Quintin Jardine's blog

I see that the Top Gear boys managed to upset the entire Mexican nation on Sunday by commenting unfavourably about their perceived national characteristics. The row has reached diplomatic levels, with  the Mexican ambassador proving that he was not asleep as Jeremy Clarkson suggested, by demanding an apology. Tough luck, Mexico. Why shouldn’t it be your turn? I didn’t see the show, but from what I’ve read, they stopped short of what they might have said, there being no references to murderous drug cartels, corruption at the highest levels of government and eye-watering levels of crime. The BBC’s defence of the terrible trio was that jokes based on national stereotyping are part of British national humour. Not quite; it may be a part of English national humour, but as Scots have been its targets for a couple of centuries, I’d like to dissociate myself from that claim. Unfortunately there is a lot of truth in it. Clarkson, Hammond and May are indeed a trio of irreverent xenophobic twats with no obvious respect for anything or anyone. They also have huge viewing figures and their show sells around the world.