Theresa May slaps down Boris Johnson after he accuses Saudis of ‘proxy wars’

Theresa May slapped down Boris Johnson today for accusing Saudi Arabia of “puppeteering and playing proxy wars” in the Middle East.

Downing Street said the Foreign Secretary’s remarks were his own and did not reflect government policy towards Saudi Arabia, one of Britain’s most important and sensitive allies in the Middle East.

“These are the Foreign Secretary’s views, they are not the Government’s position on, for example, Saudi and its role in the region,” stated the Prime Minister’s spokeswoman, who made clear Mr Johnson would be expected to stick to the official line when he visits the region this weekend.

“The Foreign Secretary will be in Saudi Arabia on Sunday and has the opportunity to set out the way the UK sees its relationship with Saudi Arabia,” she said.

It followed the emergence of a video of Mr Johnson speaking at a conference in Italy last week.

He said the region was harmed by “politicians who are twisting and abusing religion and different strains of the same religion in order to further their own political objectives” and complained there was “not strong enough leadership”.

He then told the conference: “That’s why you’ve got the Saudis, Iran, everybody, moving in and puppeteering and playing proxy wars.”

Yemen, one of the Arab world’s poorest countries, has been devastated by a war in which more than 6,800 people have been killed and 35,000 injured since March last year, the majority in air strikes by a Saudi-led coalition.

The conflict has triggered a humanitarian disaster, leaving 80 per cent of the population in need of aid.

Mrs May’s spokeswoman said the PM valued Saudi actions in Yemen to back a legitimate government against Houthi rebels. She added that the PM continued to have “full confidence” in the Foreign Secretary and declined to say he should apologise to the Saudis.

Earlier, Mr Johnson’s allies played down his remarks and accused critics of “misinterpreting” his words.

A Foreign Office spokesman said: “As the Foreign Secretary made very clear on Sunday, we are allies with Saudi Arabia and support them in their efforts to secure their borders and protect their people. Any suggestion to the contrary is wrong.”

Mr Johnson has been dogged by past remarks about foreign dignitaries and his record as a Brexiteer. Mrs May has joked she could have him put down like a dog if he stopped being useful.