Boris Johnson's criticism of UK ally Saudi Arabia slapped down by PM

The Prime Minister has distanced herself from remarks by Boris Johnson which accused UK ally Saudi Arabia of "abusing" Islam and "puppeteering" proxy wars in the Middle East.

In what will be seen as a sharp slapdown of her Foreign Secretary, a spokesperson for Theresa May told Sky News: "These are the Foreign Secretary's views, they are not the Government's views on Saudi Arabia and its role in the region."

Mr Johnson was recorded saying a lack of strong leadership meant politicians in the region were "twisting and abusing religion and different strains of the same religion to further their own political objectives".

A video of Mr Johnson speaking at the Med 2 conference in Rome last week reveals him commenting that "you've got the Saudis, Iran, everybody, moving in and puppeteering and playing proxy wars".

He called the situation a "tragedy".

"We need to have some way of encouraging visionary leadership in that area," Mr Johnson said. "People who can tell a story that brings people together from different factions and different religious groups into one nation."

He blamed a lack of "big characters, big people, men or women, who are willing to reach out beyond their Sunni or Shia or whatever group to the other side and bring people together and develop a national story again".

Last week's comments, revealed by The Guardian, fly in the face of established protocol that diplomats do not publicly criticise Britain's allies.

They are also likely to embarrass the Prime Minister just days after she was in Bahrain to "turbo-charge" the UK's trade relations with the Gulf .

As well as giving money and weapons to rebels in Syria, Saudi Arabia is also leading a controversial Arab coalition intervening in the war in Yemen.

Its airstrikes against Iran-aligned Shia rebels have resulted in the deaths of hundreds of civilians as the population struggles with starvation and disease.

Britain has lent military assistance, helping the Saudis pick targets , but the Ministry of Defence insists it is to ensure the country complies with the rules of war.

The UK is also a massive exporter of arms to the country.

Mr Johnson previously said sales would continue because there was no clear evidence the weapons were being used in contravention of humanitarian law.

The Foreign Office has played down Mr Johnson's views, highlighting recent comments where he stressed the close relationship between the countries.

"Any suggestion to the contrary is wrong and misinterpreting the facts," a spokesman told The Guardian.

The Foreign Secretary's criticism of Gulf states is another awkward entry in his diplomatic CV that includes a number of gaffes since his July appointment.