Brendan O’Neill Brendan O’Neill

We need to talk about Munira Mirza and Priti Patel

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We need to talk about Priti Patel. Specifically we need to talk about what happened to her last week. In an emotional statement in the House of Commons, Patel talked about some of the racist abuse she has experienced, from being called a ‘P**i’ in the school playground to being depicted as a cow with a ring through its nose in the Guardian. (Patel is a Hindu, and the cow is a sacred symbol in Hinduism.)

She did so in response to the claim made by Labour MP Florence Eshalomi that the government doesn’t understand the problem of racial inequality. After recounting her run-ins with prejudicial hatred, Patel said: ‘I will not take lectures [on racism] from the other side of the House.’

How did the supposedly anti-racist left respond to Patel’s comments? Did they offer her solidarity as a victim of racism? Did they cheer her for bravely discussing some of the racist bile that has been thrown her way?

No.

Brendan O’Neill
Written by
Brendan O’Neill

Brendan O’Neill is Spiked's chief politics writer. His new book, After the Pogrom: 7 October, Israel and the Crisis of Civilisation, is out now.

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