Lib Dem leadership contender Sir Ed Davey has apologised for using “careless language” after writing about his plan to “decapitate” Boris Johnson.
Writing in The Times on Tuesday, the MP said his party needed more than money to stop Tory leadership favourite Johnson “lumbering into Number 10”.
“So I hereby float the idea of a Remain alliance to decapitate that blond head in Uxbridge and South Ruislip if Johnson calls a snap election to deliver Brexit.
“Naturally as leader of the Lib Dems I would only agree to stand aside firstly with the consent of local Lib Dems and secondly if Remain parties can agree on a unifying candidate that cuts across party division,” he added.
Jo Swinson – who is also in the running to replace Vince Cable as leader of the Liberal Democrats – slammed Davey’s choice of words, saying politicians should be about to make a case “without resorting to violent language”.
“The language we use is important,” she said. “We have to be able to have robust debate in our politics without resorting to graphic, violent imagery. We have to rediscover the ability to disagree well with each other.
“This is not language I would use, and in the current climate I don’t think we should speak in those terms.”
Meanwhile, Tory MP Henry Smith tweeted: “Decapitate that blond head?! Overturn the greatest UK referendum poll ever? Appalling language and sentiment.
“Not a liberal, not a democrat. Lurid. Desperate.”
In a statement on Twitter, Davey apologised for the comment, saying it “wasn’t an acceptable choice of language”.
“This was careless use of language, meant in electoral sense and in no way literally,” he wrote.
“Whilst we should be robust in our opposition, we do have to carefully consider impact of our words and I failed to do that.”
The row comes amid the Lib Dem leadership race, with Cable set to step down at the end of July.