The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Tory MPs call for Johnson to be sacked over latest gaffe
Downing Street has rebuked Boris Johnson over his latest gaffe, branding his comments about clearing bodies from a Libyan city inappropriate.
A Number 10 source said Prime Minister Theresa May would “echo” the public slap-down by her effective deputy Damian Green, who said the foreign secretary should have chosen his words more carefully.
But the source said Mrs May now regards the matter as closed.
Asked if Mr Johnson should apologise, the source said: “That is a matter for him.”
Mr Johnson sparked outrage on Tuesday evening by telling a meeting on the fringe of the Conservative conference in Manchester that the city of Sirte could be like Dubai if the Libyans could “clear the dead bodies away”.
First Secretary of State Mr Green said Mr Johnson’s remarks were “unacceptable”, telling Sky News: “Everyone, including Boris, needs to be careful in their use of language.”
The Downing Street source told reporters: “The Prime Minister would echo that sentiment. We didn’t feel it was an appropriate choice of words.”
Home Secretary Amber Rudd made clear she was losing patience with her Cabinet colleague, branding him a “distraction” as he continued to suck attention away from the party’s policy announcements at conference.
Ms Rudd told Sky News: “The foreign secretary has clarified what he meant.
“I hope we can move on from that for now, until his next comment.”
She added: “He’s a distraction sometimes, from the real stuff we are trying to do.”
Tory former minister Anna Soubry said Mr Johnson is “embarrassing and the PM should sack him”.
Heidi Allen, a Tory MP, tweeted: “100% unacceptable from anyone, let alone foreign sec. Boris must be sacked for this. He does not represent my party.”
Tory MP Sarah Wollaston told BBC Radio 4’s Today: “Well I think these remarks were crass, poorly judged, grossly insensitive and this is from the person who is representing us on the world stage, I think this is really disappointing.
“I think he should consider his position.”
Shadow foreign secretary Emily Thornberry said the remarks were “unbelievably crass, callous and cruel”.
Mr Johnson defended his comments in a series of midnight tweets, saying: “Shame people with no knowledge or understanding of Libya want to play politics with the appallingly dangerous reality in Sirte.”