A British rapper who held up an effigy of Boris Johnson’s severed head, and shouted "f*** Boris" during an awards ceremony says that his act was a metaphor and he does not condone violence.

Tyron Frampton, better known by his stage name ‘slowthai’ screamed the obscenities while clutching the life-like head before his Mercury Prize performance, shown on BBC Four and still available on the iPlayer service.

The 24-year-old, who also wore a t-shirt emblazoned with ‘F*** Boris’ says that he was “holding a mirror up to the country,” and that “some people don’t like the reflection.”

At the end of his medley, with the cameras still trained on him, the rapper picked up the fake severed head from the side of the stage and held it aloft for a second time.

Having stripped to the waist he again shouted: "F*** Boris Johnson. F*** everything".