British TV personality Piers Morgan fired back at critics who claimed he would trade “English people” for curry after he hailed chicken tikka masala as superior and mocked traditional English food.In a post on X, Morgan wrote: “The most comical aspect of all the repulsive twerps spewing their racist bile at me for my chicken tikka masala post is that none of them seem to know the dish was first created in Glasgow and is now Britain’s most popular national dish. I had one last night – delicious!” Morgan said London’s culinary scene has been transformed since the 1950s and 60s and that before mass immigration, food in London was “c**p, unedible.” He claimed that diverse culture coming to Britain from around the world helped revive and improve English cuisine. Right wing social media interpreted Morgan’s words as an insult to traditional British culture. They said that he is favouring foreign customs at the expense of national identity. Far-right influencer Tommy Robinson also reposted an AI-generated deepfake image of Piers Morgan eating curry, with most of it smeared and slobbering on his face. Supporters of Morgan say his comments were true about the reality of cultural mixing. They note that over centuries, Britain has absorbed the heritage of Celts, Normans, Vikings and Romans, and argue that modern immigration simply continues that history of blending different things. The backlash to Morgan’s comments shows a troubling trend on parts of social media, especially X, which has become very toxic recently. Moderation is reduced, and these platforms have become a hotspot for racism and conspiracy-driven content.
