The deputy mayor of London has been caught on film using an offensive ethnic slur. Speaking during a recent committee meeting, Richard Barnes — a high profile member of the London Assembly and top Boris Johnson appointee — likened concerns around the cost of high speed rail upgrades to work practices of “Irish builders”:
“Does that include the cost of the full rebuild of Euston station that you’re talking about now, or is that going to be in addition as well? Or are they like most Irish builders, saying that it’s going to be ‘roughly that’.”
While making the comment, Barnes licked his finger and held it in the air, indicating that costs might change with the direction of the wind. Astonishingly, Barnes’ portfolio includes a key “equality and diversity” role.
He would do well to remember the thousands of Irish migrants who risked their lives constructing Britain’s railway system.
8 Comments
Weaker than Parnell’s piss as me mammy used to say.
Mr Staines (appropriate name)
You realise that every post you make anywhere on the web makes you an even bigger laughing stock.
You should just stick to being economically illiterate and helping with Rallies against debt that turn out to be laughable.
as an Irish builder I take no offense!
Regardless of whether Parnell’s piss meets your mother’s fine standards Paul, it’s still a truly ridiculous thing for a Deputy Mayor to say.
As someone from the west of Scotland, I’ve heard much worse Irish ‘slurs’ than that. And to be fair, British builders are just as bad.
What do you expect from an English Twatt?
Where does Boris find these retards?
I actually clicked on this link because I couldn’t think of a single offensive Irish slur and was quite keen to learn on. I still haven’t heard of one.
3 Trackbacks
[...] Boris Johnson’s Equalities Deputy Filmed Making Anti-Irish Slur (Political Scrapbook) [...]
[...] cannons? To stop the colours running.”News of the quip sparked outrage in City Hall — and came just two months after Barnes was slammed for another slur against Irish builders made during a committee [...]
[...] under criticism for his alcohol-centred treatment of Saint Patrick’s Day, while in July 2011, London’s Deputy Mayor for Equalities, Richard Barnes, when discussing the cost of redesigning Euston Station, queried, ‘are they like most Irish [...]