No 10 defends Boris Johnson over 'Brexit punishment beatings' quip

British foreign secretary evokes dark period of French history as he warns Franiois Hollande against trying to hurt UK

Downing Street was forced to come to the defence of the foreign secretary Boris Johnson after he warned the French president, Franiois Hollande, not to respond to Brexit by trying to "administer punishment beatings" in the manner of "some world war two movie".

The foreign secretary evoked the darkest period of France's recent history as he rejected comments by an adviser to Hollande who said Britain should not expect a better trading relationship outside Europe than it currently enjoys inside.

Related: Britain's Brexit deal must be inferior to EU membership, MEPs told - Politics live

Yet more abhorrent & deeply unhelpful comments from @BorisJohnson which PM May should condemn. https://t.co/GdVQh0AMX1

People "offended" by The Foreign Secretary's comments today are humourless, deliberately obtuse, snowflakes-it's a witty metaphor #getalife

Related: MPs will not block May's deal for UK to leave EU, says David Davis