Boris Johnson today refused repeatedly to apologise for saying the Libyan city of Sirte could become the new Dubai once it removes the dead bodies, and instead accused his critics of trivialising the situation in Libya to score political points.
Appearing in the House of Commons on Tuesday morning, the foreign secretary faced renewed calls from MPs to retract the offhand remarks at the Conservative party's annual conference earlier in the month, which caused a political row. Libya's parliament also called on Johnson to apologise.
Johnson refused several times to withdraw the comments, and told the House: "I don't believe that political point-scoring of this kind, trivialising the reality or ignoring the reality of the security situation in Sirte, does any favours to the people of Libya."
Boris Johnson accuses critics of his Libya remarks of trivialising the issue. Yes, the same Boris Johnson who joked about dead bodies #FCOQs
The foreign secretary was speaking at a fringe event at the annual Tory conference in Manchester when he joked that Sirte could be a successful city once "they have to do is clear the dead bodies away".
The comments were widely condemned, including by some Tory MPs who called for Johnson to resign or be sacked. Downing Street officials distanced themselves from the comments, saying they were not "an appropriate choice of words". But Johnson has refused to back down, insisting that his critics are ignorant about the reality in Libya.
On Tuesday, three MPs from the Scottish National Party urged Johnson to retract or apologise.
Appalling response from @BorisJohnson who refuses to apologise for his tasteless remarks on need to "clear the dead bodies away" in Sirte.
@BorisJohnson As Foreign Secretary, he's meant to be Britain's top diplomat. Instead, still behaving like he's in t… https://t.co/nOuZgi7mJN
"We must all be aware of the reality in Libya, and indeed in Sirte, that there is a tragic absence of security and that the problems of that city have yet to be resolved," Johnson told the Commons. "And when they are resolved, and they will be resolved with the help of this country, then I think that the people of Libya do indeed have fantastic economic prospects."
Pressed, the foreign secretary went on: "If I may say, I think by far the best thing this government and this house can do is get behind the plan that this government is promoting to bring security to Libya, security to Sirte, and that would do honour to all those who fell fighting Daesh in Libya. That is the way forward for that country, and that is the course that we are promoting."
Stephen Gethins, of the SNP, said Johnson had united Libya in condemnation of his remarks.
Johnson responded: "I don't believe that political point-scoring of this kind, of trivialising the reality or ignoring the reality of the security situation in Sirte, does any favours to the people of Libya. What they want to see is the international community concerted and coordinated around the UN plan."