MP Suspended by Tories Over Comments About ‘Islamists’

Former Deputy Chairman of the Tory party, Lee Anderson, has been suspended from the party for refusing to apologize for his comments about Sadiq Khan, the Mayor of London. Anderson claimed that “Islamists” had taken control of Khan and London, a statement that Khan described as stoking anti-Muslim hatred. Anderson acknowledged that his comments had put the chief whip and Prime Minister in a difficult position. His suspension from the party effectively expels him from his parliamentary role. The suspension came after Khan criticized the silence from the Prime Minister and his Cabinet. Anderson, who resigned from his deputy chairmanship role in January to oppose the government over the Rwanda vote, expressed understanding for his suspension but vowed to continue supporting the government’s fight against extremism. His comments were criticized by some Tories and the Muslim Council of Britain, which called on the Conservative Party to acknowledge its problem with Islamophobia.