Conservative former minister Mark Francois has been criticised by a Labour MP for using an "outdated and crass racial slur" in the House of Commons. Sarah Owen, the first MP of south-east Asian ancestry, called out Mr Francois for referring to Japanese people as “Japs”.
Neither Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle nor Defence Secretary Ben Wallace subsequently condemned the use of the term after Mr Francois, MP for Rayleigh and Wickford, said it during defence questions on Monday. Raising a point of order on Tuesday, Ms Owen said Mr Francois’ “outdated and crass racial slur has fallen well below the bar we should expect”.
She also criticised environment minister Mark Spencer for suggesting there could be “some little man in China” eavesdropping on his own private conversations. That comment came as he fielded questions over security breaches concerning senior Government figures last week.
The Luton North MP said: “Yesterday, during defence oral questions, the member for Rayleigh and Wickford (Mark Francois) said: ‘Why does it take BAE Systems 11 years to build a ship but,’ and I quote, ‘the Japs can do it in four?’ Mr Speaker, you rightly and regularly remind us to use respectful language in this House, but unfortunately, this outdated and crass racial slur has fallen well below the bar we should expect.”
Ms Owen said at the weekend an article in the Times asked why “there are only two MPs who identify as eastern south-east Asians in this place, despite making up 1.2 million of the country”. She went on: “Perhaps it is comments like this by the member for Rayleigh and Wickford or ‘the little man in China’ trope trotted out by a Government minister last week, or when the former leader of the House (Jacob Rees-Mogg) said the word ‘Yellow Peril’ from that despatch box.”
Mr Rees-Mogg subsequently apologised for his remarks, saying he did not know that what he had said was racist and that his use of the term was “out of ignorance”. Addressing the Speaker, Ms Owen added: “Could you please advise me on how we can discourage all members of this House from using ethnic slurs such as this because progress is not inevitable, it is something that we must consistently and constantly strive for.”
Sir Lindsay said he recognises “the casual use of racial terms causes upset and should not be used”. He added: “What I would say is Erskine May states that good temper and moderation are the characteristics of the parliamentary language and ask all members to remind themselves of that principle in choosing the words they use carefully.
“People reflect also the language that we use – if we set the best of language, therefore others might follow.”
