STORY
Sir James Cleverly has distanced himself from Kemi Badenoch’s comparison of a Government minister to a Gestapo officer, saying he would not have used the language deployed by the Conservative leader.
Badenoch has faced criticism after Bridget Phillipson, the Education Secretary, said the Conservative leader had compared her to a Gestapo officer during a row over Labour’s decision to end tax exemptions for private schools. Phillipson said Nazi comparisons rarely served political debate well and accused Badenoch of engaging in a “unique brand of unpleasant politics”.
Asked about the remarks, Cleverly declined to endorse Badenoch’s wording. The former Home Secretary said he would not have compared a Government minister to a Gestapo officer, although he also said opposition politicians had a role in challenging ministers robustly.