Jeremy Clarkson calls Gordon Brown names

Top Gear presenter Jeremy Clarkson has said he is sorry for calling Gordon Brown a “one-eyed Scottish idiot”.

He said: “In the heat of the moment I made a remark about the Prime Minister’s personal appearance for which, upon reflection, I apologise.” The broadcaster made the comments to journalists in Sydney when he was speaking about the economic crisis.

The BBC said it noted Clarkson’s apology for the comments and would be taking no further action. Public figures have reacted angrily to the presenter’s remarks, with Labour MP Gordon Banks saying what Clarkson said was “unforgivable”.

Number 10 would only say that Clarkson “is entitled to his own interpretation of the economic circumstances”. The spokesperson declined to comment on the specific insult about Mr Brown, who lost the sight in one eye after an accident as a teenager.

‘Unacceptable’

But the Royal National Institute for Blind People called the comment was offensive.

“Any suggestion that equates disability with incompetence is totally unacceptable” said chief executive Lesley-Anne Alexander Scottish

Labour leader Iain Gray joined in the criticism. “Such a comment is really a reflection on Jeremy Clarkson and speaks for itself,” he said. “Most people here are proud that the prime minister is a Scot and believe him to be the right person to get the UK through this global economic crisis.”

Clarkson is in Australia to host Top Gear Live, a stage version of the hit BBC show.

The controversial presenter compared Mr Brown to Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd, shortly after Mr Rudd had addressed the country on the severity of the global financial crisis. Clarkson said: “He [Rudd] genuinely looked terrified. The poor man, he’s actually seen the books. “[In the UK] we’ve got this one-eyed Scottish idiot. “He keeps telling us everything’s fine and he’s saved the world and we know he’s lying, but he’s smooth at telling us.”

Mickey-taking

It had also been reported that Clarkson had called Australians ‘apes’. However the BBC press office has strongly denied that this was the case. They said that the presenter was in referring to some of the UK audience members, in keeping with the style of the programme. “Top Gear is known for its tone – the presenters take the mickey out of each other, and the Top Gear studio audience aren’t immune from that either.”

In November, more than 1,800 people complained to the BBC after Clarkson made a joke on Top Gear about lorry drivers killing sex workers. The joke followed the conviction of forklift truck driver Steve Wright for the murders of five prostitutes in Ipswich. Some 340 people also complained to regulator Ofcom, but it later ruled the joke did not breach the broadcasting code.

Source: BBC

Well, given the state of the economy, aren’t we all calling Gordon the Brown names?

Oops, I just did it.

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Thinking of relocating out of London?

Business relocation – Somerset UK.

‘Racist’ Prince Harry’s ‘Little Paki Friend’ Wasn’t Offended

The Pakistani soldier at the centre of the Prince Harry race row has sprung to his defence.

It’s after the Royal grandson was caught on film three years ago referring to one of his platoon members as “our little Paki friend”.

The Prince has actually called Ahmed Khan to apologise, and apparently he told Harry to forget about it, that he has no hard feelings and didn’t take offense.

So why was everyone else so outraged? After all, however racist ‘Paki’ has been in the past and is still in some circles, offense, like beauty, is in the eye of the beholder. Ahmed Khan knew that Harry meant no harm. And that’s the end of it.

Thank God. I can go back to calling my Australian friends ‘Aussies’ and my fellow British citizens ‘Brits’, without expecting to be mobbed.

How racist is ‘Paki’… Response to Prince Harry using the word ‘Paki’.

Quote from Ingrid Seward, Majesty Magazine (courtesy of BBC Online)

“I think it was a private video, he was talking about a friend of his, they were having fun and they were calling each other nicknames and I think it’s been taken out of context.

“Yes, it would be very offensive if Harry went around calling people Pakis in a racist way, but this was not meant, you know, it was meant more of a nickname.
“I mean, Harry’s mates call him Ginge or Ginger – that could be equally offensive to people with red hair.”

How racist is ‘Paki’?

Prince Harry, a respected member of our Royal Family and an icon for future generations, has apologised publicly for using the term ‘Paki’ to describe a Pakistani colleague in a video diary filmed during his training at Sandhurst Military College.

Whilst most people see the term ‘Paki’ as low level racism, I wonder just how racist it really is in the eyes of a Pakistani person?

After all, isn’t ‘Paki’ just an abbreviation of ‘Pakistani’? Just like ‘Ozzy’ is an abbreviation of ‘Australian’ and ‘Brit’ is an abbreviation of ‘Briton’ or ‘British’.

It’s clear that Prince Harry used the term as a nickname for a popular member of his platoon. If his friend had taken offense then I am certain he’d have lodged a complaint himself.

Isn’t use of the word ‘Paki’ to be considered in context, just like everything else? Yes, ‘Paki’ used to be derogatory and it’s true that racists can add an offensive tone of voice to the word, but the same could be said of ‘Ginge’ and ‘Shorty’ and most people would agree that these could be used affectionately as well.

Prince Harry was not acting out of malice, but out of affection.

Should he apologise for that?

If so, then I’ll be writing to all the people at school who called me ‘Gangly’. There’s probably some compensation waiting for me.