Tories suspend members over Islamophobia

Conservative Party members have been suspended ahead of a probe into islamophobic posts online.

More than 20 new cases were highlighted to the party, which said all those who shared or supported anti-Muslim posts on social media and were found to be tory members were suspended immediately.

However, party officials would not reveal the exact number suspended.

Meanwhile former Conservative MeP sajjad Karim told the BBC he had been the subject of conversations with ‘islamophobic content’ between party members – ‘one of whom is in fact a serving minister’. Labour has called for the minister in question to be sacked.

a wider investigation into islamophobia in the party is yet to begin, after initially being suggested by Chancellor sajid Javid during the tory leadership race. the tories say they are still ‘establishing the terms’ of the probe.

energy minister Kwasi Kwarteng said the party moved ‘decisively’ to suspended members. He told radio 4’s today programme: ‘We are trying to get to grips with this problem.’

He said members had been ‘dismissed from the party in a summary way’ when islamophobic material was highlighted by the BBC on thursday night. He added: ‘if there is a cause to expel them, i’m sure they will be expelled.’

the cases had been passed to the BBC by an anonymous twitter user.

a Conservative Party spokesman said: ‘the Conservative Party will never stand by when it comes to prejudice and discrimination of any kind.’ Fourteen tory members were suspended in March over islamophobic Facebook posts.