The Conservative Party has suspended Lee Anderson, a former deputy chairman, from the party for his refusal to apologize for suggesting that London Mayor Sadiq Khan is influenced by “Islamists“.
The Ashfield Conservative MP and former deputy chairman, Lee Anderson, had his party membership suspended on Saturday evening. This action came after pressure from Labour Party members, including London Mayor Sadiq Khan, and other liberal political and media figures who expressed outrage over Anderson’s comments.
Anderson’s remarks during an interview with GB News on Friday stirred controversy. He stated, “I don’t actually believe that these Islamists have got control of our country, but what I do believe is that they’ve got control of Khan, they’ve got control of London. He’s actually given our capital city away to his mates.”
These comments were made in reference to an article penned by former Home Secretary Suella Braverman, who was dismissed from her position due to her criticisms of anti-Israel protests in London and her disagreements with Prime Minister Rishi Sunak on immigration policies. Braverman argued that “the Islamists, the extremists and the anti-Semites are in charge” of the UK.
In response to Anderson’s remarks, Khan labeled them as “Islamophobic, anti-Muslim, and racist,” asserting that they “pour fuel on the fire of anti-Muslim hatred.”
Anderson was also condemned by fellow Conservative MP, Nus Ghani, a practising Muslim, who said: “I don’t for one moment believe that Sadiq Khan is controlled by Islamists… To say so is both foolish and dangerous. Frankly, this is all so tiring.”
Despite the intense media scrutiny, the Ashfield MP stood firm on his remarks. It was his refusal to retract his statements that led to his suspension from the Conservative Party within the House of Commons.
According to a spokesperson for Tory Chief Whip Simon Hart, as reported by the BBC: “Following his refusal to apologise for comments made yesterday, the Chief Whip has suspended the Conservative whip from Lee Anderson MP.”
Anderson, a former Labour Party councillor who switched to the Tories in 2018 due to Labour’s shift towards the far-left, served as the deputy chairman of the Conservative Party until January. He stepped down, citing the government’s perceived failure to take strong enough action to curb illegal migration during the Rwanda vote.
Following his suspension, Anderson said per GB News: “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.”
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— Breitbart London (@BreitbartLondon) August 9, 2023
