Javid blasts Trevor Noah over Sunak ‘racist backlash’ claim

Former cabinet minister Sajid Javid has said Trevor Noah is "simply wrong" in claiming Rishi Sunak experienced a racist "backlash" after becoming the UK's first British-Asian Prime Minister.

In a video clip he tweeted,The Daily Show presenter and comedian Noah alleged there were people saying "now the Indians are going to take over Great Britain".

But former chancellor and health secretary Mr Javid reshared the clip and wrote: "Simply wrong. A narrative catered to his audience, at a cost of being completely detached from reality.

"Britain is the most successful multiracial democracy on earth and proud of this historic achievement."

Trevor Noah was blasted by Sajid Javid over the racism claims

In Noah's monologue, which was titled "Unpacking the backlash against new UK PM Rishi Sunak", he said: "Watching the story of Rishi Sunak becoming England's first Prime Minister of colour, of Indian descent, of all these things and then seeing the backlash is one of the more telling things about how people view the role that they or their people have played in history.

"And what I mean by that is this, you hear a lot of the people saying 'Oh, they're taking over, now the Indians are going to take over Great Britain and what's next?'

"And I always find myself going 'So what? What are you afraid of?'"

Underneath the video, which has more than 850,000 views, social media users also questioned Noah's comments with some accusing him of "projecting" American views on race on to Britain.

Historian, author and podcaster Tom Holland also responded to Noah's claims, writing: "As ever, the inability of American liberals to understand the world beyond the US in anything but American terms is a thing of wonder.

"The likelihood of the right-wing party in the US choosing a Hindu as its leader is, I would agree, effectively zero."

Mr Sunak was born in Hampshire, south-east England, to Indian migrant parents - a pharmacist mother and a GP father - and is married to Akshata Murty, the daughter of billionaire Indian IT giant Infosys founder NR Narayana Murthy, with whom he has two young daughters Krishna and Anoushka.

Mr Sunak, 42, became the UK's first Hindu PM, the first of Asian heritage and the youngest for more than 200 years.

Last month, South African TV presenter Noah announced he will be stepping down after seven years.