Assistant Minister Defends Controversial Tweet

Deputy Lindsay Ash has hit back at accusations that he was racist and sexist after tweeting that talk show host Oprah Winfrey looked like footballer Ian Wright dressed as Mrs. Doubtfire.

It related to the interview with Prince Harry and Meghan and was uploaded yesterday, prompting criticism.

This Harry and Megan interview seems to have caused a bit of a furore , what baffles me is why Ian Wright dressed up as Mrs Doubtfire to do it. pic.twitter.com/budI4ewp3F

— LINDSAY ASH (@Getonthelash2) March 8, 2021

Some responses accused him of being reprehensible and inappropriate.

The Assistant Treasury Minister then tweeted again, defending his previous post.

There are those on here who have construed my earlier Tweet as being misogynistic &/or racist ,in my opinion it is neither of these things . It was a mere observation on 2 people's looks .that may be unfunny ,it may be harsh on the 2 involved it is not misogynistic or racist tho

— LINDSAY ASH (@Getonthelash2) March 8, 2021

Among those telling the Deputy to take the post down was Citizen's Advice CEO Malcolm Ferey.

Instead of expending any more energy trying to justify it, perhaps it’s time to just do the decent thing.

Recognise that it was an ill conceived and badly timed joke (if that’s genuinely what it was), then take the post down and
apologise.

Then maybe learn from the experience.

— Malcolm Ferey (@MalcolmFerey) March 8, 2021

They were posted on International Women's Day, but Deputy Ash says he found that criticism 'quite amusing'.

"What bearing did that have on what I said? I think people were throwing that forward as another reason for their outrage if you like, rather than any great reason why that particular tweet was offensive."

The Assistant Minister, a regular Twitter user, told Channel 103 that he said he can accept the criticism if it did upset Ian Wright or Oprah Winfrey, but he didn't think they would take too much notice of what someone in Jersey put on Twitter.

"I believe you have to be yourself, to be honest. If I was putting forward government policy or I was putting something forward on a government website, I wouldn't put jokes on an official government website because it's not the time or the place.

"But on my own private Twitter account, I feel unless I'm putting anything that is really offensive which I don't think that is, I'm entitled to put in light-hearted jokes and comments and I don't think I should be anything other than true to myself on that.

"I know some people feel politicians shouldn't be that and they should be something that they're not to an extent, but I feel you're better just being yourself."