I DO not think Mrs May is a good prime minister.

Indeed I believe she is leading us into a lot of pain within the next two years in the Brexit discussions.

However, I will not, under any circumstances say, that “I will not rest until she is chopped up in bags in my freezer,” as George Osborne said recently.

Nor would I say that “Her position is like being handcuffed to a radiator in the basement of a flat in Beirut,” as Vince Cable said, which was not quite as bad as Mr Osborne’s statement, but not worthy of the leader of a major party.

We live in a time when domestic violence is increasing and when abuse of women is becoming commonplace.

To hear a well-known figure, a past chancellor, make such an outrageous statement simply gives those who want to abuse women the licence to carry out their nasty practices.

Thinking that if a man of that stature can make such a provocative statement, then those who read what he has said will believe it is OK for them to say the same, and possibly to act in an abusive matter.

Messrs Osborne and Cable are people of some power and influence and it is very sad to see these two men, whose words carry some weight, behave as badly as they have.

Mr Osborne particularly is using his position as editor of the Evening Standard for a never-ending attack on the prime minister; I assume because she fired him when she was elected as prime minister by her party.

All I can say is thank God he is no longer the supposedly second most powerful man in the country.

Brian Oosthuysen

Kingscourt