Boris Johnson's Ukraine and Brexit comparison was so bad even Brexiteers were angry

The condemnation of Boris Johnson’s likening of Brexit to the war in Ukraine has continued to spread online, with even hardcore Brexiteers dismissing the prime minister’s comments as “totally cringe”.

If you missed it, the Conservative Party leader made the remarks in Blackpool on Saturday, as part of his speech to his party’s spring conference.

He told attendees: “I know that it’s the instinct of the people of this country, like the people of Ukraine, to choose freedom every time.

“I can give you a couple of famous, recent examples. When the British people voted for Brexit, in such large numbers, I don’t believe it was because they were remotely hostile to foreigners, it’s because they wanted to be free.”

Only problem is, as has since been pointed out by the EU’s former Brexit co-ordinator Guy Verhofstadt, Ukraine has applied to become an immediate member of the European Union following its invasion by Russia last month.

Awkward.

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Even talkRADIO host Julia Hartley-Brewer called out Mr Johnson’s comparison, writing on Twitter yesterday: “Even as a staunch Brexiteer, this is totally cringe from [Boris Johnson].

“Comparing the vote to leave the EU with the Ukrainian people fighting for their lives against a foreign invader is an insult to their bravery and sacrifice.”

It was a post which prompted concerned responses from Twitter users.

Hartley-Brewer wasn’t the only leave voter to slam Johnson for the comparison, either - with other Brexiteers branding it as "ridiculous" and "beyond the pale".

Anyone else surprised at how it took just one “offensive” comment to unite remainers and leavers again?

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