Former Sun editor and BBC podcast presenter David Yelland faced public correction after misidentifying two prominent Black Conservative politicians. Yelland posted on social media platform X about MP Sir James Cleverly's bid to become London mayor, incorrectly referring to him as "Liz Truss' Brexit Chancellor."
In fact, Kwasi Kwarteng held the position of Chancellor under then-Prime Minister Liz Truss during her brief tenure in 2022. Sir James Cleverly, who had recently resigned as the Tories' housing spokesperson, responded to Yelland on X, stating he was "the other black one."
Yelland, who co-presents the BBC Radio 4 podcast "When It Hits The Fan," acknowledged the error as "stupid" but initially resisted calls for a full apology. He maintained that he had confused the job title rather than the individuals, asserting he meant to refer to Cleverly's role as Foreign Secretary under Truss, not Chancellor. He stated, "I corrected and apologised as soon as I saw. My fault, my error."
The incident gained traction when Yelland shared a Daily Mail article about Cleverly's mayoral campaign, where Cleverly criticized Prime Minister Andy Burnham's stance on London. Yelland commented on the perceived "abysmal PR" and "ill-judged messaging."
Social media users, including Reform UK member Chris Rose and Tory peer Lord Jackson of Peterborough, pointed out the factual inaccuracy. Talk TV host Mark Dolan also commented, questioning Yelland's commentary and alluding to a potential racial misidentification. Andrew Neil, a Mail columnist, questioned Yelland's credibility.
Sir James Cleverly, born in London to a white father and a Black mother from Sierra Leone, served as Foreign Secretary for over a year following Truss's 49-day premiership. Kwarteng, also born in London, has parents who emigrated from Ghana. His time as Chancellor was marked by the economic turmoil following the mini-budget in Autumn 2022, which contributed to Truss's government collapse.
