Boris Johnson loyalist faces flak for retweeting image of Rishi Sunak as Brutus

UK’s Culture Secretary Nadine Dorries, a Boris Johnson loyalist, is facing criticism for retweeting an image of Johnson dressed as Roman leader Julius Caesar and Sunak stabbing him in the back, a reference to his killer Brutus.

Business Minister Greg Hands, who is backing the British Indian ex-minister in the race, told ‘Sky News’ the post was “appalling”.

"I do find it distasteful and I do find it, less than a year after the stabbing of our colleague, in very, very poor taste, even verging on dangerous," he said.

Referring to the stabbing to death of Tory MP Sir David Amess by a constituent last year, he added: "It is not even a year since the stabbing of Sir David... so I think this is very, very bad taste, dangerous even," But an unnamed ally of Dorries pointed out that it was “obviously a satirical image of Brutus and Caesar”, photoshopped to provide political commentary.

"Some people of course will want to be wilfully offended," the ally said.

Also Watch| UK: Johnson loyalists call Rishi Sunak a backstabber at first hustings

Dorries has previously attacked Sunak’s expensive dress sense as a sign of not being in touch with the British electorate and accused him of leading a “ruthless coup” against his former boss.

"I am bitterly disappointed that Boris Johnson was removed via a ruthless coup, as he was, led largely by Rishi Sunak,” she has said.

It comes as a report in the ‘Observer’ newspaper claims Sunak’s team is being urged to overhaul his “general election-style” campaign in favour of a grassroots effort, speaking directly to the estimated 180,000 Tory members in a last-ditch attempt to beat Liz Truss to the Conservative leadership.

Truss has been leading in the opinion polls and bookmaker’s odds as the favoured candidate to succeed Boris Johnson.