Former Conservative minister Robert Jenrick has launched a furious defence against what he terms a 'disgusting smear', after a Labour MP lodged a formal complaint accusing him of invoking historic racist tropes. The controversy stems from an AI-generated video Mr Jenrick shared on social media platform X, depicting Shadow Justice Secretary David Lammy in a clown costume.
The Spark: A 'Calamity Lammy' Post and AI Clown
Last week, Robert Jenrick posted a critique of David Lammy on X, referring to him as 'Calamity Lammy' and focusing on the mistaken release of prisoners and his alleged evasion of questions on the subject. The post was accompanied by a mocked-up video that superimposed Mr Lammy's face onto a clown's body, complete with face paint. This digital alteration of official House of Commons footage quickly drew the ire of Labour MPs, who questioned its propriety and compliance with parliamentary rules.
Uma Kumaran, the MP for Stratford and Bow and co-chair of the Parliamentary Labour Party's BAME group, submitted a formal complaint to the Commons Standards Commissioner, Daniel Greenberg. In her letter, she accused Mr Jenrick of 'drawing on historic racist tropes in a deeply problematic way' by doctoring a video of the first black person to answer Prime Minister's Questions from the government despatch box. She argued that his actions brought the Commons into 'disrepute'.
Jenrick's Blunt Rejection: 'Get a Grip'
When questioned about the complaint during a radio interview on Wednesday, Mr Jenrick responded with defiance. He stated he had never heard of Ms Kumaran before her complaint and labelled the accusation 'completely and utterly ridiculous'. He directly told the MP to 'get a grip', criticising what he saw as misplaced priorities.
'Instead of actually focusing on the real issue here - that prisoners, including sexual offenders, are being released onto our streets who should not be there, posing a danger to the public - they're worried about a video, a graphic on Twitter,' Mr Jenrick told Times Radio. He emphatically denied any racial connotations in his choice of imagery, stating, 'No, none whatsoever. In fact, it's a disgusting smear against me. We can't have a situation where clowns are racist. Is that really what we're saying?'
Parliamentary Fallout and Calls for Decorum
The video prompted significant reaction within the House of Commons, where two Labour MPs raised points of order on Tuesday. Graeme Downie, MP for Dunfermline and Dollar, branded the video 'juvenile and shameful' and revealed he had written to Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle to inquire if it breached the terms and conditions of Parliamentlive.tv, which prohibit altering video or audio recordings.
Another Labour MP, Calvin Bailey of Leyton and Wanstead, also suggested the video violated parliamentary rules on the use of Commons footage. In response, Deputy Speaker Caroline Nokes reminded MPs that the terms for using clips are published online and urged all colleagues to follow the rules. Although it would not be appropriate for me to refer to guidance given to individual Members, I urge all colleagues to follow the rules, she said, adding a call for better judgment in online conduct.
The incident has escalated into a potential standards investigation, placing a spotlight on the use of AI-altered content in political attacks and the boundaries of acceptable debate between MPs.
