• Nadine Dorries’ retweet of Rishi Sunak stabbing Boris Johnson is ‘dangerous’, says Greg Hands.
• The faces of the PM and former chancellor are superimposed on those of Julius Caesar.
• Ms Dorries is backing Liz Truss in the leadership race.

A fellow Conservative MP has called Culture Secretary Nadine Dorries’ retweet of Rishi Sunak stabbing Boris Johnson in the back “dangerous.”

The faces of the prime minister and former chancellor are superimposed on those of Roman leader Julius Caesar and one of the individuals who conspired against and assassinated him, Brutus, in the image.

Greg Hands, a Tory supporter of the former chancellor, told Sky News that the social media post was “appalling,” especially in light of the tragic stabbing of Southend MP Sir David Amess in his area last year.

He is running to become PM. His name is @RishiSunak . pic.twitter.com/RMeApX9s7n

— Ray | #BackBoris #LizForLeader (@ThanksBoJo) July 29, 2022

“It is not even a year since the stabbing of Sir David… so I think this is very, very bad taste, dangerous even,” he said.

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“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.”

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But an unnamed ally of Ms Dorries, who is backing Liz Truss in the leadership race, said: “It’s quite obviously a satirical image of Brutus and Caesar which has been clearly photoshopped to provide political commentary.

“There were similar cartoons involving [Michael] Gove in 2016. Some people of course will want to be wilfully offended.”

Mr Sunak has promised a temporary £10 punishment for NHS users who miss a GP appointment, while Ms Truss has dubbed herself as the “education prime minister,” with a plan that includes replacing failing academies with “a new wave of free schools.”

During the summer, the two will campaign with a series of hustings and a head-to-head discussion on Sky News moderated by Kay Burley.

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The winner will be announced on September 5 and is likely to move into the top ten the following day.

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