London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Monday, Jun 15, 2026

‘Woke McCarthyism’ or right decision? Telegraph sacks columnist after her ‘racist’ joke about Harry & Meghan’s baby sparked furore

‘Woke McCarthyism’ or right decision? Telegraph sacks columnist after her ‘racist’ joke about Harry & Meghan’s baby sparked furore

Newspaper columnist Julie Burchill has been fired by the Telegraph after facetiously suggesting that Harry and Meghan should have named their new baby after George Floyd. Her sacking reignited debate about cancel culture.

The outspoken writer announced on Tuesday that she was axed by the outlet, without going into details about the circumstances of her departure. Although describing her five-year tenure at the paper as “lovely,” she hinted that the Telegraph had kept her on a short leash.

“I’d be lying if I said that I hadn’t often moaned to my husband recently about them always rejecting my edgy column ideas and giving me more pedestrian ones – which I’ve done splendidly anyway,” she wrote in a Facebook post.

Her sacking came after she was lambasted for a tweet in which she joked that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex should have named their newborn after Floyd, the black man who was killed at the hands of the Minneapolis police last year.

“What a missed opportunity. They could have called it Georgina Floydina!” Burchill wrote, adding: “Oprah Beyonce!” and “I was hoping for Doria Oprah, the racist rotters.” Her Twitter account no longer exists.

The joke appeared to be targeting Harry and Meghan’s vocal support for social justice causes. Many labeled the tweet as inappropriate and racist, while others argued that the couple were unscrupulous attention seekers and that the quip was well-deserved.

Her firing triggered a similar mix of reactions.

“Good! We need to look long and hard at ourselves as a country if public figures think it is OK to be racist towards a baby,” read one reply.


Others described Burchill as a “hateful” person who should be shunned. Several comments welcomed the news but predicted that the columnist would continue to spew her “bile” at a different newspaper.


Some observers saw Burchill’s sacking as an example of ‘woke’ witch hunting.

The Left classify anything that they find offensive as “racist,” one Twitter user remarked.

Others were more explicit with their disapproval.


“Those that believe that denouncing and sacking Julie Burchill, because she made a joke, is acceptable, are gleefully welcoming in a Maoist dawn,” commentator Abi Roberts wrote.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
UK Parliament Opens Week of Fast-Tracked Security and Infrastructure Legislation
Northern Ireland Projects £21 Million Boost From Major Cultural and Sporting Events
UK and Japan Sign Technology Security Pact to Strengthen AI and Supply Chain Cooperation
UK Welcomes US-Iran Peace Breakthrough Aimed at Restoring Strait of Hormuz Shipping
British Forces Intercept Russian Shadow Fleet Oil Tanker in English Channel Sanctions Operation
UK to Ban Social Media for Under-16s Under Landmark Online Safety Expansion
Anti-Immigrant Riots Spread Across Belfast, Raising Security Concerns
Ministry of Defence Opens Europe's Largest Drone Testing Facility in Swindon
Kemi Badenoch Calls for Deregulation to Restore City's Global Competitiveness
UK Housing Market Posts Sharpest June Price Decline in Fourteen Years
NHS Waiting Lists Rise to 7.22 Million as Diagnostic Delays Reach New Highs
Makerfield By-Election Raises Prospect of Labour Leadership Challenge
Bank of England Expected to Hold Interest Rates at 3.75% Despite Growing Policy Divisions
Royal Marines Seize Sanctioned Russian Oil Tanker in English Channel
Prime Minister Keir Starmer Set to Ban Social Media and AI Chatbots for Under-16s
United Kingdom Markets Rally After US-Iran Deal Reopens Strait of Hormuz
Defence Secretary John Healey Resigns Over Military Spending Dispute, Triggering Cabinet Crisis
Royal Navy Takes Part in Trooping the Colour for the First Time in 350 Years
Think Tank Warns Labour's European Union Reset Could Carry Significant Economic Costs
UK Semiconductor Centre and Japan's Rapidus Forge Advanced Chip Manufacturing Partnership
UK and Japan Launch Offshore Wind Compact Backed by £9 Billion in Investment
Starmer and Trump Discuss Iran Peace Efforts and Reopening of the Strait of Hormuz
United Kingdom and Japan Sign £18 Billion Investment Partnership Focused on Clean Energy and Advanced Technology
Barclays Moves to Acquire GoHenry in Bid to Expand Youth-Focused Fintech Services
UK Lupus Patients Show Remission in NHS Genetic Therapy Trial
London Clean Air Zones Linked to Fewer Emergency Hospital Admissions for Respiratory Illness
UK World Cup Scheduling Research Suggests Energy Bill Savings From Off-Peak Usage
UK Economic Anxiety Rises Among Young People Over Long-Term Job Prospects
NHS Expands Meningitis B Vaccination Programme for School Leavers and New Students
London Ultra-Low Emission Zone Linked to Drop in Emergency Respiratory Hospital Admissions
Derbyshire Police Officer Investigated Over Alleged Use of AI-Generated Evidence in Case Files
UK Parents Back Proposed Under-16 Social Media Ban as Online Safety Concerns Grow
Four Palestine Action Activists Jailed Over Sabotage Attack on Israeli-Linked Arms Facility
Barclays to Acquire GoHenry in Push to Expand Digital Banking for Children and Teenagers
UK Government Reaffirms Defence Spending Commitment Amid Cabinet Pressure and Political Disputes
Belfast Unrest Prompts Security Review as Paramilitary Activity Comes Under Renewed Scrutiny
SpaceX IPO Pushes Elon Musk to Become World’s First Trillionaire After Record Valuation Surge
United States and Iran Near Landmark Peace Framework as Negotiations Reach Final Stages
UK Competition Watchdog Investigates Ryanair Family Seating Charges
Imperial College Study Links London Emissions Charges to Lower Hospital Admissions
Scottish First Minister Launches US Trade Initiative Ahead of World Cup Match in Boston
Fifteen Million Workers Gain Expanded Sick Pay Rights Under UK Reforms
British Retail Investors Secure Record Participation in SpaceX Share Offering
Keir Starmer and Micheál Martin Coordinate Response to Northern Ireland Violence
NHS Prepares for Major Disruption as Resident Doctors Announce Four-Day Strike
Bank of England Expected to Hold Rates as Energy Costs Complicate Inflation Outlook
Britain Moves to Ban Under-16s From High-Risk Social Media Platforms and AI Chatbots
UK Economy Contracts as Middle East Conflict Weighs on Growth
Defence Secretary John Healey Resigns Over Military Spending Dispute With Treasury
Prime Minister Keir Starmer Faces Leadership Crisis After Senior Cabinet Resignations
×