Controversial British journalist Julie Burchill has book contract terminated over Islamophobic tweets
Controversial British journalist Julie Burchill has book contract terminated over Islamophobic tweets
Controversial writer Julie Burchill was dropped by publisher after 'deplorable' comments to journalist Ash Sarkar on Twitter.
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Julie Burchill is a Sunday Telegraph columnist [Twitter]
A controversial British journalist saw her book contract cancelled after her publisher accused of her of making Islamophobic comments towards a fellow journalist.
Julie Burchill, a Sunday Telegraph columnist, saw the contract for her book 'Welcome to the Woke Trials' cancelled after her publisher Little, Brown said she "crossed a line" in comments Burchill made to journalist and writer Ash Sarkar on Twitter.
Little, Brown said Burchill's comments on Islam were "not defensible from a moral or intellectual standpoint" and they "crossed a line with regard to race and religion".
It added that her book had become "inextricably linked with those views".
On Tuesday, Burchill posted on Facebook that her book contract had been cancelled.
"Reason was 'hate speech' to Ash Sarkar and 'crossing a line' – There was also a concern that the line might be crossed again during the promotion of the book," Burchill said.
Read also: UK press regulator releases new guidelines on reporting about Muslims to 'prevent maligning communities'
Addressing the controversy, Sarkar told The Independent: "I was appalled by Julie Burchill's comments when I first read them, and it was quite upsetting to see that it's not the first time she's made derogatory insinuations about my faith.
"There've been all sorts of hateful comments from others that have followed, and I don't think it's right that ethnic and religious minorities are subject to this kind of abuse just for putting their head above the parapet and offering an opinion."
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