Now Sir Geoffrey's done the racism and has made his public grovelling :-(

[Peter]

Which, of course, they are. How is that racist? No denigration was implied, it was simply a description of your average Lankan's skin colour (particularly Tamils). I have no objection to anyone describing my skin colour by use of glib metaphor or simile.

I must admit whenever I hear Under African Skies on Graceland the first line appears in my head as 'Joseph's face was as black as your hat'

[Burney]

I must admit whenever I hear Under African Skies on Graceland the first line appears in my head as 'Joseph's face was as black as your hat'

My father only stopped describing things as 'as dark as a n*gger's pocket' about 15 years ago. So that's progress, I suppose.

[Peter]

My father only stopped describing things as 'as dark as a n*gger's pocket' about 15 years ago. So that's progress, I suppose.

I remember my nan getting the right hump when 'coloured' became offensive. 'I was trying to be bloody nice, you don't want to know what I call them in private!'......

Good old nan.....

[Sir C]

I remember my nan getting the right hump when 'coloured' became offensive. 'I was trying to be bloody nice, you don't want to know what I call them in private!'......

Good old nan.....

When I travel anywhere in East Africa I am constantly called 'mzungu'. This is deeply racist, as it stems from an old Bantu word meaning 'he who spins around', hailing from the days when people in the bush would encounter lost Victorians wandering around in circles trying to find their way back to civilisation. Or Dar es Salaam, anyway.

The point is that black Africans call me a belittling, hurtful, triggering and offensive name which also mocks the tribulations and struggles of my ancestors who civilised Africa and died in the their thousands doing so.

Do you hear me complain? Only occasionally.