A LABOUR activist who branded Sajid Javid a "coconut" has claimed he isn't racist – insisting he could just as easily have called him a "turnip head".
Since the 38-year-old was promoted into Amber Rudd's old job on Monday, Javid been blasted by vicious trolls online – including several people claiming to be Labour supporters and activists.
Tariq Mahmood, who describes himself as a freelance campaigner for the Labour party, was among those aiming vile slurs at the new Home Secretary.
A Labour spokesperson confirmed he is not believed to be officially connected to the party, saying: "It is understood that he is not a member of the Labour Party."
Mahmood, 51, branded Javid a "coconut" on social media after his appointment on Monday. But the phrase is regularly used to accuse someone who is non-white of betraying their race by being white 'on the inside'.
When approached by Sun Online in Peterborough yesterday, he said: "I am not a racist and have never been a racist.
"I could have called him a turnip head or an egg head but I referred to him as a 'coconut'.
"It’s an Indian or Pakistani term and has nothing to do with colour, so I don’t know why people are making so much out of it."
Tariq has found himself under fire before after he was jailed for 15 months for his part in a scheme to fabricate votes for the Peterborough City Council elections in June 2004.
He said: "A coconut is a fruit, hollow inside with a hard nut outside. So many people use the word, especially on social media.
“I am bald and I have been called an egg head and a coconut myself.
“I’ve been very surprised in the past 24 hours the way people are trying to bring colour into all this."
Mr Javid yesterday demanded Jeremy Corbyn denounce the vile racist trolls who are abusing him online.
He said they have called him a "p**i", and accused him of not being English.
One even said the Home Office was going to "smell like a curry house soon".
Some of the sick abuse has come from Mr Corbyn's own supporters too.
X-Factor star Steve Brookstein, who is a staunch backer of the Labour boss, said Theresa May was "Getting Uncle Tom Sajid Javid to be her new human shield".
During a debate in the Commons on the Windrush scandal, the new Home Secretary accused Labour of creating a "hostile environment in their own party" and slammed members of the hard left for welcoming his appointment "by calling me a 'coconut' and an 'Uncle Tom'."
He blasted: "If that's something (Mr Corbyn) thinks is wrong, why doesn't he come to the despatch box right now and denounce them?"
Mr Corbyn did not move from his seat, prompting Mr Javid to claim: "I didn't think he'd want to say anything and we know exactly what he thinks about the hostile environment in the Labour Party against people…"
Labour's Shadow Home Secretary Diane Abbott retorted: "I've been online condemning the racist abuse against him.
"I know what racist abuse is."
She also said the comments against Mr Javid were "unacceptable".
Another troll wrote online: "Don't want to know anything about him. 2 P**i's ruling over Brits."
Another said: "They replaced an incompetent female with an incompetent P**i".
One said: "A literal coconut to cover the Conservatives racist build up to the Windrush scandal."
More described him as a "terrorist", and a "Muslim third world sympathiser".
Deputy Chairman of the Conservative Party, James Cleverly slammed the horrific abuse.
He said: "This is outrageous racist abuse that denigrates a man who has worked his way up from a working a class kid from Rochdale to one of the highest offices in Her Majesty’s Government, entirely on merit. Sajid Javid’s success should be celebrated, not slammed.
"The divisive politics of envy is at the heart of Jeremy Corbyn's Labour Party. Since Corbyn became Labour leader, it appears more and more that Labour are willing to turn a blind eye to racism in their party.
"Only the Conservative Party are working to do everything we can to help anybody, whatever your background, to go as far as your talents will take you."
Tory MP Michael Fabricant said the Labour Party now faced a problem with racists.
He said: "Good News: This is not about Labour antisemitism. Bad News: This is now about Labour racism,’ he tweeted. ‘Despicable! What will Corbyn do about it? Apologise?"
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The Met Police told Metro it had received no complaints over any of the messages.
A Labour Party spokesperson said: "Any complaints we receive which relate to Party members are fully investigated and appropriate disciplinarily action is taken in line with our procedures."
It is understood that Tariq Mahmood is not a Labour member, and Jack Johnson was not a Labour councillor.
Mr Javid took over from Ms Rudd on Monday, after the ex-Home Secretary dramatically quit on Sunday night in response to the Windrush scandal.
He said he wanted to tackle the situation head on after he was appointed – and has already planned to slash immigration targets and replace them with a new annual quota, the Sun revealed today.
And top Tories even said his new position could put him in line to be the next Prime Minister.
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