combination of Government support and a 'British zeal for innovation and commerce' have put the UK at the forefront of a green industrial revolution. 

Since November 2020, when Mr Johnson set out a 10-point plan for a greener economy, there has been some £5.8billion of investment either already landed by the UK or committed.

Mr Johnson was talking up his promises for the looming COP26 summit on a visit to a school in Bristol today

Mr Johnson seemed to be enjoying himself in the garden of the school today

Downing Street said the investments already announced would create or secure 56,000 jobs.

Ahead of the UN summit in Glasgow, the Government is expected to publish its long-awaited net zero strategy, setting out how it will cut greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.

Hailing the latest investment data, Mr Johnson said: 'These new figures are yet more evidence that going green means creating high quality jobs across the United Kingdom.

'We are at the forefront of seizing these new opportunities, supported by major Government investment and a British zeal for innovation and commerce.'

Among investments highlighted by the Government were Nissan and Envision's commitment to an electric vehicle hub in Sunderland, chemical giant Ineos's £1 billion plan to convert its Grangemouth refinery to run on hydrogen and the £100 million announced by Vauxhall's parent firm Stellantis to turn the Ellesmere Port plant into a dedicated electric vehicle factory.

The Cabinet meeting comes ahead of a Global Investment Summit taking place in London next week, aimed at attracting further overseas cash.

Mr Johnson arrived back from Spain at Heathrow Airport last night after his family break near Marbella