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Rishi Sunak urges MPs not to inflame debate amid Lee Anderson row Lee Anderson refuses to apologise for Islamist claim about Sadiq Khan
(about 2 hours later)
Rishi Sunak has said comments by the ex-Conservative Party deputy chair Lee Anderson were wrong and not acceptable. Ex-Tory party deputy chair Lee Anderson has said his words were clumsy but has refused to apologise for suggesting Sadiq Khan is controlled by Islamists.
On Saturday, Mr Anderson was suspended as a Tory MP after refusing to apologise for saying London Mayor Sadiq Khan was controlled by "Islamists". Mr Anderson was suspended as a Tory MP following his remarks which he says were borne out of frustration at the London mayor's record.
Speaking to BBC Radio York, Mr Sunak denied there were Islamophobic tendencies in his party. Rishi Sunak called the Ashfield MP's comments wrong but avoided saying if he thought they were Islamophobic.
He also said it was "incumbent" on parliamentarians not to inflame debate "in a way that is harmful to others". Keir Starmer said the PM lacked the "backbone" to call out Islamophobia.
The prime minister had been criticised over the weekend by Mr Khan and former Conservative party chair Baroness Sayeeda Warsi for failing to specifically condemn the remarks by Mr Anderson. The Labour leader told reporters: "This is really basic. Islamophobia is something which should be called out by every political leader, and the prime minister isn't calling it out because he's too weak."
Mr Anderson, who now sits as the independent MP for Ashfield, has acknowledged his words were "clumsy" but refused to apologise telling GB News he was "incredibly frustrated" by the "abject failures" of the London mayor. In an Evening Standard article Mr Khan said Mr Anderson had "poured petrol on the fires of hatred".
"When you think you are right you should never apologise because to do so would be a sign of weakness," he said. "It shouldn't be hard to call out comments that are so unambiguously ignorant, prejudiced and racist. Yet those at the top of the Conservative government are stubbornly refusing to do so."
He made the original comments about Mr Khan during a discussion on GB News on Friday saying: "I don't actually believe that the Islamists have got control of our country, but what I do believe is they've got control of Khan and they've got control of London, and they've got control of Starmer as well."
He later added: "People are just turning up in their thousands, and doing anything they want, and they are laughing at our police. This stems with Khan, he's actually given our capital city away to his mates."
Mr Anderson was responding to a Daily Telegraph article by ex-Home Secretary Suella Braverman in which she said: "The truth is that the Islamists, the extremists and the antisemites are in charge now."
Ms Braverman said Islamists had "bullied the Labour Party" over its position on the war in Gaza and had pushed a Conservative MP, Mike Freer, to quit.
Dowden declines to say whether MP's remarks IslamophobicDowden declines to say whether MP's remarks Islamophobic
Khan criticises PM for failing to condemn MP's remarksKhan criticises PM for failing to condemn MP's remarks
Tories suspend MP over 'Islamists' commentsTories suspend MP over 'Islamists' comments
Mr Sunak said Mr Anderson's choice of words "wasn't acceptable, it was wrong, that's why the whip was suspended". The row was sparked by comments Mr Anderson made during a GB News discussion on Friday afternoon.
He also told BBC Radio Humberside "Racism or prejudice of any kind is completely unacceptable, it's not British and we must stamp it out where we see it." Mr Anderson said: "I don't actually believe that the Islamists have got control of our country, but what I do believe is they've got control of Khan and they've got control of London, and they've got control of Starmer as well."
However, Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer accused the prime minister of being "too weak" to call Mr Anderson's comments Islamophobic. He later added: "People are just turning up in their thousands, and doing anything they want, and they are laughing at our police. This stems with Khan, he's actually given our capital city away to his mates."
Earlier in the morning, Mr Sunak's Transport Secretary Mark Harper was asked if Mr Anderson could be readmitted as a Conservative MP if he apologised for his remarks. Mr Anderson had been responding to a Daily Telegraph article by ex-Home Secretary Suella Braverman in which she said: "The truth is that the Islamists, the extremists and the antisemites are in charge now."
He said: "I'm not going to second-guess the future decisions the chief whip might make... a good start would be for Lee to reflect on what he said and to do what he was asked to do which was to retract those comments and to issue an apology. Ms Braverman said Islamists "bullied the Labour Party" over its position on the war in Gaza and that some people on pro-Palestinian marches had links to Islamists.
Speaking to reporters on Monday Mr Sunak said Mr Anderson's choice of words "wasn't acceptable, it was wrong, that's why the whip was suspended".
He said it was "incumbent" on parliamentarians not to inflame debate "in a way that is harmful to others".
The prime minister also denied there were Islamophobic tendencies in his party.
