Yousaf in call for Conservative anti-Muslim review
Humza Yousaf has called on Britain’s Prime Minister Rishi Sunak to establish an independent review of anti-Muslim sentiment in the government of the ruling Conservative Party.
The Scottish First Minister, who is Britain’s most prominent Muslim politician, claimed the Conservatives are “riddled” by the problem after inflammatory comments, including those by MP Lee Anderson, who said Sadiq Khan, the Mayor of London, was being controlled by Islamists.
Mr Anderson was suspended from the party for his comments. Three female MPs are also now being protected by bodyguards following concerns about their safety.
Accusations of Islamophobia have surfaced in the aftermath of a House of Commons debate where Speaker Lindsay Hoyle faced allegations of succumbing to pressure, as the opposition Labour Party insisted on discussing Gaza.
Party leaders warned of potential violence against their MPs if the Speaker did not allow the motion to proceed.
Mr Anderson claimed that “Islamists” had “got hold” of Mr Khan, which followed claims by former home secretary Suella Braverman that Islamists “are in charge now”.
Former prime minister Liz Truss has been criticised by the current Deputy Prime Minister for not challenging former Donald Trump adviser Steve Bannon for describing far-right, anti-Islam campaigner Tommy Robinson, who has a string of criminal convictions, as a “hero”.
Mr Bannon was speaking to Ms Truss during a live broadcast at the Conservative Political Action Conference.
In response, Mr Yousaf said: “The Prime Minister’s response to not just Lee Anderson’s comments but Suella Braverman’s despicable comments has been that he hasn’t shown leadership on this issue.
“I would urge him to allow an external review into Islamophobia in the Conservative Party.
“The Prime Minister has to lead from the front, he’s the Prime Minister, it is his party that is under scrutiny for unacceptable Islamophobia, he should be instructing an externally-led review into Islamophobia within the Conservative Party.”
Labour leader Keir Starmer called on Mr Sunak “to get a grip and take on the extremists in his party”.
Mr Starmer said it was right that Mr Anderson lost the whip after what he called an “appalling racist and Islam
ophobic outburst”. “But what does it say about the Prime Minister’s judgment that he made Lee Anderson deputy chairman of his party?
“Whether it is Liz Truss staying silent on Tommy Robinson or Suella Braverman’s extreme rhetoric, Rishi Sunak’s weakness means Tory MPs can act with impunity.
“This isn’t just embarrassing for the Conservative party, it emboldens the worst forces in our politics.”
Mr Sunak’s official spokesman said Mr Anderson’s “choice of those words were wrong, particularly in the current climate, where tensions are high as at the present”.
“The Prime Minister’s focus is on taking the heat out of this debate, not inflaming it,” said the spokesman.
“We’ve obviously seen an escalation in rhetoric in recent days or weeks and we’ve seen examples of unacceptable behaviour and intimidation. From the Prime Minister’s perspective, it’s very important that people in public life seek to take the heat out of debate, rather than inflame it.
“The Prime Minister has been clear that we don’t tolerate any anti-Muslim hatred in any form, and the government will continue to combat it.”
He added additional funding of £5 million ($6.34 million) available for the protective security at mosques and Muslim faith schools as “we continue to work with communities and policing to ensure the safety of our Muslim communities”.
The Prime Minister himself said in an interview with the BBC that “it’s incumbent on all of us, especially those elected to Parliament, not to inflame our debates in a way that’s harmful to others”.
“Lee’s comments weren’t acceptable, they were wrong.
And that’s why he had the whip suspended.” However, when asked whether his party has an anti-Muslim problem, the Prime Minister said: “No, of course it doesn’t”.
Labour chairwoman Anneliese Dodds condemned Mr Anderson’s remarks as “appalling” and said they were “clearly not to do with who Sadiq Khan is, it was a slur that was directed at him because of Islamophobia”.