Leading Jewish organisation demands meeting with Guardian editor over ‘sickening anti-Semitic cartoon’ of ex-BBC boss
A LEADING Jewish organisation has demanded a meeting with The Guardian editor over a “sickening” anti-Semitic cartoon of Jewish ex-BBC boss Richard Sharp.
Tory MP Andrew Percy, Vice-Chairman of the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on anti-Semitism, last night told Katharine Viner she should consider her position at the paper.
It comes after an image by Martin Rowson was published online and in The Guardian’s Journal supplement on Saturday.
The offensive drawing shows former broadcasting chairman Mr Sharp departing the Beeb with a box marked Goldman Sachs – the investment bank where he used to work.
The box contained a squid, a puppet of Rishi Sunak, and what appears to be gold coins.
The leftie paper has since been blasted for its anti-Semitic work.
Mr Percy said the “disgusting” caricature highlights the paper’s “history” of racial abuse.
He said: “The cartoon was disgusting.
“What’s irritating about it is that they’re all pious at The Guardian about abuse of anybody on their side of politics, and yet they’ve got a history of pretty vile, racist abuse in cartoons.
“They’ve obviously got a cultural problem. It’s Trumpian really. They clearly have a blind spot on anti-Semitism.
“Anybody should have looked at that Diane Abbott letter and thought ‘we can’t print this, this is clearly racist’, and they should have looked at this cartoon and also thought ‘this is clearly racist’.”
He added Ms Viner should consider her role because “if this had been a cartoon of anything else, any other form of racism, I have no doubt that people would be resigning”.
Fellow Tory MP Peter Bone added: “It was sickening. It says a lot about the people running The Guardian.
“Apparently nobody looked at it and thought there was anything wrong with it.
“There should be a full inquiry because there’s serious questions for The Guardian to answer and obviously the editor is the one who’s overall in charge of what is published.”
The latest scandal comes after The Observer, also owned by Guardian Media Group plc (GMG), published a letter by Labour MP Diane Abbott suggesting only black people suffer racial abuse
Adding Jews, travellers and Irish people face discrimination due to “prejudice”, “not racism”.
She has since been suspended by the Labour Party.
A Guardian spokesman said: “The Guardian apologises to Mr Sharp, to the Jewish community and to anyone offended.
“We have received a small number of complaints about the cartoon. The Guardian’s independent readers’ editor is considering these and will respond in due course.”
Mr Sharp was forced to step down after it was alleged he helped secure an £800,000 loan for then PM Boris Johnson before landing the influential position at the national broadcaster.
An investigation by barrister Adam Heppinstall found he “failed to disclose potential perceived conflicts of interest” during his application.
In a statement, Mr Sharp said: “Mr Heppinstall’s view is that while I did breach the governance code for public appointments, he states that a breach does not necessarily invalidate an appointment.
“Indeed, I have always maintained the breach was inadvertent and not material, which the facts he lays out substantiate. The Secretary of State has consulted with the BBC Board who support that view.
“Nevertheless, I have decided that it is right to prioritise the interests of the BBC.”
Mr Sharp added: “I feel that this matter may well be a distraction from the Corporation’s good work were I to remain in post until the end of my term.
“I have therefore this morning resigned as BBC Chair to the Secretary of State, and to the Board.”