Outrage as BBC presenter Jeremy Clarkson brands the Prime Minister a 'one-eyed Scottish idiot'

Top Gear star Jeremy Clarkson was under fire today after branding Gordon Brown a 'one-eyed Scottish idiot'.The BBC presenter, who is in Australia to host a live version of the motoring show, also accused the Prime Minister of lying.
Mr
Brown lost his sight in one eye after an accident playing rugby as a
teenager. Doctors had to battle to save the sight in the other and he
had repeated surgery.



Top Gear hosts Jeremy Clarkson and Richard Hammond pose for photographs in front of the Sydney Harbour Bridge The
BBC was urged to reprimand Clarkson, who only three months ago escaped
punishment for joking about lorry drivers murdering prostitutes on live
television.His comments came as the corporation was already
facing criticism after sacking presenter Carol Thatcher for referring
to a tennis player off-air as a 'golliwog'.
It has so far refused to comment.

The presenter, 48, was comparing Australian premier Kevin
Rudd and Mr Brown after Mr Rudd had given a speech about the financial
crisis.He said: 'It's the first time I've ever seen a world
leader (Rudd) admit we really are in deep s***. He genuinely looked
terrified. The poor man, he's actually seen the books.'
'[In
the UK] we've got this one-eyed Scottish idiot, he keeps telling us
everything's fine and he's saved the world - and we know he's lying,
but he's smooth at telling us.'




Injury: Gordon Brown, pictured yesterday in Downing Street, lost the sight in one eye in a rugby accident when he was a teenager
The Royal National Insititute for the Blind said his jibe at Mr Brown was 'totally unacceptable.'Chief
executive Lesley-Anne Alexander said: 'Mr Clarkson's description of
Prime Minister Brown is offensive. Any suggestion that equates
disability with incompetence is totally unacceptable.'We would be happy to help Mr Clarkson understand the positive contribution people with sight loss make to society.'



Attraction: Clarkson also revealed a secret crush on feminist Germaine Greer
Scottish politicians were also outraged by the comment.
Labour leader Iain Gray said: 'Such a comment is really a reflection on Jeremy Clarkson and speaks for itself. 'Most
people here are proud that the Prime Minister is a Scot and believe him
to be the right person to get the UK through this global economic
crisis.'Former Scottish minister Lord Foulkes called on the BBC to take action.
'If
the BBC banned Jonathan Ross for what he said and they have taken Carol
Thatcher off air for something she said in private, then something
should be done about Clarkson,' he said. 'He has insulted Gordon
Brown three times over - accusing him of being a liar, having a go at
him for having a physical handicap and for his nationality. 'It
is an absolute outrage of the worst kind. Disabled people will be up in
arms about it, Scottish people will be angry - and it should concern
all of us that the prime minister has been accused of lying.' Gordon Banks, Labour MP for Ochil and South Perthshire, said the comments were 'unforgivable'A
Downing Street spokesman declined to comment on the insult directly but
said: 'Mr Clarkson is entitled to his own interpretation of the
economic circumstances.'The BBC gave no response and Clarkson's wife and manager, Francie, would only say: 'We have no comment'.
In
the live show, the presenter had also insulted the British fans who
watch the filming of Top Gear, saying: 'You should see some of the apes
that turn up.'And he added that he did not care whether the
show's stuntmen get injured. 'They're French, so if they get killed
it's not the end of the world,' he said.He also dismissed
cricket as a game invented by people who didn't have enough to do, and
revealed a secret crush on the feminist Germaine Greer. 'Germaine, she's a good looking woman,' he enthused. He
called Hammond a coward for quitting smoking and blamed London's recent
snowfall on 'too many green people in the world' who 'aren't buying
enough Range Rovers'. When asked a serious question about the state of the Australian automotive industry, he admitted he didn't care.The
presenter, who is one of the BBC's biggest earners and is thought to
have a salary of around £2million, is no stranger to controversy.He
sparked thousands of complaints last November with a joke during an
episode of Top Gear about lorry drivers murdering prostitutes.As
he completed a lorry-driving task, he said: 'This is a hard job and I'm
not just saying that to win favour with lorry drivers, it's a hard job.'Change
gear, change gear, change gear, check mirror, murder a prostitute,
change gear, change gear, murder. That's a lot of effort in a day.'It followed the conviction of Steve Wright, a former lorry driver, for the murder of five prostitutes in Ipswich.
Complaints
to the BBC topped 1,800 and regulator Ofcom received 339 but the
watchdog later ruled the quip had not broken the Broadcasting Code.It is thought the BBC is reluctant to be dragged into another controversy over one of its top presenters.Only
last month, Jonathan Ross returned to his TV show after a three-month
suspension after he and comedian Russell Brand made obscene phone calls
to Fawlty Towers actor Andrew Sachs live on air.

From The Mail online.




This is getting out of hand now we all know what Jeremy is like .Imo this man speaks his mind and we need more like him in this PC world.

It would be a different matter if it was a lie .... whoooops thats me for the high jump - racism against the Scottish well well well the worm turns - it is usually the other way around!!!! thank goodness Mr Brown is a caucasion - otherwise the end surely would be nigh!!!!!!

karma wrote:It would be a different matter if it was a lie .... whoooops thats me for the high jump - racism against the Scottish...

But neither of you are racist??

To claim Gordon Brown is Scottish is a fact, to claim he has one eye is a fact; to claim he's lying when he says the British economy is 'fine' is a matter of opinion, but many would argue Clarkson's view has some merit.

Why Lesley-Anne Alexander of the RNIB is getting upset I have no idea, he's not said anything to connect the PM's blindness with, what Clarkson sees, as failings on economic policy.

