A professor has claimed that Sir Winston Churchill was a 'clear racist' in a heated debate in which Piers Morgan asked him: 'Why do you live in a country that you loathe?'

Kehinde Andrews clashed with Good Morning Britain presenter Piers as he claimed that Britain was 'built on racism' and that 'everyone involved in it probably has a really racist past'.

The academic, a professor of black studies at Birmingham City University, also compared Britain's war-time Prime Minister to Nazi leader Adolf Hitler for his treatment of Indians when the country endured a famine in 1943.

Mr Andrews's views on Churchill and Britain were disputed by Mr Morgan, who asked him why he had not moved away from the country he 'clearly hates'.

Kehinde Andrews (far right) clashed with presenter Piers as he claimed that Britain was 'built on racism' and that 'everyone involved in it probably has a really racist past'

But Mr Andrews said that British imperialism had 'ruined' many other parts of the world, including the Caribbean and Africa.

The debate comes after retired astronaut Scott Kelly apologised on Twitter following criticism from some users for quoting Churchill in a previous tweet.

On Sunday, Kelly wrote: 'One of the greatest leaders of modern times, Sir Winston Churchill said, "in victory, magnanimity." I guess those days are over.'

Later that day, the American said he would 'educate himself' on Churchill's 'atrocities and racist views' following backlash from the tweet.

But he also came under fire from others who accused Kelly of caving into a Twitter mob, which said Churchill was one of the greatest figures in history.

The debate comes after retired astronaut Scott Kelly (left) apologised on Twitter after he was criticised by some users for quoting Churchill (right) in a previous tweet

James Whale and Kehinde Andrews disagreed over the historical importance of Winston Churchill and his effect on the outcome of World War Two

Describing Churchill's 'imperialist views', Mr Andrews said: 'The historical record here is clear. Even Boris Johnson admitted that Winston Churchill was racist.

'He believed that the white race was superior, that natives didn't have right to their lands in the Americas and that the Indians were a ghastly people.'

When co-host Susanna Reid asked if Churchill should be viewed as a product of his time, Mr Andrews said: 'That was the Jimmy Saville defence, it was "that way back in the day".

'Leo Amery, the secretary of India, said that Churchill's views on India were so extreme he couldn't separate them from Hitler's.

'The truth is Hitler was a great military leader, a product of his time, and if they had won the war we would be having this same discussion now.

Mr Andews, a renowned professor of black studies, said that British imperialism had 'ruined' much of other parts of the world, including the Caribbean and Africa

Mr Andrew's views on Churchill and Britain were disputed by Mr Morgan (pictured), who asked him why he had not moved away from the country he 'clearly hate'

'The fact of the matter is that [Churchill's] views led to three million people starving to death in Bengal as he was more interested in stockpiling rations for war.

'This is the problem that Britain has, the reality is that it's built on racism and everyone involved in it probably has a really racist past.'

Was Churchill racist? Controversial acts of one of Britain's greatest leaders Winston Churchill is regarded as one of the greatest leaders of all time for uniting Britain during the Second World War and playing a pivotal role in defeating the Nazis. But he had racist views that were common in the British Empire during the early 1900s and has been blamed for several controversial episodes in Britain's history. - He took little action when in 1943, India, then still part of the British empire, experienced a famine in which 3million people died. Churchill even appeared to blame Indians for the famine, claiming they 'breed like rabbits'. The famine was sparked by the Japanese occupation of Burma the year before. - In 1937 he said he had no sympathy for Red Indians of America or the black people of Australia, who were enslaved and succeeded by whites. He said: 'I do not admit that a wrong has been done to these people by the fact that a stronger race, a higher-grade race, a more worldly wise race to put it that way, has come in and taken their place.' - Churchill advocated the use of chemical weapons, particularly against the Kurds and Afghans. In a 1919 war memo he wrote: 'I cannot understand this squeamishness about the use of gas. I am strongly in favor of using poisoned gas against uncivilized tribes.' Advertisement

Piers hit back at the academic, claiming that despite Churchill's 'obvious flaws' he played a vital role in defeating Hitler and the spread of Nazism.

