Mike Parry’s ‘minorities’ remark on Jeremy Vine gets over 350 Ofcom complaints

Jeremy Vine’s show on Channel 5 has been hit with 383 Ofcom complaints after Mike Parry’s remark about “minorities”. 

On last Friday’s broadcast, host Vine, radio host Parry and journalist Yasmin Alibhai-Brown discussed the Insulate Britain protests on the M25.

Alibhai-Brown said the UK can’t call itself a free nation if people can’t protest. Parry said the UK is “too tolerant” and that protesters should go to China “and see what the Chinese authorities do”.

Speaking of how some protesters have been gluing themselves to the road, Vine remarked: “If they’re going to get superglue and glue themselves to the road, you’ve got to think about ripping them off.”

Alibhai-Brown said: “I think if we are a free society, and I’m very glad to be living in a free society, then we have to put up with some of this. When the farmers took to the roads none of the traditional right-wing papers objected the way they’re objecting” before Parry interjected with “not to the detriment of millions of others”.

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He continued: "The problem in this country in all areas is that minorities always get the upper hand because we’re so tolerant.

“And minorities have to be squashed like that,” he said as he slammed his hand on the table.

As the camera pans out, Alibhai-Brown is seen sitting with her arms crossed as she quipped: “Oh my God, I think you should go and live in China, they could do with you over there.”

Ignoring Alibhai-Brown’s comment, Parry continued: “So that the rest of society can operate normally.”

Looking down at his notes, Vine said: “I don’t think we want to do too much squashing of minorities on a Friday.”

Vine quickly moved the conversation forward and read out viewers’ comments about the M25 protests.

People took to Twitter to express their thoughts on the segment:

Parry posted a series of tweets clarifying his comments, claiming he meant the M25 protestors and “other minority groups who’ve had a disproportionate effect on life.”

He added: “To link my ‘minorities’ comment to ethnicity is just silly… I don’t think like that.”

Jeremy Vine has engaged with several people on Twitter when it comes to the matter. Vine said he wished he intervened to get Parry to clarify that he was talking about the M25 protesters.

Ofcom lists programmes that garner more than 50 complaints on its weekly audience complaints’ bulletin.

In a note on the bulletin, Ofcom writes that complaints to the regulator are assessed against the Broadcasting Code.

Indy100 has reached out to Channel 5 for comment.