What did Mark Thomas say about Boris Johnson? Comedian’s speech as he collects degree explained

Comedian Mark Thomas has ripped into Prime Minister Boris Johnson labelling him “venal lying corrupt”.

He was collecting an honorary degree by Kent University, but used his acceptance speech to express his views on the country’s current leader.

But what did he say?

Here’s what you need to know.

What did Mark Thomas say about Boris Johnson?

Mark Thomas received his doctor of arts recognition at Canterbury Cathedral on Thursday (14 July).

During his speech he said: “I’ve been asked to give a few  words of advice, I guess. I genuinely don’t know that much.

“DMs [Doc Martens] are overpriced. Hobnobs are overvalued. Boris Johnson is a venal lying corrupt narcissistic inept, totally money grabbing, evil man who should never have been allowed near the power - never.

“That man should be publicly horse-whipped once a week, every week, touring round cities and towns in the UK.”

As students cheered him on, Thomas later added: “I was going to do a non-controversial set.

“But the thing about Johnson that struck me more than anything, is the fact that he values his self and his small cabal – the rich elites – and their enrichment, his own narcissism above everything else, and I think one thing that Covid has taught us is that we are dependent upon each other.”

Thomas has had a long affiliation with the University of Kent, including giving the Linda Smith Lecture there in 2015.

According to the University, the Lecture was intended to be an annual event to celebrate Linda’s life and work, her interest in comedy and “its use in and for political and social commentary, and to promote the work of the British Stand-Up Comedy Archive”.

Thomas’ collection forms part of the university’s British stand-up comedy archive, which was curated by former comic Oliver Double.

The collection includes material related to Thomas’ early stand-up career in the 1980s and 1990s through to his later solo shows.