Let’s start at the beginning… a joke, according to my trusty dictionary is:

1.  funny story: a funny story, anecdote, or piece of wordplay that gets passed round and repeated
2.  something funny said or done: anything said or done to make people laugh
dressed up the dog in a hat and sunglasses as a joke
3.  funny event: a funny event or circumstance, or something to laugh at
4.  something inadequate: somebody or something that is laughably inadequate or absurd (slang).

By any of those definitions, this is not a joke.

And, considering the violent xenophobic content of this particular brand of comedy, no it has not been blown out of proportion.

This wasn’t even an isolated incident… it happened twice.

The Asian community are right to be outraged because this backwards immaturity makes people question much more than their sense of humour, it questions their national identity and probably their safety too, in light of the second joke.

But then again there is no Asian community, because to the majority of right thinking people we’re all one society.

Kameron and Imran aren’t the only ones who should be offended. This joke insults everybody in Britain regardless of heritage or skin tone, because it makes us look like a nation of racists.
And people are already proving the point on internet comment boards. On the Daily Mail website, Mike from Dunstable says: “What have things come to in this country?
Sarah N, in London commented: ‘Mark Hendrick said the joke “would be found offensive by sections of the community.” Presumably he meant only Pakistanis – I am white and a Christian and I find it extremely offensive.’
Despite years of work in communities to aid assimilation, introduce social inclusion initiatives and Government and corporate drives to ban racism, one person at a private company has managed to undo all that good work in one fell swoop.

And no I’m not naively saying that racism doesn’t exist and our society is perfect and harmonious, but I am saying that racism is not something we’re famed for as a nation- it’s something a lot of us actively stand up against and join together to counter.

And who else can predict the parliamentary debates and emblazoned Daily Mail headlines that are no doubt on the horizon? Implying this is an accurate reflection of public sentiment and calling for change at the heart of Britain. Who else is also predicting new government legislation to “change how Britain thinks”?

In the light of such debates, I sadly doubt that many people will stop and think that actually no, the automated and (often rubbish) jokes that come from these services are not a reflection of general opinion or deep seeded problems in the fabric of British society. They are exactly what they are: a hideous blunder by an individual in a private company which, as 118 themselves have said “is a disciplinary matter”.

It’s also incomparable to the Englishman, Irishman, Scottishman debate. Kameron was asked by a journalist if he would laugh at or pass on such jokes, but what has that got to do with anything?

The EIS gags are part of our culture, they aren’t violent in nature and do not incite divisions in communities; divisions people have worked hard to overcome.
They don’t call for people to “go home” or suffer violence purely because of their heritage… that is racism.

So no it’s not a laughing matter; it’s an insult to every member of British society regardless of where they or their grandparents came from.

But by the same token, it’s not a gravy train either. Reports say solicitors are already involved in the case and it’s made headline across the country, something which doesn’t go unrewarded financially.

If money is offered and you think it’d help you smile again, that’s your choice. Just remember Kameron, you have nothing to prove.