French Parliament suspended after black MP is told to ‘Go back to Africa’ by far-Right opponent 

The French parliament was suspended today after a black MP was told to ‘Go back to Africa!’ by a far-Right opponent.

Carlos Martens Bilongo, a 31-year-old from a Congolese background, was asking a question about climate change when he was verbally attacked on Thursday afternoon in the Paris National Assembly.

‘Go back to Africa!’ was heard from the benches of the National Rally – the far-Right party led by Marine Le Pen.

The duty vice-president, the equivalent of the Speaker, immediately asked: ‘Who is the MP who said that phrase? It’s not possible.’

There were chances of ‘Out, out, out!’ by Mr Bilongo’s colleagues, of the left-wing France Insoumis (France Unbowed) party.

Then the culprit was identified as Grégoire de Fournas, the 31-year-old National Rally MP for the Gironde department in south west France.

It follows Ms Le Pen, pictured, who was runner up in presidential election this year, pledging the change the image of her notoriously racist party, which used to be called the National Front

Mr De Fournas immediately tried to explain himself by saying he had been referring to ‘an African boat’ which had difficulty ‘getting back into port’.

It follows Ms Le Pen, who was runner up in presidential election this year, pledging the change the image of her notoriously racist party, which used to be called the National Front.

It was founded by Ms Le Pen’s father, Jean-Marie Le Pen, who is now a convicted racist and Holocaust denier.