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LBC host shuts down 'racist' caller who says Rishi Sunak 'isn't even British'

Watch: LBC host stunned after caller says Rishi Sunak "isn't even British in most people's opinion"

LBC host Sangita Myska calmly dealt with a caller who suggested Tory leadership contender Rishi Sunak "doesn't love England" and "isn't even British in most people's opinion".

The Conservative party member, a military veteran named Jerry, said Boris Johnson has the support of "80% of members" and that he is the most likely to win a general election.

"Rishi's not gonna win it. Rishi's not even British, in most people's opinion. He's got American allegiance, his family's American. They're Indian businesspeople. He'll go live in America no doubt. He doesn't love England like Boris does," he said.

Myska pointed out that Sunak was born in Southampton General Hospital, studied at Winchester College and was a British citizen.

Father-of-two Jerry said: "Lots of people are, half of al-Qaeda are British citizens. I'm just saying having a British passport doesn't mean you're a true English patriot who loves England.

"Boris loves England, and Rishi Sunak will be decimated if he leads the Tories into the election. I'm just telling you what Tory voters believe. He'll get about 20% of the electorate."

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Rishi Sunak outside his home in London, following the resignation of Liz Truss as Prime Minister. Mr Sunak is believed to have become the first Conservative leadership candidate to secure the backing of 100 MPs, shoring up sufficient support to be on the ballot for Monday's vote. Picture date: Saturday October 22, 2022.
Rishi Sunak outside his home in London, is believed to have become the first Conservative leadership candidate to secure the backing of 100 MPs. (PA)

When asked what it would take for Sunak to "prove" his Britishness to the point where Tory members would vote for him, he said: "I don't doubt he's British don't get me wrong. He doesn't love England. His family, his business, they seem to be globalists, they don't seem to love England."

Myska urged Jerry not to use the term "globalist", saying: "Many of my Jewish listeners will find that incredibly offensive because it has also been used, at times, as a racist put down to the Jewish community."

Asking a question that would have been on many listeners' minds, Myska added: "Is the real problem here, Jerry, that Rishi Sunak is a brown man and you don't trust him at the top of this country?"

The caller, from Lowestoft, replied: "Could you imagine him going to the Scottish nationalists and being the prime minister of the Scottish nationalists? Could you imagine me becoming the prime minister of Pakistan or Saudi Arabia? No.

"These things matter. I'm sorry you don't like it. We're talking about England, right? 85% of the English, yes, are white English people, and they want to see a prime minister who reflects them. I can't just go to India and be the president there can I?"

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From left, Oliver Dowden, Tory leadership contenders Rishi Sunak and Liz Truss with her husband Hugh O'Leary (far right) at the Queen Elizabeth II Centre in London as it was announced Liz Truss is the new Conservative party leader, and will become the next Prime Minister. Picture date: Monday September 5, 2022.
Sunak, who was born and raised in Britain, came second to Liz Truss in the last Tory leadership contest, which ended in September. (PA)

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He then told Myska she had "completely twisted" what he was saying when she suggested he only thinks people can be English if they're white and that Tory members won't vote for Sunak because of the colour of his skin.

"I think you're losing this argument, Jerry, I think you are fundamentally a racist and it's absolutely fascinating to me to hear that you and other Tory Party members think like this," the host replied.

Sunak is believed to have enough nominations to make it to the parliamentary stage of the Tory leadership contest next week.

He is expected to go up against Boris Johnson, many of whose supporters believe Sunak was responsible for taking him down when he was forced resign in July.

Sunak has pledged to remain as a backbench MP if he loses the Tory leadership race, saying “you must be joking”, when asked if he would quit UK politics.

Rather than moving to the US, as Jerry suggested, he said he would dedicate his time to his constituents in Richmond, north Yorkshire.