Lord Adonis apologises for ‘poor taste’ Sajid Javid cartoon tweet

Lord Adonis has apologised after he tweeted a cartoon depicting Sajid Javid planning to deport his own parents.



The peer posted a drawing of the new Home Secretary, who is the son of Pakistani immigrants, in his office with a caption, saying: “I just want to settle in, get organised, then deport my parents”.

The tweet was met with scathing criticism on social media, including from Mr Javid who said that Lord Adonis was “better than this”.

Not like you @Andrew_Adonis. You’re better than this https://t.co/kjWo82mwvD — Sajid Javid (@sajidjavid) May 6, 2018

The Home Secretary later responded to a user who suggested they worked with British-Pakistani boys who had become “disengaged from education”, by adding that they should not be “put off by the likes of Andrew Adonis”.

Thank you @SyndiTypo. Please tell them not to be put off by the likes of @Andrew_Adonis. Encourage them to aim high. If you put in the hard work, you can achieve anything - regardless of background- in our great country. pic.twitter.com/6aO6MMkTVR — Sajid Javid (@sajidjavid) May 6, 2018

The rebuke prompted the peer to respond, saying he accepted the original tweet was “too personal and in poor taste”, before deleting it.

Sajid, on reflection I think the cartoon is too personal and in poor taste. I have deleted it. I am sorry. Andrew https://t.co/dJyFfdZRH1 — Andrew Adonis (@Andrew_Adonis) May 6, 2018

The incident comes less than a week after Mr Javid took over the department from Amber Rudd amid a row over deportation targets relating to illegal immigrants and the Windrush scandal.

On his first appearance at the despatch box, the first Asian Home Secretary said he was “personally committed, and invested, in resolving the difficulties faced by the people of the Windrush generation."