Former astronaut apologises for quoting ‘racist’ Churchill

♦ A United Nations ambassador for space has said Winston Churchill was a racist responsible for “atrocities”, and apologised for quoting the wartime leader in a tweet.

Scott Kelly, a former Nasa astronaut, came under fire from anti-racism activists after tweeting on Sunday: “One of the greatest leaders of modern times, Sir Winston Churchill, said in victory, magnanimity. I guess those days are over.”

This triggered hundreds of replies from his followers, as they blamed Churchill for the Bengal famine of 1943 and compared the late prime minister to Adolf Hitler.

One Twitter user wrote: “Sir with all due respect, Winston Churchill is just as good as Hitler.” Another said: “Winston Churchill is NOT the greatest leader of modern times, especially when he was responsible for the Bengal famine of 1943.”

Mr Kelly deleted his tweet and publicly apologised. He said: “Did not mean to offend by quoting Churchill. My apologies. I will go and educate myself further on his atrocities, racist views which I do not support.”

But others criticised the former astronaut – now a UN “Champion for Space” – for apologising.

Academic Christina Sommers said: “Please don’t apologise. Winston Churchill, like all of us, had serious human failings. But unlike most of us he possessed genuine greatness. And that greatness may have saved freedom and democracy.”

Another critic agreed, saying: “We live in dumb (and dangerous) times!”