Arab Press

بالشعب و للشعب
Saturday, May 31, 2025

‘They all look the same to me’: Conservative MP dropped from charity role after alleged racist comment about non-white ministers

‘They all look the same to me’: Conservative MP dropped from charity role after alleged racist comment about non-white ministers

Conservative MP James Gray has been dropped from his role as commander of the St. John Ambulance charity this week after he confused two non-white ministers for each other and then allegedly said that they look the same.
Gray’s remarks were reportedly made at a reception in Parliament last month, but his comments were only reported by media outlets this week, sparking a fresh race controversy.

During the reception, which was reported by the Daily Mail on Monday, Gray allegedly introduced then-Covid-19 vaccine minister Nadhim Zahawi as the UK Health Secretary – a position that is occupied by Zahawi’s colleague Sajid Javid.

Upon being informed that he had mistaken the two ministers for each other, Gray then allegedly told the audience that “they all look the same to me,” before Zahawi had “a private conversation” with the MP, according to the Daily Mail.

Zahawi was born in Iraq before moving to the UK as a child. Javid was born in the UK to Pakistani immigrant parents.

After the alleged incident went public on Monday, Gray was accused of racism, and a Conservative Party spokesperson told the Daily Mail that it does “not tolerate racism or discrimination of any kind.” The party also described Gray’s comment as “misjudged.”

Additionally, Gray was reportedly asked to step down from his position as commander at St. John Ambulance this week, with the charity also saying it does not tolerate racism “in any way, shape or form.”

“We spoke with James Gray following the event about our values as an open, inclusive and progressive charity,” it concluded.

Gray has publicly denied saying the words “they all look the same to me,” and has insisted that he instead said the two ministers “look very alike.”

In a statement, Gray claimed to be “very close friends” with both Zahawi and Javid and argued that “the notion this is some sort of racist remark is ridiculous.”

Neither Javid nor Zahawi have commented on Gray’s alleged comments.
Newsletter

Related Articles

Arab Press
0:00
0:00
Close
Meta and Anduril Collaborate on AI-Driven Military Augmented Reality Systems
EU Central Bank Pushes to Replace US Dollar with Euro as World’s Main Currency
European and Arab Ministers Convene in Madrid to Address Gaza Conflict
Head of Gaza Aid Group Resigns Amid Humanitarian Concerns
U.S. Health Secretary Ends Select COVID-19 Vaccine Recommendations
Trump Warns Putin Is 'Playing with Fire' Amid Escalating Ukraine Conflict
India and Pakistan Engage Trump-Linked Lobbyists to Influence U.S. Policy
U.S. Halts New Student Visa Interviews Amid Enhanced Security Measures
Trump Administration Cancels $100 Million in Federal Contracts with Harvard
SpaceX Starship Test Flight Ends in Failure, Mars Mission Timeline Uncertain
King Charles Affirms Canadian Sovereignty Amid U.S. Statehood Pressure
Iranian Revolutionary Guard Founder Warns Against Trusting Regime in Nuclear Talks
Netanyahu Accuses Starmer of Siding with Hamas
Calls Grow to Resume Syrian Asylum Claims in UK
UAE Offers Free ChatGPT Plus Subscriptions to Citizens
Denmark Increases Retirement Age to 70, Setting a European Precedent
Iranian Director Jafar Panahi Wins Palme d'Or at Cannes
Israeli Airstrike Kills Nine Children of Gaza Doctor
Lebanon Initiates Plan to Disarm Palestinian Factions
Iran and U.S. Make Limited Progress in Nuclear Talks
Trump Administration's Tariff Policies and Dollar Strategy Spark Global Economic Debate
OpenAI Acquires Jony Ive’s Startup for $6.5 Billion to Build a Revolutionary “Third Core Device”
Turkey Weighs Citizens in Public as Erdoğan Launches National Slimming Campaign
UK Suspends Trade Talks with Israel Amid Gaza Offensive
Iran and U.S. Set for Fifth Round of Nuclear Talks Amid Rising Tensions
Russia Expands Military Presence Near Finland Amid Rising Tensions
Indian Scholar Arrested in Crackdown Over Pakistan Conflict Commentary
Israel Eases Gaza Blockade Amid Internal Dispute Over Military Strategy
President Biden’s announcement of advanced prostate cancer sparked public sympathy—but behind closed doors, Democrats are in panic
Mount Lewotobi Laki-Laki Erupts Again, Spewing Ash Cloud over Flores Island
Indian jet shootdown: the all-robot legion behind China’s PL-15E missiles
The Chinese Dragon: The True Winner in the India-Pakistan Clash
Australia's Venomous Creatures Contribute to Life-Saving Antivenom Programme
The Spanish Were Right: Long Working Hours Harm Brain Function
Did Former FBI Director Call for Violence Against Trump? Instagram Post Sparks Uproar
US and UAE Partner to Develop Massive AI Data Center Complex
Apple's $95 Million Siri Settlement: Eligible Users Have Until July 2 to File Claims
US and UAE Reach Preliminary Agreement on Nvidia AI Chip Imports
President Trump and Elon Musk Welcomed by Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim with Cybertruck Convoy
Strong Warning Issued: Do Not Use General Chatbots for Medical, Legal, or Educational Guidance
NVIDIA and Saudi Arabia Launch Strategic Partnership to Establish AI Centers
Trump Meets Syrian President Ahmad al-Shara in Historic Encounter
US and Saudi Arabia Sign Landmark Agreements Across Multiple Sectors
Why Saudi Arabia Rolled Out a Purple Carpet for Donald Trump Instead of Red
Elon Musk Joins Trump Meeting in Saudi Arabia
Trump says it would be 'stupid' not to accept gift of Qatari plane
Quantum Computing Threatens Bitcoin Security
Michael Jordan to Serve as Analyst for NBA Games
Senate Democrats Move to Censure Trump Over Qatar Jet Gift
Hamas Releases Last Living US Hostage from Gaza Amid Ongoing Conflict
×