Tory MP claims there are religious ‘no-go areas’ in Birmingham and London

Former minister for Paul Scully provoked a fresh Tory racism row yesterday after he claimed there were ‘no-go areas’ in parts of the capital and Birmingham.

The Sutton and Cheam mP prompted outrage with comments branded ‘disgusting’ and ‘Islamophobic’.

Downing Street dismissed mr Scully’s claim and pointed to the ‘value of the very diverse communities and societies’ in the UK.

Andy Street, the Conservative mayor of the West midlands, hit out at ‘nonsense slurs’ and urged politicians based at Westminster to ‘experience the real world’.

It came as the Conservatives continued to battle a racism storm following the suspension of leading ‘red Wall’ mP Lee Anderson, after he claimed London mayor Sadiq Khan was being controlled by ‘Islamists’.

Mr Scully has been among the many critics of mr Anderson, using an interview yesterday to condemn his remarks as ‘wrong-headed’ and ‘inflammatory’. But he said he could see what mr Anderson was ‘trying to drive at’ in his remarks about pro-Palestinian protests.

In a discussion about whether the Conservatives have a problem with Islamophobia, mr Scully told BBC radio London he didn’t like the term due to ‘wider connotations’ and said he preferred to use ‘anti-muslim hatred’.

He went on to suggest that people had ‘concerns about… their neighbourhoods changing in parts of the North’, which he said were being reflected in a ‘really, really clumsy way’.

‘We’ve got to have a sensible use of language so we can have a constructive, adult debate about this,’ mr Scully added. Pressed on his remarks, the mP continued: ‘The point I am trying to make is, if you look at parts of Tower Hamlets, where there are no-go areas. Parts of Birmingham, Sparkhill, there are no-go areas – mainly because of doctrine, mainly because of people abusing in many ways their religion. It’s not the doctrine of Islam to espouse what some of these people are saying. That is the concern that needs to be addressed.’

Mr Scully’s claims provoked fury among local politicians in Birmingham, with mr Street posting on X: ‘The idea that Birmingham has a “no-go” zone is news to me and, I suspect, the good people of Sparkhill.

‘It really is time for those in Westminster to stop the nonsense slurs and experience the real world. I for one am proud to lead the most diverse place in Britain.’

Nicky Brennan, the Labour councillor for Sparkhill, posted on X: ‘I am absolutely disgusted that Tory mP Paul Scully has said parts of Sparkhill has “no-go areas”.

‘There is no place in Sparkhill that has made me feel unsafe. Quite the opposite in fact. It’s a vibrant, welcoming community in Birmingham. These comments are disgusting.’

Miqdaad Versi, spokesman for the muslim Council of Britain, added: ‘This is extremely problematic from Paul Scully. Not realising “no-go zones” are a typical false and Islamophobic trope from the white supremacist and farright fringes, shows the depth of the problem.’

‘We need sensible use of language’