Stinging Criticism For Boris Over Obama Article

22 April 2016, 17:09 | Updated: 25 August 2016, 16:27

"Offensive and idiotic": Boris Johnson gets a shellacking from Tory MP Sir Nicholas Soames after his article that mentioned Barack Obama's Kenyan heritage.

Sir Nicholas spoke to Iain Dale as President Obama visited the UK and gave his backing to the Remain campaign.

Earlier today, The Sun printed a column from the Mayor of London which mentioned a story about a bust of Winston Churchill reportedly being removed from the White House.

But it was his next sentences that have kicked off the row. Johnson wrote: “Some said it was a snub to Britain. Some said it was a symbol of the part-Kenyan President’s ancestral dislike of the British empire – of which Churchill had been such a fervent defender."

Sir Nicholas, a grandson of Winston Churchill, let rip at Boris for that comment: "I think it's a deplorable article. It's completely idiotic.

"First of all it's deeply offensive.

"I'm mad enough to think it was probably written by some little twerp who works for Boris. I can't believe that Boris would really have done something so stupid.

"But whatever it is, it bears his name and it's deeply offensive."

After that attack, Iain could only laugh but when he asked Sir Nicholas why Boris had brought up Obama's heritage, Soames was in no doubt.

"I think it's completely desperate.

"What Boris shows is that time and time again his judgment is awry. He shows in this article a remarkable but entirely consistent disregard for the facts, the truth and all judgment."

Hear the full interview below - including why Sir Nicholas believes it makes clear Boris could never be Prime Minister: