Nigel Farage says Lee Anderson is welcome to affix Reform UK after suspension

Nigel Farage has mentioned Lee Anderson could be welcome in Reform UK after he was suspended by the Conservative Party.

The MP has been stripped of the Tory whip for claiming Sadiq Khan is managed by Muslim extremists.

Now Mr Farage, who’s Honorary President of Reform UK, has urged he may discover a new residence within the rival occasion, which was initially known as the Brexit Party. “Lee Anderson should join Reform UK,” he advised the Express.

Mr Anderson has beforehand described Reform as “amateurs” and dubbed occasion chief Richard Tice a “pound shop Farage”, however could now be tempted to defect.

Appearing on GB News on Friday night, the Ashfield MP mentioned the London Mayor had “given our capital city away to his mates”. “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,” he added.

Several senior Conservatives have publicly condemned the remarks, together with Tory Minister Nus Ghani who warned they have been “foolish and dangerous”. Sir Sajid Javid, the previous Cabinet minister, mentioned it was a “ridiculous thing to say”, whereas Tory Minister Lord Ahmad mentioned the feedback have been “divisive”.

A spokesman for Government Chief Whip Simon Hart mentioned: “Following his refusal to apologise for feedback made [on Friday], the Chief Whip has suspended the Conservative whip from Lee Anderson MP.” The statement appeared to suggest Mr Anderson would have escaped with just a slap on the wrists if he had agreed to apologise.

Mr Anderson issued a statement to GB News following his suspension. He said: “Following a name with the Chief Whip, I perceive the tough place that I put each he and the Prime Minister in. With regard to my feedback, I totally settle for that they’d no choice however to droop the whip in these circumstances. However, I’ll proceed to assist the Government’s efforts to name out extremism in all its types, be that anti-Semitism or Islamophobia.”

Anneliese Dodds, Labour Party Chair, mentioned: “Lee Anderson’s feedback have been unambiguously Islamophobic, divisive and damaging. It is correct that he has had the whip eliminated, however the suggestion that Lee Anderson would have retained the boldness of the Prime Minister, merely if he apologised, is deeply regarding.

“It’s clear the Prime Minister still needs to do more to tackle extremists in his party, with former Prime Minister Liz Truss and former Home Secretary Suella Braverman nonetheless unashamedly giving voice to hateful commentary and conspiracy theories.”

A spokesman from the Muslim Council of Britain mentioned: “While we welcome Mr Anderson’s suspension, his comments did not occur in a vacuum and is only the tip of an iceberg…. The Conservative Party has an Islamophobia problem. They need to own up to it.”

Mr Anderson will now sit as an impartial MP within the House of Commons after having the Tory whip suspended.

Mr Sunak appointed him as Conservative Deputy Chairman final 12 months, however he stood down from the position final month following a disagreement of the Rwanda plan. The Ashfield MP moonlights as a £100,000-a-year TV presenter on GB News regardless that he used to rail in opposition to those that break up their time between the Commons and different work.

Mr Anderson has a historical past of claiming controversial issues. He has repeatedly ranted about struggling Brits counting on foodbanks – and earned the nickname ’30p Lee’ for his claims about the price of meals.