He was previously made Foreign Secretary even though when in Opposition he had called Donald Trump a “tyrant”, “xenophobic”, “a racist KKK and Nazi sympathizer.”
Now he has said Reform’s Nigel Farage is “someone who once flirted with Hitler Youth when he was younger.” The accusation is manifestly absurd not least because the Hitler Youth was disbanded at the end of WWII and Farage was born in 1964.
These are dangerous times, when self-appointed assassins have felt obliged to rid us of turbulent right-wing politicians.
So the BBC called him out on this allegation and the Deputy PM was “happy to clarify” his comment. Here is his clarification:
“He [Farage] has denied it and so I accept that he has denied it.”Not “I accept that it was untrue and defamatory.” Not “I accept that it was a reckless and disgraceful lie and I apologise.”
Implicitly he has restated his slander.
He claims that “the prime minister is keen for us to focus on the policies not the individuals.” In other words, he could be taken to mean “it’s true, at least of Farage’s fascistic mindset, but as honourable politicians we are bound to conduct our debate on a more civilised basis.”
Unless he is willing to retract unequivocally his thoroughly unscrupulous and unprofessional slur he should resign.
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