Outrage after Jeremy Vine guest Mike Parry says ‘minorities have to be squashed’

Jeremy Vine viewers were outraged after guest Mike Parry made a shocking remark live on air: that “minorities have to be squashed” because they have the “upper hand” in the UK.

During a segment on the Channel 5 show on Friday, Vine, Parry and fellow panelist Yasmin Alibhai-Brown discussed the climate change protestors who had blocked part of the M25.

Alibhai-Brown suggested that as we live in a free society, we must put up with it.

“I think if we are a free society, and I am very glad to be living in a free society, then we have to put up with some of this”, she said.

“When the farmers took to the roads, none of the traditional right-wing papers objected in the way they’re objecting.”

The 66-year-old radio host jumped in to suggest: “Not to the detriment of millions of others.”

“The problem in this country, in all areas, is that the minorities always get the upper hand cos we’re so tolerant & minorities have to be squashed, like that!”

Parry slammed his fist on the desk in a strangely enthusiastic manner, upon saying “like that”.

The radio host has since taken to Twitter to offer an explanation. He said that while his comments sounded “brutal in isolation”, the clip lacked context showing that he was talking about environmentalists and not ethnicity.

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In a string of tweets, Parry said his comments were directed “at the M25 protestors and OTHER minority groups who’ve had a disproportionate effect on life”.

“Before today’s show we were discussing wind power/energy sources .. a story we covered .. and I expressed the view: ‘Fracking could have saved this country from relying on overseas energy .. but once again a tiny minority of protestors stopped it happening. Why? It’s mad.’”

He added that he’s not “even aware that [he] lives in a “mixed race society. I just live in our society.”

“I do not regard anybody who is not my religion, creed or colour as a person in a minority group. I’m not even aware that I live in a mixed race society. I just live in our society. To link my ‘minorities’ comment to ethnicity is just silly .. I don’t think like that ..”

Parry’s comments have prompted backlash and have since sent social media into fury. Many Twitter users said his remark was“inciting violence”. Another simply called the radio host “repulsive.”

The organisation, Tell MAMA UK, an outlet to report anti-Muslim incidents, took to Twitter in a pledge to have the “abhorrent” incident investigated.

In a since-deleted tweet, Vine appeared to have jumped to Parry’s defence.

It read: “This would have been totally unacceptable had Mike been referring to members of ethnic minorities.

“In fact, this snippet does not make clear @mikeparry8 was actually talking about the eco-protestors who brought the M25 to a halt.

“He said they represented very few people in the UK”.

To which the sub-tweeter responded: “Any discrimination against any minority group is unacceptable!”

An Ofcom spokesperson said: “Complaints figures for programmes that attracted more than 50 complaints will be published in our ‘Audience Complaints’ Bulletin – issued every Wednesday.

“We assess all complaints we receive against our broadcasting rules, before deciding whether or not to investigate.”

indy100 has reached out to Channel 5 for comment.