Peer criticised for Taoiseach 'typical Indian' racist tweet.

 The BBC reports that

Former senior Ulster Unionist Lord Kilclooney has been criticised for calling Irish prime minister Leo Varadkar a "typical Indian".

He tweeted the comment in response to a news story in which Mr Varadkar was accused of "poor manners" over his visit to Northern Ireland on Monday.

The Irish prime minister's visit to Counties Armagh and Down on Monday is disrespectful of Northern Ireland's constitutional position, a Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) MP has said.

Lagan Valley MP Sir Jeffrey Donaldson said Leo Varadkar's visit was "outside of normal protocol".
He said it showed "poor manners".
However, Mr Varadkar dismissed the claim saying said he informed the Northern Ireland Office about his trip across the border.

"I really just wanted to do something different," the taoiseach (Irish prime minister) said.
"I can assure anyone that I am not an invader, I just want to be a good neighbour.

"I received a very warm welcome in Northern Ireland today,"

Among Mr Varadkar's engagements are visits to Warrenpoint Harbour and to an integrated school in Loughbrickland.

Maybe this was a result of the Northern Ireland Assembly failing to convene and it is the Northern Ireland Office running things and not passing information down.

Whatever there was no excuse for a racist tweet from the Northern Ireland Peer.

Former Ulster Unionist leader Mike Nesbitt tweeted that he could only interpret it as a "racist comment".

Lord Kilclooney told BBC News NI he rejected "false accusations of racism".
He also said that he did not intend to withdraw the tweet.

It is the second time the peer has been criticised over a tweet about Mr Varadkar.

Last November, a tweet in which Lord Kilclooney referred to the Irish prime minister as "the Indian" was described as racist.
He later withdrew the tweet. A complaint to the House of Lords standards commissioner was dismissed.

Of his latest tweet, Lord Kilclooney told the BBC that Mr Varadkar had been 

"most provocative" over the course of the Brexit negotiations and had "misunderstood the views of many unionists".

He added that Mr Varadkar had a "dismal lack of knowledge" about Northern Ireland affairs.
Lord Kilclooney also tweeted that 

It is not racially abusive as he himself has confirmed he is half Indian. That is great and not to be dismissed as the Indians are a great race. However he has damaged North/South relations by being continually offensive and provocative to the Unionist majority in NIreland.

— Lord John Kilclooney (@KilclooneyJohn) April 30, 2018

Alliance Party leader Naomi Long said Lord Kilclooney was "an embarrassment".
She told the BBC that the comment was a "slur on all Indian people with his use of the word typical".
She added that she wants the speaker of the House of Lords to raise the matter with Lord Kilclooney.
Irish senator Niall O Donnghaile, of Sinn Fein, said he would ask the speaker of the Irish senate to contact the speaker of the House of Lords "urging him to take appropriate action regarding yet another offensive tweet from a member of the House of Lords regarding An Taoiseach Leo Varadkar".

If Lord  Kilclooney was hoping for backing from other Unionist figuers heappears to be mistaken

Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) MLA Christopher Stalford tweeted: "I don't know what John Taylor (Lord Kilclooney) thinks he's playing at but he doesn't speak for me. Absolutely ridiculous behaviour."

It is important that Lord  Kilclooney faces discipline over  this if he was an MP then he certainly would face an investigation/


Peers are not special. They are also "Members of Parliament"   and their  unelected role should not diverge us from expecting the same standards as we expect from politicians throughout these Islands who are elected.

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