The BBC’s Nick Robinson has compared Boris Johnson to a “dictator” over his use of social media.

The BBC journalist, a host of Radio 4’s Today programme, said the Prime Minister’s social media strategy was a “form of propaganda”.

Mr Robinson questioned Mr Johnson’s tactic of broadcasting directly to the public on Twitter and Facebook.

The PM has been connecting with voters on social media through his People’s PMQs on Facebook Live.

Two years ago, Mr Robinson apologised after criticising then prime minister Theresa May’s “thick make-up” on election night.

Speaking at the Cheltenham Literature Festival at the weekend, Mr Robinson said: “There is no doubt that all politicians know that they can broadcast directly using social media.”

He added: “Johnson regularly does videos on Facebook and regularly does videos on Twitter.

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“And he has the great joy on Facebook of calling it the People's PMQs, which largely consists of his aides picking questions that they want him to answer.

View photos Boris Johnson has made use of Twitter and Facebook since he became Prime Minister. (Reuters) More

“There's no capacity for anybody to say, ‘What did you mean about that?’ or ‘Hold on a second’ and so that's democracy.

“It ain't democracy, it is a form of propaganda used by dictators down the ages.”

Mr Robinson also criticised LBC’s decision to give Brexit Party leader Nigel Farage his own show, saying it was a “great danger” to allow a party leader their own platform.

A spokesman for the BBC said Mr Robinson’s point was that “social media on its own could be used to give a misleading impression of accountability”.