Not the best analogy, Boris! Foreign Sec says UK ‘will make Titanic success of Brexit’

Gaffe-prone Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson told a London awards ceremony on Wednesday night that the UK would make “a Titanic success” of Brexit. Hecklers in the audience helpfully reminded BoJo of the ship’s tragic fate.

Prime Minister Theresa May, who was in the audience, reportedly hung her head in her hands at the remark.

The gaffe was made at the Spectator magazine’s annual Parliamentarian of the Year awards, which saw Johnson win Comeback of the Year and May win Politician of the Year.

Johnson, who was better known for his flamboyant persona than his politics prior to the EU referendum, quickly corrected himself.

“Brexit means Brexit, and we’re going to make a Titanic, er Titanic success of it,” Boris said, at which point audience members reminded him about what happened to the ill-fated cruise liner in 1912.

“We are going to make a colossal, a colossal success of Brexit,” he added, quickly.

The speech was recorded by Spectator editor Fraser Nelson, who introduced Johnson as a man who came “back from the political dead.”

Boris, who campaigned for Brexit, threw his hat into the ring for prime minister after former PM David Cameron resigned.

However, London’s ex-mayor was betrayed at the last minute by former justice secretary Michael Gove, who told the press he would also run for PM because “Boris cannot provide the leadership or build the team for the task ahead.”

The Spectator Parliamentarian of the Year awards, which is sometimes compared to the US’ White House Correspondent’s Dinner, also saw Theresa May poke fun at former chancellor George Osborne.

The PM accepted her award for Politician of the Year dressed as a builder in a high-viz jacket and hard hat, an outfit often worn by Osborne while visiting industrial sites to talk up his Northern Powerhouse economic plan.

Even his Twitter page features a photo of him wearing glaring orange high-viz jacket and hard hat.

“We’re all builders now,” the PM joked.