Michael Fallon condemns Boris Johnson statement on terror attacks after being told it was said by Jeremy Corbyn
Senior Tory minister thought he was responding to the Labour’s leader speech following the Manchester bombing
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.The Defence Secretary Michael Fallon was left floundering in a live TV interview after criticising what he thought was a Jeremy Corbyn quote - before being informed the words actually came from Boris Johnson.
The senior Tory minister was appearing on Channel 4 News with presenter Krishnan Guru-Murthy to discuss the Labour’s leader speech following the Manchester bombing, during which Mr Corbyn said the “war on terror had failed.”
Mr Fallon was quick to criticise a quote read out by Guru-Murthy, which he apparently assumed belonged to the Labour leader.
"Isn't it possible that things like the Iraq war did not create the problem of murderous Islamic fundamentalists, though the war has unquestionably sharpened the resentments felt by such people in this country and given them a new pretext?" Mr Guru-Murthy read to the Defence Secretary.
Assuming the words had come from Mr Corbyn’s speech, Mr Fallon said the attackers were “not entitled to excuses."
Mr Guru-Murthy informed Mr Fallon the words were from his cabinet colleague Mr Johnson, who made the statement in an article after the 7/7 attacks.
"He goes on to say, 'the Iraq war did not introduce the poison into our bloodstream but, yes, the war did help to potentiate that poison'. That is exactly the same as what Jeremy Corbyn is saying now," the presenter added.
"Well I don't agree with that," a visibly flustered Mr Fallon said after hearing the quote.
When asked if Mr Johnson was wrong, the Defence Secretary avoided answering the question.
"Well I would have to see the words you are trying to quote to me, I don't have them in front of me," Mr Fallon said.
In the article quoted by Mr Murthy, Mr Johnson made a similar point to Mr Corbyn's this week, who in his speech suggested foreign interventions had played a role in worsening the terror threat.
Despite this, the Foreign Secretary publically criticised the Labour leader for his speech.
“Now is not the time to do anything to subtract from the fundamental responsibility of those individuals, that individual in particular, who committed this atrocity.
“And I think it is absolutely monstrous that anybody should seek to do so,” Mr Johnson said.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments