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Former MI6 head: UK in 'political nervous breakdown' Former MI6 head: UK in 'political nervous breakdown'
(32 minutes later)
The UK is going through a "political nervous breakdown", the former head of British intelligence has said. The UK is going through a "political nervous breakdown", the former head of British intelligence has told the BBC.
Speaking on the Today programme, Sir John Sawers said the UK could have a prime minister who does "not have the standing that we have become used to in our top leadership". Sir John Sawers said the UK could have a prime minister who does "not have the standing that we have become used to in our top leadership" - an apparent jibe at the Tory leadership contenders.
It comes as the Jeremy Hunt and Boris Johnson battle it out to be the next leader of the Conservative Party.
The former MI6 chief was also critical of Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn.The former MI6 chief was also critical of Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn.
It follows an article in the Times newspaper quoting unnamed senior civil servants, who said Mr Corbyn was "too frail" to become prime minister, "physically or mentally". Boris Johnson ally Iain Duncan Smith criticised Sir John, saying "democracy may well frighten him".
In a surprisingly frank exchange, Sir John said there were concerns in Whitehall about the direction the country is heading in. The former spy-master's intervention comes as Jeremy Hunt and Mr Johnson battle it out to be the next leader of the Conservative Party.
"We have potential prime ministers being elected by the Conservative Party now, [and] in the shape of the leader of the opposition, who do not have the standing that we have become used to in our top leadership." It also follows an article in the Times newspaper, quoting unnamed senior civil servants, which suggested Mr Corbyn was "too frail" to become prime minister, "physically or mentally".
'Democracy may frighten him' "We have potential prime ministers being elected by the Conservative Party now, [and] in the shape of the leader of the opposition, who do not have the standing that we have become used to in our top leadership," Sir John told the Today programme.
Speaking about Brexit, the former spy-master said former prime minister David Cameron was "unwise" to call the EU referendum in 2016, adding that it had left the country "badly divided" and the UK's standing in the world "severely diminished". "Whether people can develop that when they become prime minister, we will have to wait and see, in terms of the candidates for the Conservative leadership.
'Huge risk'
In the surprisingly frank exchange, he said there were concerns in Whitehall about the direction the country is heading in.
"I think there is a lot of anxiety as we leave the European Union, we take a huge risk to our international standing, to the strength of the British economy."
He said former prime minister David Cameron was "unwise" to call the EU referendum in 2016, adding that it had left the country "badly divided" and the UK's standing in the world "severely diminished".
"It is not surprising that the people who have devoted themselves to serving the interests of this country are concerned about the direction in which the country is going.""It is not surprising that the people who have devoted themselves to serving the interests of this country are concerned about the direction in which the country is going."
Mr Johnson's campaign manager Iain Duncan Smith, a committed Brexiteer, hit back at Sir John's remarks: "Actually I think he might be going through a political nervous breakdown," he told the Today programme.Mr Johnson's campaign manager Iain Duncan Smith, a committed Brexiteer, hit back at Sir John's remarks: "Actually I think he might be going through a political nervous breakdown," he told the Today programme.
"The reality is that the expression of democracy may well frighten him slightly.""The reality is that the expression of democracy may well frighten him slightly."