No one is safe from these woke jokers...

APORTRAIT of the Queen is removed from a college at Oxford University.a newspaper columnist is “sacked” for making an ill-advised comment about the naming of the new royal baby. A leading barrister who joined in is suspended.

And one of England’s greatest cricketers is forced to defend a jokey message he posted about a teammate eleven years ago.

Welcome to the world where virtually everyone seems to be on the point of grievous offence 24 hours a day, and a supposed joke can lead to a virtual lynching.

It’s always puzzled me how a statue, hall or picture can be seen as racist, but that fate befell the photographic print of the Queen from 1952 that was once on display at Magdalen College at Oxford.

Students there – who, frighteningly, would need to be among the brightest in the land to get in and would be on course for having a crack at some of the most influential jobs in the country in years to come – said the picture had to go as it was about “making people feel welcome”. Somehow, for these timorous souls, a picture of the Queen at 26 is akin to one of the Grand Wizard of the Ku Klux Klan. It was a royal connection that got newspaper columnist Julie Burchill in hot water too.

Last Sunday Miss Burchill, 61, took to Twitter to comment on the naming of Prince Harry and Meghan’s new daughter.

Calling it a “missed opportunity” she added: “They could have called it Georgina Floydina!” This was a reference to George Floyd, the man who was murdered by a US police officer last year, sparking global protests against racism.

While this “joke” was wrong on so many levels – referring to the baby as “it” and seeking to derive humour from murder – it doesn’t mean she should lose her job.

She has claimed the Sunday Telegraph has “sacked” her, but they maintain she was neither on staff nor on a freelance contract.

This row could still yet claim another casualty.

Leading barrister Joanna Toch also took to Twitter over the name Lilibet.

After an exchange with Miss Burchill, the lawyer concluded the conversation with the one-word referring to a mixture of both Meghan’s mother Doria and Oprah Winfrey: ”Doprah?” Miss Toch has now been

suspended by her legal firm “pending an internal review”.what is there to review?

Again, this is a case of questionable and ill-advised humour, but surely we don’t live in a world where your career is terminated as a result?

Now approaching, very regrettably, the end of his playing career, cricketer James Anderson was forced on to the back foot over a jokey tweet he sent about his close friend and fellow England star Stuart Broad. In it he stated: “I saw Broady’s new haircut for the first time today. Not sure about it. Thought he looked like a 15 yr (sic) old lesbian!”

This was sent 11 years ago and is a gag between two blokes who have been by each other’s side for years in good times

above,

and bad. While I’m pretty certain if you look long and hard enough you would be able to find offence in just about anything, whether it’s a portrait or a gag, you do have to ask yourself what sort of person would choose to.

Presumably the sort who sees a picture of the Queen from nearly 70 years ago as a symbol of the Empire and colonial shame. Or sees a joke between two workmates and decides it’s close to a hate crime.

This sort of oppressive cancel culture that pertains to be in the name of tolerance is actually all about intolerance and has been seen in history before.

So, how long before we start burning the books of “disappeared” authors in the town square?

AS SOMEONE who is always prepped and ready to heap derision and fury all over our courts at the first opportunity, it’s refreshing to welcome one ruling last week.

Dognapper Malachy Doherty admitted theft at Crewe magistrates’ court after he stole two Labradors while they were tied up outside a store in Nantwich last March.

The heartbroken Robson family put out a plea on social media which was shared more than 300,000 times and within days police swooped and the dogs were happily returned to their rightful owners.

Full credit to district judge Nicholas Sanders who handed down the maximum term of six months in jail. A deserved case of “ruff” justice.

AS CONFUSION reigns over the possible lifting of restrictions a week tomorrow, the king of theatreland Andrew Lloyd Webber, has emerged as a doughty opponent to the Government. Lord Lloyd-webber’s first new production in six years is the £6million show Cinderella, which is due to start previewing on June 25 ahead of its world premiere three weeks later. It’s reliant on selling all seats in the theatre to recoup the investment and with a 34-strong ensemble the economics simply don’t add up if it is forced to play to audiences limited to 50 per cent, which is the current restriction due to be lifted on June 21. Last week Lord Lloyd-webber spelt out his opposition as boldly as the names on a theatre marquee sign. “We are going to open, come hell or high water,” he said and when challenged over what he’d do if the Government doesn’t ease lockdown as promised added: “We will say, ‘Come to the theatre and arrest us’.” Well said My Lord, and the Government had better look out. Squads of police officers arresting an entire West End cast and bundling them into police vans along with Lord Lloyd-webber would be pure theatre, complete with unfavourable reviews of the Government.