Peer sparks fury over ‘racist’ message on Vp-elect Harris

LORD Kilclooney was yesterday accused of racism for describing vice president-elect Kamala Harris as “the Indian”.

The crossbench peer, who previously deleted a tweet describing thenTaoiseach Leo Varadkar as a “typical Indian” , insisted there was “nothing racist” in his latest message.

Ms Harris, a senator from

California, made history by becoming the first woman and the first woman of colour to be elected vice president.

Kilclooney, tweeted:

“What happens if Biden moves on and the Indian becomes President?”

Conservative MP Simon

Hoare, who chairs the

Northern Ireland affairs select committee, wrote the message is “Bad. Rude. Racist. Appalling” and said he had submitted a complaint to the Lord Speaker’s office.

Labour shadow minister Wes Streeting said “action must be taken”.

“He did it before to Leo Varadkar and now he’s done it to Kamala Harris.”

Labour’s shadow justice secretary David Lammy added: “Please send this awful comment straight back to the dark ages.” Lord Kilclooney denied that his message was racist. He said: “The first thing is to get it in perspective, the criticism is minor, the support is massive – I’ve never had so many Twitter followers in one day, ever.

“I’m very fond of India myself, I’m a member of the British India all-party group, I have two Indians [tenants] in my flats here in London and there’s nothing racist in it whatsoever.

“She’s proud of her Indian roots just as Biden’s proud to say he’s Irish.” He justified his previous tweet about Mr Varadkar by saying “I didn’t know his name at the time” but, asked if he will delete his latest message now he knows Ms Harris’s name, he said: “No, not indeed. Because she’s proud of her background.” The 82-year-old peer, who is no longer a member of the UUP, said that he did not try to find out her name online before writing the tweet.

Asked why he did not use a search engine before sending the message, he replied: “That’s not your concern.” Ms Harris, the daughter of Jamaican and Indian immigrants, will become the highest-ranking woman to ever hold an elected office in the US.