A SOUTH Essex MP has been slammed for using a “racial slur” while in the House of Commons this week.

Mark Francois, MP for Rayleigh and Wickford, referred to Japanese people as “Japs” during a question in the chamber on Monday.

He asked the question: “Given the defence budget is likely to come under great pressure, why does it take BAE Systems 11 years to build a ship the Japs can build in four?”

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At the time, neither the Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle, nor Defence Secretary Ben Wallace, condemned the use of the term.

However, a Labour MP, Sarah Own, insisted Mr Francois’ “outdated and crass racial slur has fallen well below the bar we should expect”.

The Luton MP said: “Yesterday, during defence oral questions, the member for Rayleigh and Wickford (Mark Francois) said: ‘Why does it take BAE Systems 11 years to build a ship but,’ and I quote, ‘the Japs can do it in four?’

“Mr Speaker, you rightly and regularly remind us to use respectful language in this House, but unfortunately, this outdated and crass racial slur has fallen well below the bar we should expect.”

Sir Lindsay then responded that he recognises “the casual use of racial terms causes upset and should not be used”.

In response to the criticism, Mark Francois, Member of Parliament for Rayleigh and Wickford, said: “I meant absolutely no disrespect or offence to anyone by using the phrase ‘Japs’, during Defence Questions in the House of Commons yesterday.

"I merely used it as an abbreviation for Japanese, as I had, by then, been asking an admittedly rather wordy question, about naval shipbuilding.

"Moreover, in the course of that same question, as the record clearly shows,  I actually complimented the Japanese shipbuilding industry, for building warships much faster than here in Britain.”