David Lammy explains why it's never acceptable to use the N-word

9 August 2020, 16:37 | Updated: 9 August 2020, 18:24

David Lammy explains why it is never ok to use the N-word

This is David Lammy's emotional explanation of why it is never acceptable for anyone to use the N-word.

The Director General of the BBC had to issue an apology after a journalist used the N-word in a news report in a live broadcast. It had been eleven days since the journalist made the comments and took for Radio 1Xtra DJ Sideman to resign in protest before the apology was issued.

David took a moment on air to explain why it is never excusable to use the word. He was baffled by people who stand for the Black Lives Matter movement "and then think it's ok for journalists to just flippantly use the N-word."

"It's actually probably the most offensive word in English," he summarised.

David admitted that he was "pleased that the director general has issued an apology, but I am staggered that it has taken days."

He thanked the thousands of people who phoned in to the BBC and complained, insisting that they shouldn't have to listen to such racist language on the national broadcaster.

Even people that use it in music or as a term of endearment, David said, "the time has come to do away with it."

"Don't own it, reject it."

David attacked people who insisted that he was being politically correct in his monologue, stating "there is nothing politically correct about a term that was used to dehumanise, brutalise and minimise grossly, black people for centuries."