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.”

I genuinely think that the official newspaper of a dictatorship would have been too embarrassed to print this pic.twitter.com/CPxpbKZ8H7 — Owen Jones🌹 (@OwenJones84) July 25, 2019