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Despite being suspended by The S*n for his controversial comments over Everton forward Ross Barkley and the city of Liverpool in general, hack journalist Kelvin MacKenzie has switched over to another tabloid The Spectator to continue spouting his vitriol.
In a column published today, he claims support from multiple politicians for his racist and abusive comments made a fortnight ago when he compared Ross Barkley - whose grandfather is Nigerian - to a gorilla in a zoo and also said Barkley was “thick” and deserved to be punched in a Liverpool night club a few weeks ago.
The writer said that Trevor Phillips, chairman of the Equality and Human Rights Commission and whose parents emigrated from the Caribbean before his birth, sent him a text message saying -
“WTF? I have to confess I had no idea Barkley was a brother. Sad to see a great city wallowing in victim status. Unbelievable.”
The suspended MacKenzie then claimed that he had the support of multiple Members of Parliament and that the boycott of The S*n would never work, despite first Liverpool and now Everton banning the publication and it’s staff from both the clubs’ premises.
“A number of MPs shared his view, believing the reaction was comedic, with Andrew Mitchell, the ex-secretary of state for international development, texting: ‘On behalf of all gorillas I’d like to make a complaint.’
“The S*n did not see the joke and suspended my column. The readers didn’t agree and opinion was running 100-1 in my favour, with some threatening a boycott if I didn’t return. Boycott? That would never work, would it?”
MacKenzie has been a hated figure around Merseyside since the Hillsborough disaster when he was the editor of The S*n whose biased and dastardly reporting of the incident claimed Liverpool fans caused the stampede by being drunk and disorderly and shamelessly pickpocketed the dead. A tribunal last year finally brought the case to a full circle by absolving the fans of blame and admonishing the police who were unprepared and then colluded to give damning testimonies of the fans.
His latest comments will not placate the citizens of Liverpool and if anything will torch the remains of the burned bridges he has with Merseyside. The Spectator giving him a mouthpiece to spew his hatred is sure to bring on the ire of many who bemoan the lost ethos of journalism in the tabloid era.
Get lost you despicable man.