Richard Tice throws a tantrum when asked about Leave.EU ‘kraut’ tweet

The tweet, which accompanied a picture of the German chancellor along with the statement “we didn’t win two world wars to be pushed around by a kraut” was the subject of a rare apology from the pro-Brexit organisation.

But when he was asked about his view on the tweet, Tice said: “You know full well that I’ve not been involved with Leave.EU for over three years and time and time again, you on the media, you insist on trying to drag up something completely irrelevant to what …”

“Dear oh dear oh dear,” said the interviewer, Sky News’ Kay Burley. “I’m just asking what your opinion is.”

“Why are you asking me? Why don’t you ask anybody else?” said Tice, repeating that he is not associated with Leave.EU and that he has criticised them recently. “But you always want to drag people backwards rather than focus on the future. What a great shame for you.”

“I’m perfectly comfortable with the question,” said Burley.

MORE: Leave.EU apologises for ‘xenophobic’ tweet about Angela Merkel almost 24 hours later

But Tice wasn’t finished, saying it was “ridiculous” that he should be asked a question about the organisation he founded. “I don’t follow their Twitter feed minute by minute. Where I see things that I think are ridiculous, as was recently, I criticise it. But for you to drag things up like this is frankly ridiculous and pathetic and you should be ashamed.”

“I’m ok with where I’m standing,” said Burley, before wrapping up the tense interview.

MORE: Nigel Farage says tweet describing Angela Merkel as a ‘kraut’ was not racist

In a March 2018 interview, Tice previously criticised an offensive tweet by Leave.EU which appeared to pit Muslims against Jews in an attack on the Labour party.