Former The Darkness frontman Justin Hawkins has accused the British public of being “either racist or stupid” after picking bubble-gum pop band Scooch over his entry to represent the UK at the Eurovision Song Contest this May.

Justin stormed off the Making Your Mind Up show this weekend after he and singing partner Beverlei Brown, along with hip-hop group Big Brovaz, lost out to Scooch in the public vote.

Justin said this week: “The United Kingdom must be either racist or stupid not to have voted for Big Brovaz or Beverlei Brown.”

“It’s like when multi-award-winning, multimillion-selling Lemar lost to David ‘Three stars at Burger King’ Sneddon in Fame Academy all those years ago. Nothing ever changes.”

“The whole thing whiffed of a stitch-up.”