Children’s author Philip Pullman has taken to Twitter to clarify that he doesn’t want to see Boris Johnson hanged.
After the PM announced his controversial plan to suspend Parliament, the His Dark Materials author tweeted: “When I hear the name ‘Boris Johnson’, for some reason the words ‘rope’ and ‘nearest lamp-post’ come to mind as well”.
Mr Pullman’s post came just hours after he blasted Mr Johnson as a “dictator” and urged for the nation to “get rid of him”.
He tweeted: “The ‘prime minister’ has finally come out as a dictator. I’ve had enough of being outraged.
“We must get rid of him and his loathsome gang as soon and as finally as possible.
But early this morning Mr Pullman, who is is opposed to Brexit , felt the need to clarify he “doesn’t ”advocate hanging Boris Johnson” after outcry online.
The author deleted the tweet and commented: “I’ve deleted a tweet which apparently upset a lot of people.
“I don’t advocate hanging Boris Johnson.
“I think that would be a very bad idea.
“Recent events have aroused my anger to the point where I temporarily lost my judgement. In the heat of the moment I made a tactical error.”
In an earlier tweet he had said: “For goodness’ sake. Of course I wasn’t advocating hanging the bastard.
But rulers who try and do away with democratic parliaments come to bad ends.
“As I pointed out on Twitter some time ago, the axe and the block are still in working order.”
(Image: Getty Images)
Lib Dem MP Sarah Wollaston slammed the author.
On Twitter she wrote: “No one should give a scrap of incitement to violence, especially those with great influence . You should delete.”
