Leave.EU deletes Angela Merkel ‘Kraut’ tweet and apologises
A tweet by Leave.EU that labelled German Chancellor Angela Merkel a “Kraut” has been deleted following a major backlash.
The pro-Brexit group posted a picture of Mrs Merkel on Tuesday alongside the caption: “We didn’t win two world wars to be pushed around by a Kraut.”
The tweet followed reports that Mrs Merkel told Boris Johnson in a phone call that Northern Ireland must remain in the customs union after Brexit.
However, the post was widely condemned and Leave.EU deleted the tweet this morning as senior figures took to Twitter to apologise.
Co-founder Arron Banks tweeted: “The @LeaveEUOfficial team went too far yesterday…
“As a result we will delete the post and apologise accordingly.”
We're sorry 😔 @Arron_banks @andywigmore https://t.co/5sHSgNILY2
— Leave.EU (@LeaveEUOfficial) October 9, 2019
We have removed the tweets from yesterday that were not appropriate, we went too far and we apologise. @piersmorgan @GMB @Arron_banks @LeaveEUOfficial
— Andy Wigmore (@andywigmore) October 9, 2019
He added that “the point could have been made better”.
The official Leave.EU Twitter page quoted Mr Banks, adding: ‘We’re sorry.”
Leave.EU’s comms director Andy Wigmore also said the tweet was “not appropriate” and “went too far”.
The Independent Group for Change MP Chris Leslie criticised the way the phone call between the Prime Minister and the German chancellor on Tuesday morning was briefed to journalists, and described Leave.EU’s tweet as “racist”.
Responding to the briefing about the phone call, Michael Gove said: "I take this opportunity at this despatch box to entirely disassociate myself from any sort of racist or demeaning language towards Germany – they are our friends, our allies, they are a great country.”
The PM's official spokesman acknowledged there had been a "frank exchange" with Mrs Merkel.