Sir James Cleverly has clarified that he, personally, would not have compared a government minister to a Gestapo officer, after Kemi Badenoch likened Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson to one. The shadow housing secretary, appearing on the BBC's Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg, said of Badenoch's Nazi comparison: "No, I probably wouldn't have done." This is the political equivalent of saying "I wouldn't have worn that shirt," but with higher stakes.

Badenoch made the remark while criticising the government's decision to end a tax exemption for private schools, drawing heavy criticism from Labour. Phillipson said the comment showed Badenoch was "not fit to be prime minister," which is a fairly standard response to being called a Gestapo officer. Badenoch has not apologised, and earlier this week described Phillipson as a "spiteful class warrior" at Prime Minister's Questions.

Cleverly defended Badenoch's underlying point - that the policy is "vindictive" and about "class war" - while distancing himself from the phrasing. "So that wouldn't have been the phraseology that I use," he said, allowing you to imagine his preferred alternative: perhaps "unpleasant bureaucrat" or "overzealous tax collector."

Pressed on whether politicians should maintain a tone of respect, Cleverly argued for robust democracy, saying voters don't want "collegiate and calm" exchanges. Labour Party chairwoman Anna Turley called Badenoch's comments "completely appalling and deeply inappropriate," but then, she would say that.