British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Wednesday sought to distance himself from a crude attack on the opposition Labour party, which his Conservative party had pre-briefed to journalists.
In extracts for a campaign speech for the December 12 election, Johnson laid into Labour for offering voters a second referendum on Brexit and refusing to rule out a new independence vote in Scotland.
"We can honour the wishes of the people, or else we can waste more time... an expense of spirit and a waste of shame, more political self-obsession and onanism (masturbation)," he was quoted as saying.
But when he delivered his speech at a taxi manufacturing company in Coventry, west central England, the Conservative leader left out the offensive word.
Pressed about it afterwards, he told reporters: "All I can say is that a stray early draft seems to have somehow found its way into your otherwise peerless copy by a process that I don't pretend to understand. "I will make enquiries," he added.
The words were sent out by the Conservative press office ahead of time to journalists, including AFP.
Johnson is known for his colourful use of language and obscure classical references in Latin and Greek.
He drew criticism earlier this year when he complained on LBC radio about money "spaffed up the wall" on investigating historic child abuse.
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