Rishi Sunak's Party Member Lee Anderson Suspended For 'Islamists' Comments On Sadiq Khan

Lee Anderson, former Tory deputy chairman, has been suspended from the party after comments aimed at Sadiq Khan were made and refused to be apologized for.

The Conservative Ashfield MP was reported to have told GB News on Friday that "Islamists" had "got control" of the mayor of London. In response, Khan described the remarks as "pouring fuel on the fire of anti-Muslim hatred."

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Rishi Sunak's Party Member Lee Anderson Suspended

On Saturday, Anderson's suspension from the Conservative whip was announced by a spokesperson for the Tory party's chief whip Simon Hart, following his refusal to apologize for the comments made. Losing the Conservative whip essentially resulted in Anderson being expelled from his party in Parliament.

Anderson, speaking on GB News, stated, "I don't 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 given our capital city away to his mates."

Pressure then began to mount on Rishi Sunak to take action over the comments from the Ashfield MP after Khan criticized a "deafening silence" from the prime minister and his Cabinet. Until January, Anderson served as one of the deputy chairmen of the Conservative Party, but he resigned so he could rebel against the government over the Rwanda vote, reported BBC.

Reacting to losing the whip on social media, Anderson posted, "Following a call with the chief whip, I understand the difficult position that I have put both he and the prime minister in concerning 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."

Earlier on Saturday afternoon, Khan responded to the comments Anderson first made on GB News, which he described as "Islamophobic, anti-Muslim, and racist." "These comments pour fuel on the fire of anti-Muslim hatred," Khan said, adding that he was "unclear why Rishi Sunak and members of his Cabinet" were not calling out the remarks or condemning the comments.

Anderson's initial remarks prompted criticism from some Tories, including former chancellor Sir Sajid Javid, who said the remarks were "ridiculous." The Muslim Council of Britain (MCB) welcomed Anderson's suspension but claimed it has "only taken place after widespread disgust." A MCB spokesman said, "The Conservative Party has an Islamophobia problem. They need to own up to it," as reported by BBC.