In a sensational development, the UK’s ruling Conservative party has suspended controversial MP Lee Anderson for making racist and Islamophobic comments about London’s first-ever Muslim mayor, Sadiq Khan.
Speaking on the right-wing TV channel, GB News, Anderson had said that ‘Islamists’ had ‘got control’ of the mayor of London. “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… He’s actually given our capital city away to his mates,” he had said.
This had evoked angry reactions both from Khan and the Muslim MPs within the Conservative party.
Khan had termed Anderson’s comments Islamophobic as he accused the Tory MP of ‘pouring fuel on the fire of anti-Muslim hatred.’
Reacting to his suspension, Anderson wrote on social media, “Following a call with the chief whip, I understand the difficult position that I have put both he and the prime minister in with regard to my comments.
“I fully accept that they had no option but to suspend the whip in these circumstances.
“However, I will continue to support the government’s efforts to call out extremism in all its forms – be that anti-Semitism or Islamophobia.”
Anderson is the MP from Ashfield also a former Deputy Chairman of the Conservative Party.