THE US should stop lecturing Britain on free speech, Boris Johnson blasted yesterday.
Referencing the tragic murder of right-wing activist Charlie Kirk, the ex-PM argued that “whatever you may say about our country, we don’t have people who advocate for free speech being shot”.
Ray CollinsBoris Johnson has said the US should stop lecturing Britain on free speech[/caption]
Ray CollinsThe ex-PM appeared on Harry Cole Saves the West today[/caption]
AFPJimmy Kimmel made an emotional return to the telly last night[/caption]
Speaking to the Harry Cole Saves the West show, Bo-Jo also hit out at the American network ABC for temporarily cancelling the Jimmy Kimmel late-night talk programme.
He claimed “the finger of the White House reached out” to pressure the network into stopping the show after Kimmel falsely claimed Mr Kirk was shot by a MAGA fan.
Watch Harry Cole’s interview with Boris Johnson on his YouTube channel here…
Donald Trump and US Vice President JD Vance have launched scathing attacks on the state of free speech in the UK.
But slapping down their comments, the ex-PM said: “I’ve had enough of lectures from the United States about free speech.
“I think some good friends of the UK, JD Vance yes, are inviting us to cast out the mote without looking at the beam of your own eye as the Bible says.”
Mr Johnson also acknowledged Britain has its battles with free-speech.
He slammed cops and the courts for wasting time policing and jailing Brits over tweets, saying: “it’s mad we shouldn’t be doing it”.
Kimmel, 57, returned to his show on Tuesday night after ABC yanked him from the air nearly a week ago over comments he made about Kirk’s shooter.
In his show last Monday, he said: “We hit some new lows over the weekend with the MAGA gang desperately trying to characterise this kid who murdered Charlie Kirk as anything other than one of them and doing everything they can to score political points from it.”
Nextstar – one of the biggest owners of TV stations in the US – said in a statement the following day: “We made a decision last week to preempt ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live!’ following what ABC referred to as Mr Kimmel’s ‘ill-timed and insensitive’ comments at a critical time in our national discourse.
“We stand by that decision pending assurance that all parties are committed to fostering an environment of respectful, constructive dialogue in the markets we serve.”
In an emotional return the the airwaves this week, he denounced Kirk’s killing unequivocally, adding: “I do want to make something clear, because it’s important to me as a human and that is you understand that it was never my intention to make light of the murder of a young man,” he said as he fought back tears.
“I posted a message on Instagram the day he was killed, sending love to [Kirk’s] family and asking for compassion, and I meant it, and I still do, nor was it my intention to blame any specific group for the actions of what was obviously a deeply disturbed individual.”
“That was really the opposite of the point I was trying to make. But I understand that to some that felt either it was ill-timed or unclear or maybe both, and for those who think I did point a finger, I get why you’re upset,” he continued.
“If the situation was reversed, there’s a good chance I’d have felt the same way. I have many friends and family members on the other side who I love and remain close to, even though we don’t agree on politics at all, I don’t think the murderer who shot Charlie Kirk represents anyone.
“This was a sick person who believed violence was a solution and it isn’t it ever and also, selfishly, I am the person who gets a lot of threats. I get many ugly and scary threats against my life, my wife, my kids, my co workers because of what I choose to say, and I know those threats don’t come from the kind of people on the right who I know and love.”
Former Prime Minister Boris Johnson and The Sun’s Editor-at-Large Harry ColeCredit: Ray Collins Published: [#item_custom_pubDate]
