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Ex-MP Fiona Onasanya attacks Kellogg's cereal box 'racism' | |
(about 3 hours later) | |
An ex-MP has questioned breakfast foods giant Kellogg's over its use of a monkey and "white boys" on cereal boxes, suggesting it is racist. | An ex-MP has questioned breakfast foods giant Kellogg's over its use of a monkey and "white boys" on cereal boxes, suggesting it is racist. |
Fiona Onasanya, who was jailed for lying to police about speeding, spoke about her concerns on Twitter. | Fiona Onasanya, who was jailed for lying to police about speeding, spoke about her concerns on Twitter. |
"So I was wondering why Rice Krispies have three white boys representing the brand and Coco Pops have a monkey?", the former Peterborough MP wrote. | "So I was wondering why Rice Krispies have three white boys representing the brand and Coco Pops have a monkey?", the former Peterborough MP wrote. |
Kellogg's said the company "stands in support of the black community". | Kellogg's said the company "stands in support of the black community". |
Ms Onasanya, who was expelled from the Labour Party and lost her seat in Parliament in 2019, wrote on Twitter that she had emailed Kellogg's about her concerns, but had not had a reply. | Ms Onasanya, who was expelled from the Labour Party and lost her seat in Parliament in 2019, wrote on Twitter that she had emailed Kellogg's about her concerns, but had not had a reply. |
Tweeting to @KelloggsUK [which is not the official Twitter feed for the company] she wrote: "... As you are yet to reply to my email - Coco Pops and Rice Krispies have the same composition (except for the fact CP's are brown and chocolate flavoured)... so I was wondering why Rice Krispies have three white boys representing the brand and Coco Pops have a monkey?" | Tweeting to @KelloggsUK [which is not the official Twitter feed for the company] she wrote: "... As you are yet to reply to my email - Coco Pops and Rice Krispies have the same composition (except for the fact CP's are brown and chocolate flavoured)... so I was wondering why Rice Krispies have three white boys representing the brand and Coco Pops have a monkey?" |
Her tweet was widely ridiculed, with a number of people pointing out the "three white boys" were "elves". | Her tweet was widely ridiculed, with a number of people pointing out the "three white boys" were "elves". |
One person tweeted: "Elves lifes matter". | One person tweeted: "Elves lifes matter". |
Another wrote: "I grew up with Coco Pops and Rice Krispies. I never once wondered that. Some of us can tell the real world from the imaginary one." | Another wrote: "I grew up with Coco Pops and Rice Krispies. I never once wondered that. Some of us can tell the real world from the imaginary one." |
However, Ms Onasanya responded on Twitter: "Well, given John Harvey Kellogg co-founded the Race Betterment Foundation (the Foundation's main purpose was to study the cause of and cure for "race degeneracy"), it would be remiss of me not to ask...." | However, Ms Onasanya responded on Twitter: "Well, given John Harvey Kellogg co-founded the Race Betterment Foundation (the Foundation's main purpose was to study the cause of and cure for "race degeneracy"), it would be remiss of me not to ask...." |
Kellogg's pointed out its founder was William Keith Kellogg, "who was a pioneer in employing women in the workplace and reaching across cultural boundaries". | Kellogg's pointed out its founder was William Keith Kellogg, "who was a pioneer in employing women in the workplace and reaching across cultural boundaries". |
In a statement the company said "We do not tolerate discrimination." | In a statement the company said "We do not tolerate discrimination." |
The monkey mascot was created in the 1980s "to highlight the playful personality of the brand", a spokeswoman said, adding it also had "tigers, giraffes, crocodiles, elves and a narwhal" on its cereal boxes. | The monkey mascot was created in the 1980s "to highlight the playful personality of the brand", a spokeswoman said, adding it also had "tigers, giraffes, crocodiles, elves and a narwhal" on its cereal boxes. |
Ms Onasanya was convicted of perverting the course of justice and was jailed for three months in January 2019. | Ms Onasanya was convicted of perverting the course of justice and was jailed for three months in January 2019. |
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