Mark Francois branded ‘poundshop Trump’ after claims he wants to ‘drain the swamp’

Mark Francois appears on the news to talk about a general election. Photograph: BBC News. - Credit: Archant

Mark Francois has been branded a ‘poundshop Trump’ after claiming that he wants a general election to ‘drain the swamp’ in Westminster.

The portly Penfold from Danger Mouse appeared on BBC News to explain why he backed Boris Johnson’s call for a general election on December 12th.

He said there people were sick and tired about Brexit, but fell short of reiterating his claims the country would explode if we do not leave the EU next week. He said: “It is now as plain as a pikestaff, it is nakedly obvious, that the MP has no clothes. And what I mean by that, there are some members of parliament, that will vote for us to leave the European Union under any circumstances.”

He continued: “The public out there in the real world are absolutely sick and tired of this. I get that in my email inbox, I get that when I speak to people in my constituency, and I’m by no means unique.

“They want this done, we’ve spent three years arguing about this, we need to finish it and leave the European Union.”

The Tory Brexiteer claimed that it was Remainer MPs who are looking to “die in a ditch” to stop us leaving – reframing the claims that Boris Johnson had once made about an extension.

That is despite the fact he voted against Theresa May’s Brexit deal three times.

He said: “If parliament won’t agree to that, because federalist MPs will die in a ditch to stop us leaving, then we need a general election to drain the swamp.”

MORE: Brex Factor – What connects James Blunt to Mark Francois?

Asked about the fact Boris Johnson had broken his promise. Francois said the prime minister had “done everything he can” to make it happen.

He blamed Remainer MPs, explaining: “It’s not the prime minister’s fault”.

Social media users reacted by branding Francois a ‘poundshop Trump’ for his analogies in the interview.

Twitter user Ava-Santina tweeted: “Your evening serving of doublethink: Mark Francois mixes up soundbites & reassigns the ‘die in a ditch’ metaphor to Remainer MPs”.

Richard Morris said: “Apparently Mark Francois has just said Federalist MPs are dying in a ditch to keep us in the EU. Does this mean he thinks the PM is a #RemainerNow?”

Another wrote: “Isn’t anyone else slightly worried that Mark Francois MP is using phrases straight out of the Steve Bannon playbook like ‘drain the swamp’? This is fuelling division and creating more hate. Penfold, mate, temper your language. Stop throwing your weight around.”

David Williams responded: “God, what have we come to as a country, when the objectionable, Mark Francois standpoint is viewed on as important. Poundshop Farage without the charisma.”