Luton MP blasts cabinet minister over 'racist' anti-Chinese joke as hate crimes TREBLE during coronavirus lockdown

Luton North MP Sarah Owen took aim at International Development Secretary Anne-Marie Trevelyan over the jibe - which was shared with a WhatsApp group discussing claims that China is exploiting the Covid-19 pandemic, according to the Sunday Mirror.

The message shows an opened fortune cookie which reads “You not have coronavirus" alongside a caricature of a Chinese face.

Underneath it was the caption: “Just received my Covid-19 rapid test kit from China. Soooooo relieved!”

Ms Owen, who is the first female MP of Chinese descent, sent a screenshot of the leaked message to the Sunday Mirror and said: “This should cost the minister her job. It’s an appalling example of old-fashioned stereotypes.”

Hate crimes against Chinese people have reportedly trebled during the lockdown, with 267 incidents recorded between January and March of this year.

Ms Owen added: “If Anne-Marie Trevelyan doesn’t understand why this sort of humour was left in the 1970s, I would be happy to explain it to her.

“In recent weeks we’ve seen East Asians spat at, beaten up, verbally attacked and had their businesses targeted.”

Ms Trevelyan has been approached for comment by Luton Today.

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