Stanley Johnson caught in furious row over burka with Judge Rinder on Channel 4
STANLEY JOHNSON was caught in a furious row over his comments about burkas with Judge Rinder on Channel 4.
Election 2019: Stanley Johnson slammed over ‘burka’ comment
Stanley Johnson, Boris Johnson’s father, was caught up in a furious row over his comments about Muslim women wearing face veils. The showdown was intense, with Judge Rinder and Mr Johnson engaged in heated debate just moments away from each other.
It came as Mr Johnson attempted to vouch for his son’s comments concerning Muslims over the years, especially those published by The Spectator during his time as editor.
Mr Johnson was met by boos and hisses from the crowd as he tried to talk his way through his argument as his son looks set to remain as Prime Minister.
The 79-year-old was defending his position that women should be told to take off their full-face veils in certain circumstances.
He used the example of a “female fighter jet pilot” explaining that she would have to remove her burka in order to navigate the jet.
On hearing this, comedian Nish Kumar, shouted "what are you talking about man?".
The comedian was backed by Judge Rinder, who let rip into Mr Johnson and began shooting him down.
Social media pushed against Mr Johnson, with many questioning what the former politician was thinking when he made the comment.
While Judge Rinder and Mr Johnson argued, Mr Kumar could be seen with his head in his hands.
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Mr Johnson made the comparison in an attempt to draw parallels with his son’s use of language surrounding Muslims.
Prime Minister made several comments about Muslims in various publications, including during his time as editor at The Spectator, and in his column in The Daily Telegraph, where he compared Muslim women wearing veils to letterboxes.
His father attempted to defend him, and said: "Most of the things that have been said against him have taken the article out of context.
"And I don't want to go further down this route.
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But, I will say, if I was a female fighter jet pilot, I would expect someone to say 'don't wear a burka'."
Mr Kumar continued to hold his head in his hands, and again asked: "What are you talking about man?"
Judge Rinder added: “You'd expect them to be qualified, and that's the only thing that matters".
Mr Johnson then challenged Judge Rinder, asking: “Have you ever flown a plane?
“It’s very hard.”
The barrister angrily came back at Mr Johnson, and said: “Don’t be absurd!
"How dare you sit there and use language like that.
“That is disgraceful and it shouldn't require Nish to have to defend that."
He continued: "Whether I'm a person of the left or the right you don't sit there and use the platform that you've been gifted to sit there to say anything else.
"And people who want to defend our country should do so in circumstances where they're adequately qualified."
Mr Johnson then asked whether the law required people to remove their veils in court, to which Judge Rinder pointed out that there are systems in place to "respect people’s faiths".
He said the former MEP and author was “talking rubbish.
This roused the audience, with their cheering Judge Rinder on to continue.
Although Stanley Johnson may have lost the argument, his son looks set to win the general election, with exit polls leaning in his favour.
Labour has suffered its worst election defeat since 1935.