https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/ar...im-Tory-Islamophobic-racist-London-mayor.html
Lee Anderson has been suspended by the Conservative party after he refused to apologise for 'Islamophobic, racist' comments where he claimed that London Mayor Sadiq Khan was controlled by 'Islamists'.
A spokesperson for the party's chief whip Simon Hart said the decision had been made following the former Tory deputy chairman's 'refusal to apologise' for the remarks made on Friday.
Pressure had been mounting on Rishi Sunak to take action over the comments from the Ashfield MP, with Mr Khan saying the 'deafening silence' of the Prime Minister and his Cabinet amounted to condoning racism.
A spokesperson for Mr Hart said: 'Following his refusal to apologise for comments made yesterday, the Chief Whip has suspended the Conservative whip from Lee Anderson MP.'
A Conservative source was defending Mr Anderson last night and this morning before he was stripped of party support at around 3pm this afternoon.
This comes after Sadiq Khan hit out against Anderson earlier this afternoon for 'pouring fuel on the fire of anti-Muslim hatred'.
Lee Anderson has been suspended by the Conservative party after he refused to apologise for 'Islamophobic, racist' comments where he claimed that London Mayor Sadiq Khan was controlled by 'Islamists'
Sadiq Khan has hit out against Lee Anderson for 'pouring fuel on the fire of anti-Muslim hatred' after the Tory MP made 'Islamophobic, racist' comments about him
Lee Anderson (pictured) said on GB News last night that Sadiq Khan - the first Muslim Mayor of London - is controlled by Islamists and that he has 'given our capital city away to his mates'
The Mayor criticised Prime Minister Rishi Sunak (pictured) for his 'deafening silence'
Pressure had been mounting on Rishi Sunak to take action over the comments from the Ashfield MP, with Mr Khan (pictured) saying the 'deafening silence' of the Prime Minister and his Cabinet amounted to condoning racism
The ex-deputy Tory chairman said on GB News last night that Khan - the first Muslim Mayor of London - is controlled by Islamists and that he has 'given our capital city away to his mates'.
READ MORE: Labour calls for Lee Anderson to lose Tory party whip for 'racist and Islamophobic' comments after outspoken MP said Sadiq Khan is controlled by Islamists and has 'given our capital city away to his mates'
Mr Anderson said last night: 'I don't actually believe that these 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 and they've got control of Starmer as well.
'Again, this stems with Khan, he's actually given our capital city away to his mates.
'Beware, because if you let Labour in through the back door, expect more of this and expect our cities to be taken over by these lunatics.'
Speaking to Sky News, Mr Khan said the comments from the senior Conservative MP 'pour fuel on the fire of anti-Muslim hatred'.
He added: 'We've seen over the last two days confirmation that over the last few months there had been an increase in anti-Muslim cases by more than 330%.
'I am afraid the deafening silence from Rishi Sunak and from the cabinet is them condoning this racism.
'I am afraid it confirms to many people across the country that there's a hierarchy when it comes to racism.
'I think it's really important to call out antisemitism, it's really important to call out misogyny, it's really important to call out homophobia, but surely it must also be important to call out anti-Muslim hatred.
'My concern is there will be people across the country - people who are Muslim or look like Muslims - who will be really concerned about entering into politics because they know that if these are the comments being made about me by a senior Conservative, what chance do they have?'
Following his suspension, Mr Anderson said: '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.'
He said he was not sure why members of the cabinet were not 'calling this out' and condemning Anderson's words.
This morning, the Defence Secretary said he 'wouldn't phrase things like that', when asked whether Anderson's comments about Sadiq Khan were acceptable - but he stopped short of condemning them.
Lee Anderson has been suspended by the Conservative party after he refused to apologise for 'Islamophobic, racist' comments where he claimed that London Mayor Sadiq Khan was controlled by 'Islamists'.
A spokesperson for the party's chief whip Simon Hart said the decision had been made following the former Tory deputy chairman's 'refusal to apologise' for the remarks made on Friday.
Pressure had been mounting on Rishi Sunak to take action over the comments from the Ashfield MP, with Mr Khan saying the 'deafening silence' of the Prime Minister and his Cabinet amounted to condoning racism.
A spokesperson for Mr Hart said: 'Following his refusal to apologise for comments made yesterday, the Chief Whip has suspended the Conservative whip from Lee Anderson MP.'
A Conservative source was defending Mr Anderson last night and this morning before he was stripped of party support at around 3pm this afternoon.
This comes after Sadiq Khan hit out against Anderson earlier this afternoon for 'pouring fuel on the fire of anti-Muslim hatred'.
Lee Anderson has been suspended by the Conservative party after he refused to apologise for 'Islamophobic, racist' comments where he claimed that London Mayor Sadiq Khan was controlled by 'Islamists'
Sadiq Khan has hit out against Lee Anderson for 'pouring fuel on the fire of anti-Muslim hatred' after the Tory MP made 'Islamophobic, racist' comments about him
Lee Anderson (pictured) said on GB News last night that Sadiq Khan - the first Muslim Mayor of London - is controlled by Islamists and that he has 'given our capital city away to his mates'
The Mayor criticised Prime Minister Rishi Sunak (pictured) for his 'deafening silence'
Pressure had been mounting on Rishi Sunak to take action over the comments from the Ashfield MP, with Mr Khan (pictured) saying the 'deafening silence' of the Prime Minister and his Cabinet amounted to condoning racism
The ex-deputy Tory chairman said on GB News last night that Khan - the first Muslim Mayor of London - is controlled by Islamists and that he has 'given our capital city away to his mates'.
READ MORE: Labour calls for Lee Anderson to lose Tory party whip for 'racist and Islamophobic' comments after outspoken MP said Sadiq Khan is controlled by Islamists and has 'given our capital city away to his mates'
Mr Anderson said last night: 'I don't actually believe that these 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 and they've got control of Starmer as well.
'Again, this stems with Khan, he's actually given our capital city away to his mates.
'Beware, because if you let Labour in through the back door, expect more of this and expect our cities to be taken over by these lunatics.'
Speaking to Sky News, Mr Khan said the comments from the senior Conservative MP 'pour fuel on the fire of anti-Muslim hatred'.
He added: 'We've seen over the last two days confirmation that over the last few months there had been an increase in anti-Muslim cases by more than 330%.
'I am afraid the deafening silence from Rishi Sunak and from the cabinet is them condoning this racism.
'I am afraid it confirms to many people across the country that there's a hierarchy when it comes to racism.
'I think it's really important to call out antisemitism, it's really important to call out misogyny, it's really important to call out homophobia, but surely it must also be important to call out anti-Muslim hatred.
'My concern is there will be people across the country - people who are Muslim or look like Muslims - who will be really concerned about entering into politics because they know that if these are the comments being made about me by a senior Conservative, what chance do they have?'
Following his suspension, Mr Anderson said: '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.'
He said he was not sure why members of the cabinet were not 'calling this out' and condemning Anderson's words.
This morning, the Defence Secretary said he 'wouldn't phrase things like that', when asked whether Anderson's comments about Sadiq Khan were acceptable - but he stopped short of condemning them.
