Leigh silent on Pope’s ‘Putin altar boy’ jibe

Good Catholics like to take their lead from the Pope. So one might have expected Tory grandee Sir Edward Leigh to have publicly backed the Pope’s criticism of the leader of the Russian orthodox Church.

For Leigh is president of the Catholic Union of Great Britain and chairman of the all-party Commons group on the Holy See.

Earlier this month, Pope Francis called Patriarch Kirill of Moscow ‘Putin’s altar boy’ after the orthodox leader — who preaches to a flock of 100 million — fervently supported Russia’s barbaric invasion of Ukraine.

Curiously, the usually garrulous Leigh hasn’t followed the pontiff’s denunciation. A spokesman for Leigh insists: ‘Sir Edward completely condemns Kirill’s support for Putin’s politics.’

But why hasn’t he said so in public? Could Leigh’s reticence have anything to do with the fact his aristocratic wife Mary — herself descended from the Russian Empress Catherine The Great — is a trustee of the charity of the London Russian orthodox Church Abroad in Chiswick, West London?

This church has ties to Mother Russia, after all. n UKRAinE’S thumping recent Eurovision win is posing a problem for ministers.

normally, the victorious country hosts the contest the following year — but thanks to the war, that is most unlikely for the unfortunate Ukrainians.

Since Britain sensationally came second — so much for our postBrexit isolation! — it may fall to us to organise the 2023 event at an estimated cost of £25 million.

My worried source at the Cabinet office whimpers: ‘if the UK has to host it, it’s going to come out of our budget.’

nul points for ministerial courage, chaps!