Conservative MP suspended for Islamophobic remarks against London Mayor

Former Conservative Party deputy chairman Lee Anderson is banned from parliamentary group after refusing to retract remarks implying that London Mayor Sadiq Khan was influenced by Muslims

The Conservative Party banned former deputy chairman Lee Anderson from the parliamentary group on Saturday, a decision that sparked a heated discussion about political speech in the UK. After Anderson refused to retract remarks implying that London Mayor Sadiq Khan was influenced by Islamists, he was suspended. Many people have condemned these comments, which were made on the right-wing GB News station, calling them racist and anti-Islamic.

The issue stems from Anderson’s claim that Khan, who made history in 2016 as the first Muslim mayor of a Western metropolis, was “got control” by Islamists. After accusing that “He’s actually given our capital city away to his mates,” Anderson has come under fire from a number of sources, including members of his own party.

The event heightens worries about the rise in Islamophobic and anti-Semitic occurrences in the UK, which have been particularly concerning since the divided climate that followed the commencement of the Gaza conflict last October. “Following his refusal to apologise for comments made yesterday, the chief whip has suspended the Conservative whip from Lee Anderson MP,” said Simon Hart, who holds the chief whip role in charge of maintaining discipline within the Conservative Party.

The criticism of Anderson’s remarks was immediate and broad, with senior backbencher Sajid Javid, Tory Lord Gavin Barwell, and Conservative business minister Nus Ghani all denouncing them. “Disgusting” and “extremist,” was how the Muslim Council of Britain put it.

Although he understood the awkward situation his remarks had put the party leadership in, Anderson, who will now serve as an independent legislator, did not apologize. He emphasized his continuous commitment to criticizing extremism while expressing understanding of the decision to ban him.

The incident has also tarnished the reputation of Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, who has been under fire from Labour leader Keir Starmer and Mayor Khan for his lack of response. As for Sunak’s choice to nominate Anderson as deputy chairman, Starmer criticized it as a poor move and Khan denounced the Conservative leader’s silence as suggesting acceptance of racism.

Source: AFP