Coronavirus: Kelvin MacKenzie condemned over GMB rant about ‘disgusting’ China

Former editor of The Sun said people should sue the Chinese government over the outbreak

Good Morning Britain viewers have accused the programme of reaching a “new low” after the ITV show invited Kelvin MacKenzie on air to discuss coronavirus.

The former editor of The Sun came under fire on Twitter for arguing that people should sue the Chinese government over the coronavirus outbreak.

Speaking to Piers Morgan and Susanna Reid, MacKenzie said: ‘If any of your relatives die, and I’m urging all your viewers to do this, you should sue the Chinese government.

“It’s a disgusting, medically ill-equipped country. Where apparently the animals and the people have got together, they’ve caused this virus. If your mum and dad dies, get after them in the courts. We should make them pay.”

He continued: “How are you going to stop people doing whatever they’re doing with bat soup and snakes? How did this start? It started in China, it’s killing our people, we should come after their government. This does not happen in non-authoritarian government.

“It’s a disgusting, disgraceful regime and all these viruses start in China.”

When Reid pointed out that the measures China have now brought in to combat coronavirus have led to a drop in cases, MacKenzie responded: “They started the damn thing.”

Viewers have accused MacKenzie of “scaremongering” and being “racist”.

“Why is @GMB so anti-Chinese?” asked one Twitter user. “Inviting well known racist kelvin Mackenzie really is a new low!”

“Seriously the media have to be more responsible than this,” wrote another. “Fair enough give facts but this is poor and you’re scaremongering!! You’re causing stockpiling and panic buying! I am literally open mouthed at Kelvin Mackenzie #GMB.”

“Kelvin Mackenzie making everyone feel awkward,” said a third.

MacKenzie has had a career chequered with controversy. He was editor of The Sun when it published a front-page article claiming Liverpool fans were to blame for the tragedy at Hillsborough, in which 96 people died.

He apologised in 2012, but many shops in the city still refuse to stock the title.

MacKenzie later became a columnist for The Sun but in 2017 his contract was terminated after he wrote an opinion piece in which he compared the Everton midfielder Ross Barkley to a gorilla.