Gordon Brown accidentally insults Muslims

In an interview on ITV1 last Sunday, Gordon Brown was asked about the perks of the job:

Gordon Brown: “There are perks, actually the greatest perk for me is that you’re living in, in a building where you can both work and see your family.”

Piers Morgan: “There must be, I mean, private jets, I mean …”

Gordon Brown: “No you’ve got to, everything’s got to be declared. If you get anything. If someone gives me a present I just hand it back and it’s declared as a gift and I don’t have anything more to do with it.“

Piers Morgan: “You don’t keep any of them?”

Gordon Brown: “No, we don’t keep them, I don’t keep them.”

Piers Morgan: “What’s been the best present you weren’t allowed to keep?”

Gordon Brown: “Er, I think the different governments in the Middle East send huge presents. One actually after a dinner was a full pig that they actually sent, that had been roasted.”

Piers Morgan: “Really?”

Gordon Brown: “And I couldn’t accept it.”

The comments sparked outrage in Arab countries, and the UAE embassy in London clarified that "We did not send a pig; instead we offered something decent that represents our culture and our heritage."

The gift had been a roasted goat.