Arts chief branded 'crass moron' after 'comparing Reform voters to Nazi supporters'

The chairman of the Southbank Centre has been branded a "crass moron" after he faced accusations of drawing parallels between Reform UK voters and supporters of the Nazi regime.

Misan Harriman, the Oscar-nominated filmmaker who chairs London's largest arts venue, sparked controversy through an Instagram video posted in response to recent local election results.

In the footage, the photographer described Reform UK's growing electoral success as "a warning" whilst referencing historical discussions about the Third Reich's ascent to power.

The Southbank Centre chairman's remarks have drawn fierce criticism from Jewish organisations and senior political figures, whilst others have rallied to his defence.

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Robert Jenrick, Reform's Treasury spokesman, branded the comparison "disgusting".

He told the Daily Mail: "Comparing the millions who voted Reform on Thursday to the Nazis is disgusting. This crass moron should be nowhere near a taxpayer-funded organisation."

The Instagram clip featured Harriman quoting a conversation between Holocaust survivor Susan Sontag and American novelist Kurt Vonnegut concerning the Nazis' rise during 1930s Germany.

Ms Sontag had observed: "Some 10 per cent of any population is cruel, no matter what, and 10 per cent is merciful, no matter what, and the remaining 80 per cent can be moved in either direction."

Mr Harriman characterised this observation as "really topical" given the recent council election outcomes.

He said: "The surge of Reform is real. It is a surge, and it should be a warning and a rallying call at the same time."

He added that Reform voters were "not devils" but had been influenced by "certain newspapers" and "certain charlatans."

Jewish organisations responded with condemnation of Harriman's remarks.

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Fiona Sharpe from Labour Against Antisemitism demanded his removal from the Southbank Centre.

She said: "Whatever his political views are, to diminish the systematic state-sponsored murder of six million Jews, just for being Jews, in this particular climate in Britain, is abhorrent."

Karen Pollock, chief executive of the Holocaust Educational Trust, expressed shock at the comparison, questioning how election results could ever be likened to "the mechanised state-sponsored murder of six million Jews by Nazis and their collaborators."

Despite the backlash, several prominent figures voiced support for the filmmaker.

Faiza Shaheen, who leads Tax Justice UK, declared her "absolute solidarity with the incredible Misan Harriman."

Mr Harriman maintained his comments had been misrepresented, explaining he had referenced the Ms Sontag-Vonnegut exchange to discuss "human behaviour and how we can build community in the lead-up to the next general election."

The Southbank Centre, which houses the Royal Festival Hall and recently secured £10million from Arts Council England, issued a statement condemning antisemitism whilst noting that individual board members' personal opinions do not represent the institution.

A spokesman said: "The Southbank Centre condemns all forms of anti-Semitism, hatred and discrimination. The personal views of individual members of our board do not represent the views of the Southbank Centre."

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