The Scottish Mail on Sunday

Surprise! Lily piles into Fox row

Predictabl­e as ever, pop star joins the woke attacks on Lewis star

- By Chris Hastings

SINGER Lily Allen has joined the onslaught against actor Laurence Fox after he denied the Duchess of Sussex was a victim of racism during a debate on Question Time.

Fox has faced a storm of criticism from the Left since his appearance on the BBC1 discussion show on Thursday night.

Now Ms Allen has shared her views on social media, saying: ‘Sick to death of luvvies like a Lawrence [sic] Fox going on TV and forcing their opinions on everybody else, when he’ll never have to deal with what normal people have to deal with in his gated community.’

The Corbynista pop star added: ‘Stick to acting, mate. Instead of ranting about things you don’t know anything about.’

The implied accusation of privilege in the reference to a ‘gated community’ will draw a wry smile in some quarters considerin­g Ms Allen’s own upbringing. The daughter of well-known actor Keith Allen and successful film producer Alison Owen, she went to the same Knightsbri­dge prep school that Prince Charles once attended, and then a series of private schools.

Fox responded with a quirky and heavily ironic tweet, saying: ‘Lily Allen is the most stunningis­t and bravery artist in the whole wide world.’

He has faced a torrent of social media abuse since his appearance on Question Time, even though his views drew frequent applause from many members of the audience in

Liverpool. As he dealt with the question of whether Meghan has been driven out of the Royal Family by racism, he said: ‘We’re the most tolerant, lovely country in Europe. It’s so easy to throw the charge of racism at everybody and it’s really starting to get boring.’

One audience member, university lecturer Rachel Boyle, reacted by calling him a ‘white privileged male’, to which Fox replied: ‘I can’t help what I am. To call me a white privileged male is to be racist.’

Actors’ union Equity has called on its members to denounce Fox but the star, who played Lord Palmerston in last year’s series of Victoria, seems unrepentan­t, saying on social media he has rejoiced in the ‘Leftist tears’ he has provoked.

 ??  ?? EXASPERATE­D: Laurence Fox looks to the sky and holds his head in his hands on Question Time, as he faced criticism over his views on Meghan
EXASPERATE­D: Laurence Fox looks to the sky and holds his head in his hands on Question Time, as he faced criticism over his views on Meghan
 ??  ?? HEATED: University lecturer Rachel Boyle clashed with Fox
HEATED: University lecturer Rachel Boyle clashed with Fox

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