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Classmate accused of racism after referring to Kamala Harris as ‘the Indian’
Ahead of the debate, the Lords have been the subject of attention after Lord Kilclooney was accused of racism for describing the Vice President-elect of the United States, Kamala Harris, solely as “the Indian.”
Former Deputy Director of the Ulster Unionist Party (UUP), John Taylor, was ordered to apologize and retract his tweet about Harris, who has become the first black and Asian-American person to be elected to the position.
The colleague, who previously deleted a tweet describing then-Irish Taoiseach Leo Varadkar as a “typical Indian,” insisted there was “nothing racist” in his latest post.
Harris, a senator from California, also made history as the first woman to be elected vice president when voters elected her and Joe Biden to replace Donald Trump in the White House.
But Lord Kilclooney tweeted: “What happens if Biden goes ahead and the Indian becomes President? Who becomes Vice President?”
Lord Speaker Lord Fowler said the pair “should retract and apologize” after senior politicians said they would file complaints.
“This is an offensive way of referring to anyone, much less a woman who has just made history. The comment is totally unacceptable and has no place in British politics. It could not be clearer,” added Lord Fowler.
Conservative MP Simon Hoare, who is chairman of the Commons Northern Ireland Select Committee on Affairs, said the message was “Bad. Rude. Racist. Atrocious” and that he had made a formal complaint to the Lord Speaker’s office.
Meanwhile, Labor leader in the Lords, Baroness Smith, added: “I am so angry about this comment. It is despicable and despicable, and totally unacceptable to anyone, but especially to anyone in Parliament.”
Lord Kilclooney insisted that his post was not racist.
“The first thing is to put it in perspective, the criticism is minor, the support is massive; I have never had so many followers on Twitter in one day, never,” he said.
“I am also very fond of India, I am a member of the all-party British India group, I have two Indians (tenants) in my apartments here in London and there is nothing racist about it.
“She is as proud of her Indian roots as Biden is proud to say that she is Irish.”
He later withdrew the comment.
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