Will Tory London Mayoral candidate withdraw?
Boris Johnson apologised again over race issues today after he was accused of condoning an article that claimed black people have a lower IQ. The Tory mayoral candidate came under fire from Ken Livingstone and a leading black lawyer over pieces published in the Spectator magazine when he was editor.
In one, columnist Taki wrote that “Orientals … have larger brains and higher IQ scores. Blacks are at the other pole.” In another, he described black American basketball players as having “arms hanging below their knees and tongues sticking out”.
When asked today if he had condoned the articles, unearthed by black newspaper-New Nation, Mr Johnson told the Standard: “I am sorry for what was previously written as it does not reflect what is in my heart.
“Ken Livingstone has nothing positive to say about the future of London, or the wave of criminal violence that has cost the lives of 11 young people killed on our streets this year, or yet another strike on our Tube which will disrupt millions of commuters next week, so he has again resorted to negative personal attacks.”
But the Mayor seized on the articles as further proof of Mr Johnson’s lack of commitment to a racially diverse city like London.
More here .
The New Nation article, to be found: here begins: “IT WAS a long time coming, but Boris Johnson has finally made a heartfelt plea for forgiveness after calling black children ‘piccanninies’ and saying Af r icans had ‘watermelon smiles’.
Eight months after the controversy erupted, the Tory candidate for London mayor gave his first genuine apology, saying he was really sorry for upsetting black people.
With his voice cracking in anguish, the Old Etonian also said he was sorry for an article printed in a magazine he edited in which a columnist wrote that Caribbeans were ‘multiplying like flies’. Johnson said the piece, written by Taki George, was ‘repulsive’ and begged New Nation readers to believe that such remarks were ‘not in my heart’.”
Parallels, we believe, could justifiably be drawn with recent events! So will the Tory’s Mayoral candidate withdraw now that a precedent has been set?
