Dominic Cummings: Boris Johnson aide confronted by Labour MP over PM’s ‘tone of language’

‘Don’t tell me to get Brexit done,’ rages Karl Turner

Boris Johnson‘s controversial aide Dominic Cummings, has been confronted by a Labour MP who said he had suffered death threats.

Karl Turner told the senior adviser that the prime minister’s “tone of language” had been ill-received in his constituency, during an apparent ambush that was filmed by his own staff.

Mr Johnson has faced two days of outrage from MPs over his continued use of the phrase “surrender bill” to describe anti-no-deal Brexit legislation, and his claim that the best way to honour the slain MP Jo Cox was to “get Brexit done”.

MPs have warned that they have faced threats similar in tone to the prime minister’s words, while the Equality and Human Rights Commission has warned that politicians on all sides are ignoring advice issued following the Brexit referendum that debate should remain “respectful at all times”.

In footage filmed inside Portcullis House near parliament, Mr Turner can be heard to say: “That tone of language is going down well, Dominic. I’ve had death threats overnight.”

“Get Brexit done,” Mr Cummings is heard to reply.

As Mr Cummings leans against a pillar the Hull MP approaches him.

Gesticulating he said: “I’ve had three opportunities to get Brexit done ... If I could’ve voted for it, I would’ve voted for it. Don’t tell me to get Brexit done. The prime minister should be there, negotiating a deal to bring back for me to support.”

Mr Cummings replies: “I don’t know who you are.”

Motioning to his right., he added: “I’m having a conversation with this man.”

Mr Turner, who was notedly more animated during the confrontation than was Mr Cummings, replied: “I’m an MP.”

It came after his own party leader, Jeremy Corbyn, said the use of inflammatory language was causing people to act in a “disgraceful and abusive” manner.

Mr Cummings later said public anger at MPs over Brexit was unsurprising.

Speaking at the launch of a new book by Vote Leave supporter and businessman Stuart Wheeler, he claimed that “a lot of people in parliament are more out of touch with the country now, than they were in summer 2016”.

Asked if he blamed MPs for the abuse they were getting, Mr Cummings said: “The MPs said we will have a referendum, we will respect the result and then they spent three years swerving all over the shop.

“It is not surprising some people are angry about it. I find it very odd that these characters are complaining that people are unhappy about their behaviour now and they also say they want a referendum. How does that compute for them?”

Additional reporting by Press Association