A petition calling for David Starkey to apologise for “racist” comments he made on Newsnight – during which he claimed that "whites have become blacks" – has gained more than 3,000 signatures.

Historian Starkey was on BBC2’s Newsnight on Friday to discuss the London riots. His claim that the riots were caused by “black culture” infiltrating other parts of society angered many viewers.

“A particular sort of violent, destructive, nihilistic gangster culture has become fashion and the black and white, boy and girl, operate in this language together.

“The whites have become black,” Starkey said.

Watch David Starkey on Newsnight

[View:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S2_6ggJf3ns:450:350]

Now, thousands have signed an online petition demanding that Ofcom punish the BBC and that Starkey apologises for his offensive remarks.

The petition says: "We, the undersigned, call Ofcom to fine the BBC for not challenging the racist comments made by David Starkey.

"We, the undersigned, call for Ofcom to have the BBC and David Starkey make a public apology for the unacceptable and racist statements made by David Starkey on the BBC’s Newsnight."

There was an outcry after Starkey’s Newsnight comments.

BBC business editor Robert Peston tweeted: “David Starkey’s nasty ignorance is best ignored, not worthy of comment or debate – though I fear there will be a media feeding frenzy.”

Piers Morgan posted: “RIP David Starkey’s TV career. And good riddance. Racist idiot.”

In another contentious comment, Starkey also contended that black Labour MP for Tottenham “sounded white”.

“Listen to David Lammy, an archetypal successful black man. If you turn the screen off, so you were listening to him on radio, you would think he was white,” Starkey said.

Lammy has hit back, calling the comments “dangerous and divisive”.

“Inconvenient as it may be for Starkey and the English Defence League, those who engaged in criminal behaviour came from all races,” Lammy said.

Adding yet more fuel to the racism fire, Starkey continued, quoting Enoch Powell:

“‘I think what this week has shown is that profound changes have happened. There has been a profound cultural change. I have just been re-reading Enoch Powell.

“His prophecy was absolutely right in one sense: the Tiber didn’t foam with blood, but flames lambent wrapped around Tottenham, wrapped around Clapham.

“But it wasn’t intercommunal violence; this was where he was completely wrong.”

Twitter has been awash with comments about the David Starkey furore.

“Can we get David Starkey to do some community service to make up for the damage he's caused to British society? Litter picking should do it,” tweeted fleetstreetfox.

“Starkey sick of hearing Jamaican patois at the Ivy,” said thedailymash.

What do you think? Is David Starkey racist?