Ex-miner Lee Anderson joined the Conservative Party having previously worked for a Labour MP
Asked if Mr Anderson could be readmitted to the party if he apologised for his comments, Transport Secretary Mark Harper said: "I'm not going to second-guess the future decisions the chief whip might make... a good start would be for Lee to reflect on what he said and to do what he was asked to do which was to retract those comments and to issue an apology.
"It's entirely up to him whether he does that and then we can judge accordingly.""It's entirely up to him whether he does that and then we can judge accordingly."
Mr Anderson has not apologised for what he said but accepted the party had "no option" but to suspend him. In a statement released via GB News - who employ the MP as a broadcaster - Mr Anderson said he would not be saying sorry.
"When you think you are right you should never apologise because to do so would be a sign of weakness.
"My words may have been clumsy but my words were borne out of sheer frustration at what is happening to our beautiful capital city."
Liberal Democrat deputy leader Daisy Cooper urged Mr Sunak to "make clear he [Lee Anderson] won't be let back into the Conservative Party".Liberal Democrat deputy leader Daisy Cooper urged Mr Sunak to "make clear he [Lee Anderson] won't be let back into the Conservative Party".
Ex-miner Lee Anderson joined the Conservative Party having previously worked for a Labour MP 'Hatred'
Labour party chairwoman Anneliese Dodds has urged the Conservatives to adopt a definition of Islamophobia, as drawn up by the All-Party Parliamentary Group on British Muslims.Labour party chairwoman Anneliese Dodds has urged the Conservatives to adopt a definition of Islamophobia, as drawn up by the All-Party Parliamentary Group on British Muslims.
However, Business Secretary Kemi Badenoch said the Conservatives had instead opted to use the term "anti-Muslim hatred" adding that the definition backed by Labour would create "a blasphemy law via the back door".However, Business Secretary Kemi Badenoch said the Conservatives had instead opted to use the term "anti-Muslim hatred" adding that the definition backed by Labour would create "a blasphemy law via the back door".
Baroness Warsi hit back saying "as you are well aware the definition like the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance definition on antisemitism is a non-legally binding working definition, not a 'law'."Baroness Warsi hit back saying "as you are well aware the definition like the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance definition on antisemitism is a non-legally binding working definition, not a 'law'."
She also said the government had "dragged its heels on any work to tackle this form of racism".She also said the government had "dragged its heels on any work to tackle this form of racism".
In 2019, the Conservative Party launched an inquiry into how the party handles discrimination claims, following allegations of Islamophobic behaviour.In 2019, the Conservative Party launched an inquiry into how the party handles discrimination claims, following allegations of Islamophobic behaviour.
The report found evidence of anti-Muslim views at local association and individual level but said claims of "institutional racism" were not borne out by the evidence.The report found evidence of anti-Muslim views at local association and individual level but said claims of "institutional racism" were not borne out by the evidence.
Last year Prof Swaran Singh, who led the inquiry, said the party had been slow to implement some of his recommendations due to "political upheaval".Last year Prof Swaran Singh, who led the inquiry, said the party had been slow to implement some of his recommendations due to "political upheaval".
'No-go areas'
Asked about Mr Anderson's comments on BBC Radio London, Conservative MP - and former minister for London - Paul Scully said concerns that certain places such as Tower Hamlets in London and Sparkhill in Birmingham had become "no-go areas" needed "to be addressed".Asked about Mr Anderson's comments on BBC Radio London, Conservative MP - and former minister for London - Paul Scully said concerns that certain places such as Tower Hamlets in London and Sparkhill in Birmingham had become "no-go areas" needed "to be addressed".
He said: "Lee tends to shoot from the hip. He sometimes goes too far. This is an occasion when he has gone way, way too far."He said: "Lee tends to shoot from the hip. He sometimes goes too far. This is an occasion when he has gone way, way too far."
Birmingham Labour MP Jess Phillips urged Mr Scully to apologise for his comments about Sparkhill which she labelled "utter drivel".Birmingham Labour MP Jess Phillips urged Mr Scully to apologise for his comments about Sparkhill which she labelled "utter drivel".
"My kids hang out in Sparkhill day and night, never had a moment's worry, I go there weekly and live literally five minutes walk from there and used to live there myself.""My kids hang out in Sparkhill day and night, never had a moment's worry, I go there weekly and live literally five minutes walk from there and used to live there myself."
Conservative West Midlands Mayor Andy Street said: "The idea that Birmingham has a 'no-go' zone is news to me, and I suspect the good people of Sparkhill. It really is time for those in Westminster to stop the nonsense slurs and experience the real world."
Related TopicsRelated Topics
IslamophobiaIslamophobia
Lee AndersonLee Anderson
Rishi SunakRishi Sunak