By Kim Willsher

The French minister for women’s rights has been accused of racism after comparing women who wear the burqa to “negroes” who supported slavery.

Laurence Rossignol said her use of the word was a “slip of the tongue” and admitted she should not have said it but insisted she stood by the point she was trying to make.

Her comments in a radio interview provoked anger on social media, with some calling for her resignation. The comedian Olivier Perrin joked that she had been named director of Donald Trump’s presidential campaign.

A petition was launched on change.org calling for Rossignol to be punished.

“It is with anger and exasperation that we have been once again confronted with the verbal violence of a political leader,” wrote the petition’s organisers. “Asked about the false debate on ‘Islamic fashion’ she came out with scandalous propositions that feed the confusion and stigmatisation of Muslim women and the millions of transported slaves.”

Rossignol was speaking to BFTV over the decision by fashion companies including Marks & Spencer, H&M and Dolce & Gabbana to produce and promote fashion aimed at Muslims such as the “burkini”, as well as abayas and hijabs.