Jeremy Clarkson claims 'a bit of racism' could ease airport queues

PA

Jeremy Clarkson is no stranger to making controversial comments and now the Top Gear host has risked outrage by suggesting that long queues for border control checks at Heathrow Airport could be solved by 'a bit of racism'.

According to the Daily Telegraph, Clarkson claimed that the long delays at Heathrow's border control were due to immigration officials no longer being allowed to use their discretion to wave certain travellers through.

In his Sun newspaper column, he said: 'Nobody is waved through any more. The result is plain for all to see. There's a two-hour wait.

'And the problem is: the only possible solution is to introduce a bit of racism.

'Nobody likes a racist. Nobody likes prejudice. It has no place at work, at play, or in government. But at Heathrow airport? Hmmm.'

The 52-year-old presenter said that liberal attitudes prevented officials from targeting only 'high risk' passengers.

'You can't get that sort of thing past the bleeding-heart liberals,' he continued.

'They believe that... a hook-handed imam with fire in his heart and hatred in his eyes is just as likely to whip up anti-western sentiment as Joanna Lumley.'

A spokesman from the Public and Commercial Services Union, which represents Border Force staff said: 'Clarkson is an idiot.'

His remarks came after passengers arriving at Heathrow Airport in the past week were suffering lengthy delays of up to three hours at passport control.

On Wednesday figures were released by Heathrow's operator BAA showing that the Border Force at the airport failed to meet its performance targets every day last month.

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