Tory MP Boris Johnson has been mocked for using a Bible analogy that compares himself to Moses in his latest newspaper column.
In his latest Daily Telegraph newspaper – which he receives £275,000 to write – he has a message for prime minister Theresa May.
He writes: ‘We have blinked. We have baulked. We have bottled it completely. We have now undergone the humiliation of allowing the EU to decide the date on which we may make our own departure. It is the EU that is now insisting that parliament must vote – for a third time! – on its Carthaginian terms, if we are to be permitted to leave on May 22.’
He continued: ‘If she cannot give that evidence of change, she should drop the deal, go back to Brussels, and set out the terms that so many on both sides – Remainers and Leavers – now believe are sensible.
‘Extend the implementation period to the end of 2021 if necessary; use it to negotiate a free-trade deal; pay the fee; but come out of the EU now – without the backstop. It is time for the PM to channel the spirit of Moses in Exodus, and say to Pharaoh in Brussels – LET MY PEOPLE GO.’
But people were quick to point out the flaws in the comparisons, not least because Moses was trying to free the Israelites from slavery, and the UK has already been told it can leave the EU but the prime minister wanted extra time.
Dave Clarke tweeted: ‘I must have missed that bit in the Old Testament where Moses went to Pharaoh and said ‘Can you delay letting my people go for three months?’ and Pharaoh said ‘I’ll give you three weeks but if you’re going just go’.’
Edward Burke said: ‘The full biblical ‘Moses’ quote cited by Boris Johnson is, ‘Let my people go, that they may serve me.’ Sounds very much in character: Brexit is all about me.’
Many pointed out that Moses went on to spend forty years in the wilderness after the slaves were freed.
Tom Hamilton wrote: ‘Boris Johnson calling for us all to spend forty years in the wilderness, there.’
Journalist George Eaton said: ‘Did no one tell Boris Johnson that this was followed by 40 years wandering in the wilderness?’
Dean T?ne tweeted: ‘Boris Johnson’s Moses analogy with Brexit is weirdly apt considering Moses made his people walk aimlessly through the desert for 40 years, were stricken when honouring a False Idol, and died before ever reaching the Promised Land.’
Some could not believe that Boris Johnson had moved from comparing himself to Churchill to now a character from the Bible.
Nils Braakmann said: ‘Oh god, he’s gone from imagining he’s Churchill to Moses…’
Remain campaigner Femi Oluwole said that Johnson would have fallen short of Moses’ 10 commandments.
‘Oh dear! Someone should probably tell Boris Johnson that Moses was practically the inventor of Free Movement. If he was around today he’d have probably parted the English Channel to make movement even freer. Also, Boris, he was the actual guy who wrote down: Thou shalt not lie.’
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And others were in disbelief the Daily Telegraph had given the politician such a splash.
James Chalmers tweeted: ‘Can’t believe Boris Johnson gets a front page splash for quoting from Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat when I know all of Cats off by heart and the Telegraph won’t even publish my letters.’
Matt Chorley said: ‘Somebody’s going to be in trouble. The front page has gone out with the gibberish dummy text still in the headline box.’
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