Lidia Thorpe’s father Roy Illingworth calls daughter racist and says power has gone to her head

Controversial independent Senator Lidia Thorpe has received a spray from her own father who slammed her as a ‘very racist person’ in an extraordinary serve. 

Roy Illingworth claimed the Indigenous senator’s power had ‘gone to her head’ in an interview with Sky News Australia’s Andrew Bolt on Thursday, after she ripped into Melbourne strip club patrons at 3am on Sunday, calling them ‘white c***s’ and attacking the size of their genitalia. 

‘The way I see it, the way she is and the way she’s changed over the years, she’s a very racist person,’ Mr Illingworth, who has English-Irish heritage, said.

‘She doesn’t acknowledge any of her white side. I’m a bit disappointed in the way she’s been carrying on lately.

‘Because after all, she does have English background as well as Irish, the convict side of the English.’

He said the power had gone to his daughter’s head after she ripped into Melbourne strip club patrons at 3am on Sunday, calling them ‘white c***s’ and attacking the size of their genitalia 

Ms Thorpe has been widely criticised following the publication of footage of her screaming at a group of men outside Maxine’s Gentlemen’s Club in Melbourne – including by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese who said she should ‘get some help’.

In a statement on Thursday evening, Ms Thorpe said she can’t ‘go out without being harassed by racists’ and said that is an example of the same ‘racism that Blak people deal with every day in this colony’.

‘On Saturday night I was provoked and stood up for myself. Not one person was hurt,’ Ms Thorpe said in a statement.

‘The story should be about the racists brazenly harassing a senator.

‘The story is that I can’t go out without being harassed by racists.’

Mr Albanese suggested Ms Thorpe’s behaviour had ‘obvious issues that need to be dealt with in terms of her health issues.’ 

‘These are not the actions of anyone who should be participating, in society in a normal way, let alone a Senator. 

‘And Lidia needs to be very conscious of the way in which this behaviour has been seen. I hope that she gets some form of support.’

Ms Thorpe responded to the criticism saying she can’t ‘go out without being harassed by racists’ and said that is an example of the same ‘racism that Blak people deal with every day in this colony’

The prime minister urged Senator Lidia Thorpe to ‘get some support’ for ‘health issues’ in the wake of her explosive strip club meltdown 

Ms Thorpe took aim at the Prime Minister’s comments on Thursday saying his comments echo an old racist and misogynistic mindset.

‘Saying I need “mental help” is a continuation on the old racist and misogynistic narrative used to discredit and silence outspoken and strong women,’ the independent Senator said.

While Ms Thorpe claimed she was provoked by the men, Daily Mail Australia exclusively revealed that the rogue senator had been walking up to white patrons of the strip club accusing them of stealing her land earlier in the night.

The strip club meltdown is just the latest in a string of controversial incidents the senator has been involved in recent months, which included her temporarily halting the Mardi Gras parade in a protest against police.

Mr Albanese said it was becoming a ‘repeat exercise’ for the senator.

‘You know, the event at Mardi Gras where she laid in front of a truck, that was actually a truck for Twenty10, a youth service that looks after young gay and lesbian people, a service from my electorate,’ the Prime Minister said.

‘Why someone would lay in front of that truck in order to get attention is beyond my comprehension and I hope that she gets some form of support.’

Daily Mail Australia has contacted Senator Thorpe seeking comment for this story.  

CCTV, obtained by Daily Mail Australia, showed Senator Lidia Thorpe returning for more on multiple occasions, including to film the men (pictured)