Tory minister suggests Lee Anderson could return despite ‘repugnant’ rant about Sadiq Khan

The deputy prime minister has refused to rule out Lee Anderson having the Tory whip restored despite a senior Conservative calling Mr Anderson’s remarks “repugnant”.

Oliver Dowden mentioned on Sunday that he “certainly would not rule out” the opportunity of Mr Anderson getting back from his suspension, which was imposed in response to an anti-Muslim rant on GB News.

But Robert Buckland, the Tory former justice secretary, mentioned Mr Anderson had “crossed a line” and that his feedback have been “repugnant”.

In an look on GB News, Mr Anderson mentioned: “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 [Sadiq] Khan and they’ve got control of London… He’s actually given our capital city away to his mates.”

A Conservative supply initially backed Mr Anderson, however after intense media strain and the controversial MP’s refusal to apologise, the get together suspended him. He will now sit as an unbiased MP.

Rishi Sunak has to date failed to handle Mr Anderson’s feedback, made on Friday, or the surging Islamophobia throughout Britain, despite having spoken publicly about an increase in “prejudice and antisemitism”.

And on Sunday Mr Dowden mentioned Mr Anderson, who was deputy Tory chair till final month, had merely “used the wrong words”.

“I don’t believe that Lee Anderson said those remarks intending to be Islamophobic,” Mr Dowden informed the BBC.

Mr Buckland was amongst a number of senior Tories who have been essential of Mr Anderson’s remarks, telling BBC Radio 4 on Sunday that they have been “racist and repugnant”.

“This man has clearly crossed a line,” Mr Buckland added.

Labour mentioned it was “concerned” about Mr Dowden’s suggestion that the Tories could give Mr Anderson the whip again.

Shadow paymaster normal Jonathan Ashworth has known as on Mr Sunak to substantiate that no “deal or undertakings” have been supplied that might see Mr Anderson sit as a Tory MP once more.

In a letter to the prime minister, Mr Ashworth mentioned: “The removing of the Conservative whip from Lee Anderson was the right determination after his disgusting racist and Islamophobic remarks aimed on the mayor of London.

“I used to be so involved to see your deputy prime minister Oliver Dowden inform GB News this morning that he ‘certainly wouldn’t rule that out’ when requested if Mr Anderson could have the whip returned.

“This extraordinary suggestion comes lower than 24 hours after his removing from the Conservative Party and with no apology or retraction having but been supplied. It will inevitably result in considerations that the withdrawal of the whip was merely a brief measure taken in response to media criticism, and that the opportunity of Mr Anderson being allowed again into the Tory get together is being stored on the desk.”

He added: “Can you confirm that no deal or undertakings have been offered to Mr Anderson by you or anyone speaking on behalf of the Conservative Party that would see him have the Tory whip returned?”

In a press release on Saturday evening, Mr Sunak highlighted “recent” occasions, together with the pro-Palestinian protests which have been held throughout the nation because the 7 October assaults.

“The events of recent weeks are but the latest in an emerging pattern which should not be tolerated,” Mr Sunak mentioned. But Mr Sunak has not but responded to Mr Anderson’s feedback.

Sir Keir Starmer mentioned it was proper that Mr Anderson had been suspended from the get together over his “appalling racist and Islamophobic outburst”. The Labour chief additionally challenged Mr Sunak on the broader matter of Islamophobia within the Conservative Party.

“What does it say about the prime minister’s judgement that he made Lee Anderson deputy chairman of his party?” Sir Keir requested.

He added: “Whether it’s Liz Truss staying silent on Tommy Robinson or Suella Braverman’s excessive rhetoric, Rishi Sunak’s weak point means Tory MPs can act with impunity.

“This isn’t simply embarrassing for the Conservative Party, it emboldens the worst forces in our politics. Rishi Sunak must get a grip and tackle the extremists in his get together.

“The Tories could also be getting increasingly determined because the election approaches, however Rishi Sunak has a duty to cease this slide into ever extra poisonous rhetoric.”

It got here as Mr Khan condemned the “moral rot” of anti-Muslim hatred within the Conservative Party. The London mayor mentioned Mr Anderson’s “belated” suspension confirmed that “Muslims are fair game as far as the Conservative Party is concerned”.

On Sunday the Muslim Council of Britain wrote to the chair of the Conservative Party demanding an investigation into “structural Islamophobia” within the get together.

In a letter to Richard Holden, the organisation mentioned it welcomes the removing of the whip from Mr Anderson, however alleged that Islamophobia “persists” within the get together.

Zara Mohammed, secretary normal of the Muslim Council of Britain, mentioned: “Our view is that the Islamophobia in the [Conservative] Party is institutional, tolerated by the leadership and seen as acceptable by great swathes of the party membership.”

The letter additionally criticised the Conservatives for eradicating the whip from Mr Anderson solely after he had refused to apologise.

It mentioned: “We note that he [Mr Anderson] was only censured for refusing to apologise, not for making the racist remarks in the first place. We also note that the whip was withdrawn only after there was widespread condemnation across the board, while the prime minister and the rest of the cabinet remained silent.”