Johnson criticised as Tories say sorry over discrimination claims
Boris Johnson's controversial comments about burka-wearing women gave the impression the Tories are "insensitive to Muslim communities", according to an independent review into alleged discrimination in the party.
The inquiry found antimuslim sentiment was seen at local association and individual levels but claims of "institutional racism" were not borne out by evidence of the way complaints were handled.
Tory party chairwoman Amanda Milling apologised to "anyone who has been hurt by discriminatory behaviour of others or failed by our system".
One of the issues highlighted by the report was the Prime Minister's 2018 Daily Telegraph column which described Muslim women who wear the burka as looking like "letterboxes" and "bank robbers".
The review, led by Professor Swaran Singh, said the leadership of the Conservative Party "ought to set a good example for appropriate behaviours and language".
The Prime Minister was cleared by a majority on an independent panel over a complaint he broke the party's code of conduct in relation to the article.
Mr Johnson said he was "sorry for any offence taken" over his journalism. The Singh Investigation said several interviewees who spoke to the inquiry considered Mr Johnson's language "discriminatory and unacceptable".
In response to Mr Johnson's assertion he would not make such remarks now, the report
said "using measured and appropriate language should not be a requirement solely for senior people, but ought to be expected throughout the Conservative Party".
The investigation also examined the controversial and unsuccessful mayoral campaign Zac Goldsmith – now Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park – ran in London against Sadiq Khan in 2016, during which he accused his Muslim Labour rival of associating
with extremists. The report said Lord Goldsmith "accepts poor judgment in the way his campaign was conducted but forcefully denies harbouring anti-muslim sentiments or using such sentiments for political advantage".
The report said high-profile cases like Mr Johnson's and Lord Goldsmith's "give the impression to many that the party and its leadership are insensitive to Muslim communities".
Prof Singh said: "I'm not saying that the party leadership is insensitive to Muslim communities. I'm saying that the perception is very strong."
The inquiry carried out by Prof Singh, a former commissioner at the Equality and Human Rights Commission, was established by the party following a series of allegations about Islamophobic behaviour in the party and was widened to consider all forms of discrimination.
From 2015-2020 the party's central database recorded 1,418 complaints relating to 727 incidents of alleged discrimination. More than twothirds – 496 cases – related to Islam and 74 per cent of all the cases involved social media activity. Around a third – 231 - resulted in a sanction, with 50 per cent resulting in a suspension and 29 per cent in an expulsion from the party.