BBC forced to edit flagship Today programme and apologise after Robert Jenrick was branded 'xenophobic' for Mail on Sunday article
Author and refugee charity boss Dr Krish Kandiah prompted fury after he criticised this weekend's Mail on Sunday front page in which the shadow justice secretary said he worried for his young daughters and defended residents protesting against asylum hotels.
During the Thought for the Day segment this morning, the theologian suggested the Tory MP's concerns were 'irrational' and such language 'fuelled angry protests outside hotels housing asylum seekers.'
But after Mr Jenrick said that it was wrong to brand those who fear for their children 'racist', saying they were instead 'good parents', the BBC removed segments from the Radio 4 breakfast broadcast.
They also issued an apology for the 'inclusion' of some of the language used.
'On BBC Radio 4 this morning listeners were told that if you're concerned about the threat of illegal migrants to your kids, you're racist,' Mr Jenrick tweeted.
'Wrong. You're a good parent.'
The row erupted after Dr Kandiah said: 'A front page story in The Mail on Sunday quoted shadow justice minister Robert Jenrick talking about his fears for his young daughters,' he said.
'He said, "I certainly don't want my children to share a neighbourhood with men from backward countries who broke into Britain illegally and about whom we know next to nothing."
'These words echo a fear many have absorbed. Fear of the stranger. The technical name for this is xenophobia.
'All phobias are by definition irrational. Nevertheless, they have a huge impact.
'It is understandable that many people are scared by the unknown, especially if they've been told illegality and unfairness are part of the story. However, over the past year, xenophobia has fuelled angry protests outside hotels housing asylum seekers, deepening divisions in our communities.'
Dr Kandiah then quoted statistics saying the majority of people arriving in small boats are 'found to be genuinely fleeing war, persecution and famine'.
He did not state that the boats cross the Channel from France – a safe country – before arriving in the UK.
Reform MP Richard Tice defended Jenrick, saying: 'Delusional lefty filling R4 Today as usual.
'Trying to smear and label anyone who stands up for British women and girls
'We should be proud of Britain, our traditional values and affirm that our culture is superior to the anti-women misogynistic culture of some other nations.'
A Tory source said: 'Thought for the Day has long descended into a bunch of nobodies wittering on about their mad-hat socialist ideas.
'If the BBC are not prepared to broadcast serious religious voices they should at least ensure the second-rate ones they do find are balanced.'
A BBC spokesman said: 'Today's episode of Thought for the Day contained reflections from a faith perspective on fear in society but has been edited to remove some of the language used and we apologise for its inclusion.'
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