Columnist Rod liddle’s ‘racist’ take on the Peterborough election did not go down well

Journalist Rod Liddle's column in the Sunday Times has come under widespread criticism for what he himself admitted would likely be seen as "racist" and/or discriminatory content.

Discussing the recent Peterborough by-election, in which Labour narrowly defeated Nigel Farage's Brexit Party by 683 votes, Mr Liddle offered a take on the result that literally nobody was asking for:

My suspicion is that quite a few of those who voted by post in Peterborough, with help from community leaders, may have been people who do not speak English and may well have thought they were ticking a box to choose their favourite vegetable side dish — tarka dal, brinjal bhaji or Bombay aloo.

I suppose this last comment will be considered a racist aside.

The journalist was referring to accusations of foul play during the Peterborough election.

The police are reportedly investigating five cases of potential electoral fraud, with Conservatives highlighting the involvement of Labour activist Tariq Mahmood, who was previously imprisoned for voter fraud.

Labour has said Mr Mahmood was not one of its 19 official guests allowed in restricted areas at the count.

Speaking to the MailOnline, Mr Farage described Peterborough as a "rotten borough", saying: "We've seen so many cases now where again and again we find - particularly in the inner cities - postal voting is producing the wrong results."

Regardless of the background, many felt that Mr Liddle's comments were entirely uncalled for.

While others just found the logic entirely flawed.

If you think you've read a version this story before - then it's probably because you have.

Mr Liddle, who also writes for The Mail, The Spectator and The Sun, is well known for penning columns discriminating against people of colour and the LGBT+ community under the guise of telling it like it is.

In October 2018, he suggested extremists blow themselves up in London's Tower Hamlets - "a decent distance from where the rest of us live" and was described by LGBT+ charity Stonewall as "a repeat offending bigot" after describing gay sex as "unnatural and perverse".

Sunday's column prompted a former colleague to share some fond memories.

The Sunday Times were approached for comment on Mr Liddle's recent article, and his Tower Hamlets comments in 2018.

Here's a quick rundown of some of his finest moments:

1. The time he said there wasn't enough islamophobia in the Tory party.

2. When he peddled the heavily discredited and harmful view that chronic fatigue is "all in the mind".

3. When he suggested African-Carribean youths were responsible for most of London's violent crime and have only given "rap music" and "goat curry" in return.

4. When he labelled "the transgender debate" as "grotesque child abuse".

5. When he demonstrated unparalleled wit in identifying "as a young, black, trans chihauhua".