If it hadn't been for Winston Churchill I think we probably wouldn't have the stomach to take on Hitler,' added Piers. 'He rallied everyone in this country.

'During the war, I genuinely believe, is that notwithstanding his flaws which aren't in dispute, he evolved as a man and became a wonderful leader of this country.'

Piers then asked Mr Andrews why he remained in Britain, despite being a 'successful man' who has 'enough money to live somewhere else'.

Mr Andrews replied: 'This is the problem with Churchill; colonials and imperialism has ruined other parts of the world.

'Britain's impact has devastated most of the world and Churchill is a big part of that.'

Radio presenter James Whale also spoke in favour of Churchill during the debate, stating that Britain needed 'strong leadership' during war time.

Some modern day critics have attacked Sir Winston Churchill for his colonial views.

Controversial incidents in Churchill's past include the famine in India that killed three million in 1943, the use of mustard gas on the Kurds and Afghans in 1919 and frequent racist statements such as claiming whites were a 'stronger, higher-grade and a more worldly wise'.

However others take a more nuanced view that Churchill was a product of his era, when racist views were widespread and his defining act of defeating the Nazis means he should be admired as one of the greatest figures in history.

Astronaut Scott Kelly removed his tweet quoting Churchill and publicly apologized following a deluge of criticism from Churchill's detractors.

Following his tweet (pictured), Kelly was mercilessly trolled on Twitter by users urging the engineer to educate himself

Kelly eventually apologized (pictured) for quoting Churchill, who was glorified for stopping the Nazis

The astronaut was mercilessly trolled on Twitter by users who said he needed to 'educate himself' on the man who helped win the Second World War.

'Churchill was a mass murderer and a racist, Scott,' one user tweeted.

Who is Dr Kehinde Andrews and what has he said before? Dr Andrews is a professor of black studies in the school of social sciences at Birmingham City University. He has written books over the past five years including 'Back to Black: Retelling Black Radicalism for the 21st Century' and 'Resisting Racism: Race, Inequality and the Black Supplementary School Movement'. He has also written for publications on both sides of the Atlantic including the Guardian, Washington Post and New Statesman. Writing in the latter about 2018's Black History Month, he said: 'If schools want to genuinely engage with black history then they can embed it into their teaching. 'For example, rather than teaching the industrial revolution as a triumph of British engineering alone, teachers should link it to the enslavement and colonisation of Africa, which was essential to British history. 'There is also nothing wrong with teaching the history of the rest of the world, which was just as pivotal to the development of Britain.' And speaking about the wedding of Prince Harry to Meghan Markle in May, he said it was meaningless for Britain's black community in addressing racism in job prospects, the criminal justice system and health disparities. Dr Andrews added: 'When we sit back and actually analyse what's happened and what's changed, we'll realise it means nothing at all.' Advertisement

Kelly eventually caved and tweeted his apology. In it, he wrote: 'Did not mean to offend by quoting Churchill. My apologies. I will go and educate myself further on his atrocities, racist views which I do not support,' Kelly tweeted.

'My point was we need to come together as one nation. We are all Americans. That should transcend partisan politics,' Kelly added.

His apology drew even more criticism from dozens who felt he didn't need to respond.

Twitter users said it was 'disgusting' for Kelly to apologize for quoting Churchill, who 'had the guts to stand firm against the Evil Empire of Hitler'.

'It’s disgusting that you felt the need to apologize,' one user tweeted.

Another tweeted: 'Don’t apologize. Churchill was the right man, in the right job, at the right time in history. The world is a better place because of him.'

'What a disappointing climb-down. Winston Churchill stood up to Adolf Hitler and his courageous leadership saved the whole world from Nazi conquest. When he did so, in 1940 (a year before the US entered the war), only Churchill’s Britain stood in the way of the Axis winning WW2,' another user wrote.

Scholar Christina Sommers replied to Kelly's post saying: 'Please don’t apologize. Winston Churchill, like all of us, had serious human failings. But unlike most of us—he possessed genuine greatness.

'And that greatness may have saved freedom & democracy. Ask the Twitter scolds to name a hero or heroine who didn’t have serious flaws.'

Another wrote: 'You are disgracing yourself here. Please stop bending to the will of deranged online trolls.'