Again this is just some retarded journalist enjoying feigning shock at something said by a celebrity and presenting it as news. Maybe if we take the 24hr news channels off the air and show repeats of Top Gear instead, we'll be entertained, and in the 30mins. the news gets only the important stuff will be concentrated on.

Well said Troy!!!! Indeed no - not racist?????? my late husband (of 39 years) was Italian and we had to put up with more than 'quite a few' racist comments in the 1960's - bad sense on humour/fun/the ridiculous is my downfall :-) I fail to take even the most 'serious' things seriously :) if anything to do with PC can be deemed serious!!!

Blimey - there's going to be no-one left on telly soon!

Clarkson apologises for PM remark

Top Gear presenter Jeremy Clarkson has said he is sorry for calling Gordon Brown a "one-eyed Scottish idiot".
He said: "In the heat of the moment I made a remark about the
Prime Minister's personal appearance for which, upon reflection, I
apologise."
The broadcaster made the comments to journalists in Sydney when he was speaking about the economic crisis.
The BBC said it noted Clarkson's apology for the comments and would be taking no further action.
Public figures have reacted angrily to the
presenter's remarks, with Labour MP Gordon Banks saying what Clarkson
said was "unforgivable".
Number 10 would only say that Clarkson "is entitled to his own interpretation of the economic circumstances".
The spokesperson declined to comment on the specific insult
about Mr Brown, who lost the sight in one eye after an accident as a
teenager.
'Unacceptable'
But the Royal National Institute for Blind People called the comment offensive.
"Any suggestion that equates disability with incompetence is totally unacceptable" said chief executive Lesley-Anne Alexander
Scottish Labour leader Iain Gray joined in the criticism.
"Such a comment is really a reflection on Jeremy Clarkson and speaks for itself," he said.
"Most people here are proud that the prime minister is a Scot
and believe him to be the right person to get the UK through this
global economic crisis."
Clarkson is in Australia to host Top Gear Live, a stage version of the hit BBC show.

The controversial presenter compared Mr Brown to Australian Prime
Minister Kevin Rudd, shortly after Mr Rudd had addressed the country on
the severity of the global financial crisis.
Clarkson said: "He [Rudd] genuinely looked terrified. The poor man, he's actually seen the books.
"[In the UK] we've got this one-eyed Scottish idiot.
"He keeps telling us everything's fine and he's saved the world and we know he's lying, but he's smooth at telling us."
Mickey-taking
It had also been reported that Clarkson had called Australians
'apes'. However the BBC press office has strongly denied that this was
the case.
They said that the presenter was in referring to some of the UK audience members, in keeping with the style of the programme.
"Top Gear is known for its tone - the presenters take the mickey
out of each other, and the Top Gear studio audience aren't immune from
that either."
In November, more than 1,800 people complained to the BBC after
Clarkson made a joke on Top Gear about lorry drivers killing sex
workers.
The joke followed the conviction of forklift truck driver Steve Wright for the murders of five prostitutes in Ipswich.
Some 340 people also complained to regulator Ofcom, but it later ruled the joke did not breach the broadcasting code.

Can't they go away and come back when they've grown up??????

Digger wrote:...But the Royal National Institute for Blind People called the comment offensive.
"Any suggestion that equates disability with incompetence is totally unacceptable" said chief executive Lesley-Anne Alexander...

Fair comment... but of course Clarkson didn't equate any disability to incompetance so why is this woman mouthing off?

Everybody knows that the blind are capable of holding political office without screwing-up... I mean look at Blunkett... oh.

WAS THAT WITHOUT SCREWING??? OR SCREWING-UP???? OR BOTH

I find Jezzer's apology amusing. He only mentioned Gordon Brown's appearance, thereby implying that the Scottish Idiot bit still stands.

Ah come on, is not what Clarkson said is really what everyone is thinking?

oh so very true pegasus.

Yes that is true........and the worst bit is the 'idiot' didn't get voted in - and however idiotic once he leaves postition 'numero uno' and however badly he performed...... he will be on the lucrative 'gravy train' like his predessor who now walks on water!!! and we in the Channel Islands get buffeted by all this silliness!!!! and with the interest rate at 1% he (the idiot) is looking to help pensioners with their savings (but only in the UK - go figure).....we wont benefit from that - just suffer while our States cowtow to the UK - who said we were Independent!!!! BTW does anyone know whether we still pay through the nose to be 'independent' ??????

i believe we still do.can,t remember the figures though

MANY YEARS AGO IT USED TO BE £30k P.A. BUT BET IT IS WAY HIGHER NOW - WONDER IF I SHOULD WRITE A LETTER TO THE pRESS???? I CAN FEEL ONE COMING ON - sorry not shouting LOL just cannot be bothered to rewrite in lower case!!!!

To be honest, these sorts of comments have never really stopped from loads of presenters, it's just because everyone is under such scrutiny now after higher profile 'boo boo's' that every comment is being pounced upon.

We are all going to dissappear up our own bullet holes soon if we're not careful!

Pity it doesn't cover bad language :x

I'm Sorry But I agree With Clarkson.
If we Wanted a Scottish Person givin us Laws we could Go to Scotland!
not being Mean to the Scot's lol

A Japanese doctor said, 'Medicine in my country is so
advanced that we
can take a kidney out of one man, put it in another, and have him
looking for work in six weeks. '

A German doctor said, 'That's nothing, we can take a lung out of one
person, put it in another, and have him looking for work in four weeks.'

An American doctor said, 'In my country, medicine is so advanced that
we can take half of a heart out of one person, put it in another, and
have them both looking for work in two weeks.'

A British doctor, not to be outdone said, 'You guys are way behind. We took a
man with no brains out of Scotland,
put him in No 10 Downing
Street and now half the country is looking for work.

.

:PMSL:

:PMSL: @ x360....