Boris Johnson is facing more criticism today after refusing to apologise for making a joke about ‘dead bodies’ in Libya earlier this month. He was criticised by both the Labour Party and the Scottish National Party, who demanded that the Foreign Secretary apologise for his crass and insensitive remarks. Instead, Johnson accused them of “political point scoring.”
Johnson claimed that the Libyan city of Sirte could become the new Dubai, after they “clear the dead bodies away.” This was challenged by Labour MP Fabian Hamilton, who raised the issue today in the House of Commons. He quoted the head of the Taghyeer Party in Libya, Guma El-Gamaty, who said:
“Libyans fought and died fighting Islamic State in Sirte. Many remain where they fell. It is insensitive to talk about those bodies as if they are some obstacle to British businessmen enjoying beer and sunbathing. The very least he should do is apologise to the families of the young men who died.”
Despite criticism from Hamilton, his Conservative colleagues and pretty much the entire political spectrum, Johnson was undeterred, saying:
“I think by far the best thing that this government and this House can do is get behind the plan that this government is promoting to bring security to Libya, security to Sirte and that would do honour to all those who fell fighting Da’esh in Libya. That is the way forward for that country and that is the course that we are promoting.”
Boris Johnson accuses critics of his Libya remarks of trivialising the issue. Yes, the same Boris Johnson who joked about dead bodies #FCOQs
— Emily Thornberry (@EmilyThornberry) October 17, 2017
This is the moment a Labour MP asks @BorisJohnson to apologise for his comments about dead bodies in Libya. pic.twitter.com/jVtJk8EFI6
— Channel 4 News (@Channel4News) October 17, 2017
In response to the SNP’s Stephen Gethins taking Johnson to task again on his comments, the despicable BoJo then went on the offensive – accusing Gethins’ criticism and the outrage over his vile remarks amounted to nothing other than “political points scoring.”
We’ll let you decide.
[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hCIKeQLiG4M[/embedyt]
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