Boris Johnson's "disturbing" decision to use Hitler as part of his argument in favour of Brexit has shown he lacks the "judgement" to lead the Conservative Party, former Tory deputy prime minister Lord Heseltine has said.
In a strong attack on the former London mayor, Lord Heseltine said the "strain of the campaign" was beginning to show in Boris' statements - including a "complete fabrication" about bananas.
"I find it deeply distressing. I don't really understand what Boris is up to frankly," he told the BBC.
Boris has been forced to defend comparing the EU to Hitler's desire to occupy the European continent.
"At a time when Europe was coming together a third of the democracies of those countries, in Spain and Italy, were voting communist. This has been an incredible political change of the free democracies of 28 countries cooperating together. And Boris can talk about Hitler?" Lord Heseltine said.
Boris was also criticised today for claiming EU rules prevented supermarkets from selling bananas in bunches of more than three.
"It's a complete fabrication. I know. My wife and I eat bananas, I've bought bunches of bananas," Lord Heseltine said
"Frankly I think the strain of the campaign is beginning to tell on him. I think his judgement is going."
Lord Heseltine added of Boris: "He is behaving now irresponsibly and recklessly and I fear that his judgement is going."
Boris is seen as the frontrunner to succeed David Cameron as Tory leader and prime minister at some point before 2020.
But Lord Heseltine questioned his suitability for the job. "I think every time he makes one of these extraordinary utterances, people in the Conservative party will question whether he now has the judgement for that position?" he said.