Lee Anderson says it could be a ‘signal of weak spot’ to apologise over racism row
Lee Anderson has insisted he won’t ask for forgiveness for claiming Sadiq Khan is managed by “Islamists”.
The controversial MP has had the Tory whip suspended for making the remarks, which have been condemned as “racist and Islamophobic”.
Cabinet ministers have stated he would have prevented punishment if he had apologised and urged the occasion may nonetheless welcome him again.
But Mr Anderson has stated that he won’t take again his remarks. He advised GB News: “If you are wrong, apologising is not a sign of weakness but a sign of strength. But when you think you are right you should never apologise because to do so would be a sign of weakness.”
Rishi Sunak at this time stated the remarks have been “wrong” and “not acceptable”, however he denied the occasion has Islamophobic tendencies. Speaking to native BBC radio stations throughout a go to to North Yorkshire, he stated: “I think it’s incumbent on all of us, especially those elected to Parliament, not to inflame our debates in a way that’s harmful to others. Lee’s comments weren’t acceptable, they were wrong. And that’s why he had the whip suspended.”
Asked whether his party has an Islamophobia problem, the Prime Minister said: “No, after all it does not.”
In a sequence of TV and radio interviews, Transport Secretary Mark Harper repeatedly declined to say whether or not the feedback have been racist. Instead he urged Mr Anderson may very well be welcomed again by the occasion, telling Sky News: “I hope he’ll mirror on what he stated and he’ll retract these feedback and apologise.” He continued: “He’s contributed a lot in the past. I’d like to see him be able to contribute to the Conservative Party in the future.”
On Tory WhatsApp groups, MPs raised concerns about a backlash to Mr Anderson’s suspensions. Jill Mortimer, the Tory MP for Hartlepool, said a voter had told her in an email the decision was the “final nail in your party’s coffin”. Wrexham MP Sarah Atherton said: “I’ve lodged my concerns due to an instant backlash from members.”
Liberal Democrat Deputy Leader Daisy Cooper said: “The refusal of Rishi Sunak and his ministers to properly call out Lee Anderson’s extreme comments shows just how low the Conservative Party has fallen. Rishi Sunak needs to condemn Anderson’s comments for what they are, Islamophobic and racist, and make clear he won’t be let back into the Conservative Party. Anything less would confirm yet again that Sunak is too weak to control his party let alone govern the country.”
Mr Anderson moonlights as a £100,000-a-year TV presenter on GB News even though he used to rail against those who split their time between the Commons and other work.
The Ashfield MP has a history of saying controversial things. He has repeatedly ranted about struggling Brits relying on foodbanks – and earned the nickname ’30p Lee’ for his claims about the cost of meals.
