Sadiq Khan has alleged that Lee Anderson is exacerbating the problem of anti-Muslim sentiment by claiming that Islamists have taken over London and its mayor, when he was previously a deputy chair of the Conservative Party.
The mayor of London condemned Anderson’s remarks as Islamophobic and promoting the idea that Muslims are acceptable targets for racism.
He criticized the prime minister for not denouncing the statements made by his own MP, stating that Rishi Sunak and the cabinet are now involved.
Khan’s comments come after Anderson, the MP for Ashfield, said in a Friday night appearance on GB News that the mayor Khan had “given our capital away” to Islamists, referring to the latter as Khan’s “mates”.
On Saturday morning, Khan replied to Sky News, stating, “These remarks made by a high-ranking member of the Conservative party are discriminatory towards Islam and Muslims, and are also racially motivated.”
He highlighted a recent increase in hate crimes, stating: “These remarks only add to the already burning flames of anti-Muslim animosity.”
I am concerned that the complete absence of response from Rishi Sunak and the cabinet implies their acceptance of this racism.
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I am concerned that this confirms the existence of a hierarchy in terms of racism for many individuals throughout the country.
I am unsure as to why Rishi Sunak and his cabinet members are not addressing or denouncing this issue.
It seems as though they are actively participating in this type of racism. The implication is that it is acceptable to target Muslims with racist and anti-Muslim sentiments.
“In 2024, the current state of affairs in the United Kingdom is not satisfactory.”
Conservative and Labour Members of Parliament have shared their strong disapproval of Anderson’s comments. Sajid Javid, who was previously the chancellor, described them as “absurd”. David Lammy, the shadow foreign secretary, stated that they were “completely unacceptable”.
Earlier, the MCB had urged for Anderson to be expelled from the parliamentary party.
The Muslim Council of Britain (MCB) stated that the comment was “appalling” and condemned the party’s lack of response to such extreme views.
A representative also stated: “During a week when we are made aware of a rise in hate crimes against Muslims, prominent MPs and a donor for the Conservative party are promoting popular arguments that spread conspiracy theories and stereotypes about Muslims supposedly taking over our country.”
Anneliese Dodds, the chair of Labour, sent a letter to Ric Holden, her Conservative counterpart, urging him to address the issue of Islamophobia within the Tory party with decisive and tangible measures.
She stated that Anderson’s remarks were just the beginning and a reflection of a troubling trend of tolerated Islamophobic comments and a failure to address Islamophobia.
She stated, “Lee Anderson’s remarks were clearly discriminatory towards Islam and Rishi Sunak’s decision to not revoke his privileges or take any other measures says a lot…”
Sunak has a decisive decision: exhibit strength and revoke support, or be forever remembered as the Conservative leader who lacked the courage to prevent far-right language within his own party.
The correspondence declares that, despite a investigation into anti-Muslim sentiment within the Conservative party in 2021, the party has not effectively addressed the issue.
On Saturday, Nus Ghani, the business minister, joined in the criticism of Anderson and labeled her remarks as “unwise and risky”.
On X’s post, she mentioned speaking with Lee Anderson and being vocal about Islamic extremism, which resulted in attacks from individuals on the hard left, far right, and Islamists.
I do not believe that Sadiq Khan is under the control of Islamists. To claim otherwise is unwise and risky. Honestly, I am exhausted by this constant discussion.
Gavin Barwell, a member of the Conservative party and former chief of staff to Theresa May, denounced the remark as a “disgraceful insult”.
Neil Garratt, leader of the Conservatives at City Hall, said he had “no shortage of criticisms of Mayor Khan” but added “he is not an Islamist, he is not in the pockets of Islamists, and I completely disagree with anyone who says otherwise”.
David Lammy, the opposition spokesperson for foreign affairs, labeled the remarks as “completely unacceptable” and accused them of fueling animosity during a critical moment for our nation to unite. He inquired of Sunak: “When will you take action to revoke the Conservative party’s membership?”
Sajid Javid, a former Conservative chancellor, was one of the individuals who objected to Anderson’s statement, deeming it as “absurd”.
On Saturday morning, when questioned about the possibility of Anderson being dismissed from the Conservative party, Grant Shapps, the defence secretary, stated that it is ultimately up to the party to decide. He did not comment on whether Anderson effectively represents the Conservative party, but acknowledged that in a democratic society, individuals have the right to express their opinions, and Anderson is known for doing so.
During the past week, ex-prime minister Liz Truss delivered a speech at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in the United States, where she alleged that her attempts to reduce taxes were hindered by the “administrative state and deep state”.
The ex-prime minister participated in a discussion with former Trump advisor Steve Bannon and chose not to speak while he praised the far-right activist Tommy Robinson as a “hero.”
Javid reprimanded her for not confronting the statement, stating: “I would expect every MP to directly address such a remark. Liz should be more aware.”
Jonathan Ashworth, the shadow paymaster general, wrote a letter to Sunak on Friday expressing concern over the “egregious” statements made by Truss and Anderson. He believes these remarks should not be ignored or accepted without question.
The Muslim Council of Britain expressed approval of Anderson’s suspension, but stated that the Conservative party has a problem with Islamophobia and that his comments are just the beginning of a larger issue.
A representative from the Conservative party stated: “After a thorough investigation and an independent review led by Prof Swaran Singh over the course of multiple years, no proof of institutional racism was found within the Conservative party.”
Prior to Khan’s remarks, a representative from the Conservative party stated: “Lee was merely highlighting the fact that the mayor, in his role as PCC for London, has not been successful in controlling the unacceptable Islamist marches that have occurred in London recently.”
Source: theguardian.com
