CHANNEL 4 has been forced to offer a grovelling apology for fake smears that Boris Johnson made a racist comment on camera.
Broadcasting bosses claimed the PM said “people of colour” had to be controlled when coming into Britain – but in fact he had said “people of talent”.
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Boris said: “I’m in favour of having people of talent come to this country but I think we should have it democratically controlled.”
But a clip of Mr Johnson making the comments at a rally in Kent – with false subtitles – was posted on the channel’s Twitter account and quickly attracted furious tweets bashing the Tory boss.
GROVELLING APOLOGY
However, Channel 4 chiefs have now made a snivelling apology.
A spokesman said: “Boris Johnson says “people of talent” not “people of colour.”
“Our earlier tweet was a mistake. We misheard and we apologise.”
Cabinet minister Jake Berry accused Channel 4 of publishing an “outrageous smear”.
Our earlier tweet was a mistake. We misheard and we apologise.
Channel 4 spokesperson
A senior Tory source said the blunder was an example of why the party found it “impossible to co-operate with Channel 4 News.”
They said: “They are campaigners in this election – inventing the most damaging things possible to further their campaign against Brexit.
“This sort of thing is why so many media organisations have collapsing audiences.
“We sadly do not expect the senior management at Channel 4 to take this terrible mistake seriously and we expect more of the same.”
However, Lib Dem candidate Chuka Umunna has refused to believe that Mr Johnson did say “talent”.
He tweeted: “Here is the clip so people can decide for themselves. I have listened to it several times and I think it is clear what the Prime Minister said.”
But Tory chair James Cleverly hit back Mr Umunna’s comments.
He said: “He said ‘talent’ and you know it. This dog-whistle tweet really is below you. I thought you were better than this.”
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