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Citizens of dictatorships react to The Sun front page, saying even their state-sponsored newspapers would be “subtler” than that

Citizens living under dictatorships have reacted with disbelief to today’s front page in The Sun.

Rupert Murdoch’s red top ran a full page homage to new Conservative leader Boris Johnson in today’s edition.

Featuring him in a ball of sun to coincide with the hottest July day ever they trumpeted Johnson’s promise of a ‘golden age’ under his premiership, saying he gave opposition leader Jeremy Corbyn “a roasting” too.

But Twitter users were quick to point out the propaganda-esque nature of Britain’s best-selling daily rag.

Owen Jones posted: “I genuinely think that the official newspaper of a dictatorship would have been too embarassed to print this”.

And those living under authoritarian regimes seemed to agree.

Romanian Bogdan Cristea posted that even Nicolae Ceaușescu “Scinteia” – known as the official voice of the Communist Party – would run more understated messaging.

He said: “For all its disgusting sycophancy, would have somewhat struggled with this front page: they were a bit subtler than this.”

Jack Peat

Jack is a business and economics journalist and the founder of The London Economic (TLE). He has contributed articles to VICE, Huffington Post and Independent and is a published author. Jack read History at the University of Wales, Bangor and has a Masters in Journalism from the University of Newcastle-upon-Tyne.

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