President Robert Mugabe on Thursday told western countries which have criticised his government to ”go and hang” while Zimbabwe opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai remains in hospital in intensive care after being savagely beaten by police.

”It’s the west as usual ... when they criticise the government trying to prevent violence and punish the perpetrators of that violence we take the position that they can go hang,” Mr Mugabe said after a meeting with Tanzanian leader Jikaya Kikwete.