‘Truly extraordinary’ to accuse Boris Johnson of racism, minister claims

Labour MP asked what minister thought of prime minister’s ‘piccaninnies’ remark

A government minister has claimed it would be “truly extraordinary” for Labour to claim that Boris Johnson was guilty of racism in a heated exchange in the House of Commons.

Home Office minister Victoria Atkins was grilled by MPs on what action the government would take to make sure stronger action is taken against racist abuse on social media.

Labour MP Zarah Sultana asked the minister what she thought of Mr Johnson “when he was describing black people as piccaninnies with watermelon smiles, when he used newspaper columns to mock Muslim women … when he refused to condemn the booing of England players taking the knee”.

Ms Sultana added: “Isn’t it the case, like England star Tyrone Mings has said, that the home secretary and the prime minister were stoking the fire of racism, giving the green light to racism?”

Ms Atkins, standing in for Ms Patel, responded: “I don’t think the honourable lady is accusing the prime minister or the home secretary of racism – that would be a truly extraordinary allegation to make.”

The minister criticised the Labour MP for “trying to shout at me” adding: “In tackling these horrific instances of racism we need to work collectively together, and shouting at me across the dispatch box is not going to help with that.”

Both Mr Johnson and Ms Patel have come in for some heavy criticism for refusing to back England players’ stance against racism.

Tory MP Johnny Mercer backed England player Tyrone Mings after he accused Ms Patel of “stoking the fire” of racism – saying the football star is “completely right”.

Labour has accused Ms Patel of “not even bothering” to appear for an urgent Commons question on the prevalence of racism on social media after abuse was directed at three black England footballers.

Shadow home secretary Nick Thomas-Symonds challenged “weak” proposals in the government’s long-awaited Online Harms Bill – arguing current plans “would not stop” racist abuse on social media.

Home Office minister Victoria Prentis (Parliament TV )

Ms Atkins claimed the UK was “leading the world” in tackling online harms and said the bill would put in place “measures to tackled illegal abuse and legal but harmful abuse – including racist abuse”.

She also claimed the home secretary had been “relentless in pursuing social media companies to ensure they take much tougher stances”.

Mr Johnson said earlier that anyone convicted of racist abuse online will be banned from attending matches. “You will not be going to the match – no ifs, no buts,” the prime minister told abusive supporters.