JUSTICE Secretary Humza Yousaf has implied that race may be the reason why Boris Johnson has been silent on Joe Biden's removal of a Winston Churchill bust from his presidential office, despite having attacked Barack Obama when he did the same.

In 2016, commenting in the Sun newspaper on Obama’s decision to remove the bust of the wartime prime minister, Johnson highlighted how it may be viewed as "a snub to Britain”.

He added: “Some said it was a symbol of the part-Kenyan president’s ancestral dislike of the British empire – of which Churchill had been such a fervent defender.”

Johnson was later asked if he regretted the phrasing of his comments, to which he replied: “Of course not.”

The now Prime Minister’s highlighting of Obama’s “part-Kenyan” heritage is reportedly one of the reasons that Vice-President Kamala Harris “hates” him. Following the US election in November, a source close to the winners told the Sunday Times: “If you think Joe hates him, you should hear Kamala.”

READ MORE: Joe Biden removes Winston Churchill bust while redecorating Oval Office

Asked about Biden’s decision to remove the bust and replace it with one of Cesar Chavez, the Prime Minister’s spokesperson said: “The Oval Office is the President’s private office and it’s up to the President to decorate it as sees fit.

"We have a continuing close special relationship with the US and the Prime Minister looks forward to continuing that."

Asked why Johnson’s reaction to Obama and Biden making the same decision should be so different, the spokesperson was unable to say.

However, Scottish Justice Secretary Humza Yousaf said that he had a possible reason for Johnson's differing views.

Sharing the news on Twitter, Yousaf wrote: "In relation to the removal of the Churchill bust from the Oval Office by Biden, No 10 were unable to give a reason as to why Boris gave a different, far more contemptuous response when Obama removed it.

"I can think of one."

He followed it with an emoji of a man with brown skin raising his hand, suggesting the two presidents' race had something to do with Johnson's change of position.

Yousaf is one of only two MSPs from minority backgrounds in the Scottish Parliament. The other is Labour leadership hopeful Anas Sarwar.

There has been speculation that Johnson will struggle to endear himself to the new American administration after Biden called the Prime Minister a “physical and emotional clone” of Donald Trump.

Furthermore, when Johnson tweeted his congratulations upon Biden’s election, Tommy Vietor, a former aide to Obama who also worked alongside Biden, replied: "This shapeshifting creep weighs in.

“We will never forget your racist comments about Obama and slavish devotion to Trump, but neat Instagram graphic."

Other UK politicians have lashed out at Biden for removing the bust, with Nigel Farage claiming it is a "slap in the face to the British and any prospects of good relations".