Loudmouth Lee Anderson was suspended by the Tories tonight as politicians on each side known as for his expulsion in extraordinary scenes.
Mr Anderson refused to apologise for accusing London Mayor Sadiq Khan of being “controlled by Islamists” in a TV rant. Tories joined Labour in condemning the outburst which led the Conservatives to droop him as their MP for Ashfield, Notts, which means he now sits as an unbiased.
But Labour blasted PM Rishi Sunak and his Cabinet for “a deafening silence” on the difficulty. And Mr Khan mentioned the remarks have been racist and “pour fuel on the fire of anti-Muslim hatred” – which was “being tolerated from top to bottom” of the Tory celebration.
Nus Ghani, the Conservative’s first feminine Muslim MP, slammed his feedback as “foolish and dangerous.” Labour tonight accused the Tories of condoning anti-Muslim hatred after the incendiary remarks by Mr Lee Anderson.
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The MP for Ashfield, Notts, instructed GB News that Sadiq Khan had “given our capital city away to his mates”. He continued: “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”. Mr Anderson added that they’ve “got control of [Labour leader Keir] Starmer as well”.
His outburst on Friday evening got here after pro-Palestinian protests outdoors Parliament throughout a vote on whether or not to name for a ceasefire in Gaza on Wednesday. And his rant adopted a newspaper article by former Home Secretary Suella Braverman, during which she mentioned “the truth is that the Islamists, the extremists and the anti-Semites are in charge now”.
Mr Anderson – who will get £100,000 a yr on high of his MP’s wage as a presenter for GB News – sparked outrage from Tories in addition to Labour. Nus Ghani, a minister and the Conservatives’ first Muslim lady MP, wrote on X: “I don’t for one moment believe that Sadiq Khan is controlled by Islamists. To say so, is both foolish and dangerous.”
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Mr Khan – who has spoken up to now of the psychological trauma he suffers because of the common demise threats he receives as London mayor – mentioned Mr Anderson’s remarks “pour fuel on the fire of anti-Muslim hatred”, and slammed the Tory excessive command for failing to sentence them.
He instructed us: “The silence from Rishi Sunak and the Cabinet and tacit endorsement of these vile remarks via Conservative briefings can’t help but lead to the conclusion that Muslims are fair game as far as the Conservative Party is concerned. Blatant anti-Muslim hatred is being tolerated from top to bottom of the party, with everyone from ministers to mayoral candidates failing to condemn racism.
“Enough is enough – it’s time for the Tories to stop the moral rot that demeans not only their party but our country’s and capital’s proud values of openness, decency, and respect.”
Mr Anderson’s suspension by the Tories means he’ll sit as an unbiased MP whereas the whip is withdrawn. Voters can resolve whether or not they need him to stay as their MP on the subsequent election however Labour need him expelled from the celebration now.
Labour chair Annaliese Dodds instructed us it was appalling the Tories had prompt Mr Anderson might stay as an MP if he apologised. She wrote: “The Prime Minister should be doing everything to rid the Conservatives of these radical and dangerous views. Instead, he seems to be tolerating them. Lee Anderson should have no future in the Conservative Party.”
Nick Lowles, of marketing campaign group Hope Not Hate, added: “These comments are clearly Islamophobic, racist and extreme. Not only are they a lie but they are stoking the flames of the far right and could put the Mayor of London in serious danger.”
In a letter to Tory Chairman Richard Holden, he added: “I urge you to… expel him from the Conservative Party with immediate effect.” Mr Anderson’s rant follows a damning ballot which discovered a 3rd of the general public thinks the Tories have an issue with Islamophobia.
Labour chief Keir Starmer added: “Rishi Sunak needs to get a grip and take on the extremists in his party. The Tories may be getting more and more desperate as the election approaches but Rishi Sunak has a responsibility to stop this slide into ever more toxic rhetoric.” Mr Anderson, 57, who’s from a household of Nottinghamshire miners and was once a Labour councillor, has a popularity for controversial opinions, together with saying the poor have been extra resourceful up to now.
He was dubbed “30p Lee” after claiming individuals could make a every day meal for that quantity from scratch. Mr Sunak made him deputy chairman of the celebration final yr however he stood down final month so he might insurgent in opposition to the Rwanda plan.
He moonlights as a extremely paid GB News host regardless of railing in opposition to those that break up their time between the Commons and different work. Other Conservatives who blasted his TV rant embody ex-Chancellor Sir Sajid Javid who mentioned it was a “ridiculous thing to say”.
The chief of Mr Anderson’s native mosque has additionally expressed outrage. Runu Ahad, 50, who runs the Mansfield Jamee Masjid congregation, instructed us: “The comments are preposterous and I would like to see him step down. Our congregation will be appalled. How on earth can a politician speak in that way unless they have grounds for it?” Yesterday Cabinet minister Grant Shapps mentioned the matter was for “others in the party to decide”.
Last evening Mr Anderson mentioned he accepted the celebration had no choice however to droop him. He added in a publish on X: “However, I will continue to support the Government’s efforts to call out extremism in all its forms – be that antisemitism or Islamophobia.”