Steerpike Steerpike

Nicholas Soames gives Boris a telling off

On Wednesday, No 10 was forced to clarify that the Foreign Secretary had not compared the French President to a Nazi after Boris Johnson warned Francois Hollande against trying to ‘administer punishment beatings’ in the manner of some ‘world war two movie’. Alas not everyone in Johnson’s party has proved so helpful in coming to his defence.

An ill-timed press release from the Holocaust Educational Trust yesterday saw Sajid Javid criticise those who make ‘glib comparisons’ with the Nazis. Now, Nicholas Soames has added to Johnson’s woes. Mr S was present at Bright Blue’s Drink Tank last night where Winston Churchill’s grandson had some choice words for the Foreign Secretary:

‘Much as I worship and revere the Foreign Secretary, I don’t think it’s clever to talk about punishment beatings, which he has done today. So we need to be careful about how we express our views.’

Soames went on to suggest that criticising one’s opponent was rarely a good idea:

‘Everyone thinks their right so condemning or criticising others, particularly in public, is a guaranteed fast route to creating enemies.

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