Tory Party must investigate alleged ‘structural Islamophobia’ – Muslim Council

The Conservative Party must launch an investigation into alleged “structural Islamophobia” within its ranks, Britain’s largest Muslim body has said.

The Muslim Council of Britain (MCB) claimed anti-Muslim sentiment in the party was “on public display this week”, following the suspension of MP Lee Anderson and an article written in the Telegraph by Suella Braverman, in which the former home secretary said “the Islamists, the extremists and the antisemites are in charge now”.

Mr Anderson had the Conservative whip withdrawn on Saturday after he refused to apologise for comments made during a Friday night GB News appearance, in which he said “Islamists” had control of London and its mayor, Sadiq Khan.

Mr Khan described the Ashfield MP’s remarks as “pouring fuel on the fire of anti-Muslim hatred”.

Islamophobia

In a letter to Tory Party chairman Richard Holden, MCB secretary general Zara Mohammed called for an investigation to be launched, adding: “Our view is that the Islamophobia in the party is institutional, tolerated by the leadership and seen as acceptable by great swathes of the party membership.

“Leaders – especially those in politics – have the ability to shape the agenda and a narrative, and play a role in Islamophobic hate crime, which has trebled, according to (national project) Tell Mama.

“These issues cannot – and must not – be ignored.”

Tell Mama said there were 2,010 cases of anti-Muslim hate between October 7 2023 and February 7 this year, compared to 600 cases for the same four-month period a year previously.

The project – which monitors anti-Muslim sentiment and abuse – was launched in 2012 and supported by the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities.

Silent

Ms Mohammed said it was significant that Mr Anderson’s suspension came only after he refused to apologise, not following the initial remarks.

She added: “We also note that the whip was withdrawn only after there was widespread condemnation across the board, while the Prime Minister and the rest of the Cabinet remained silent.”

The letter also said Ms Braverman’s Telegraph article played into antisemitic tropes and fell into a “well-trodden Islamophobic path”.

The MCB – which is affiliated with more than 500 mosques, schools, and charitable associations – previously sent a dossier with 300 allegations of Tory Party Islamophobia to the Equalities and Human Rights Commission in 2020.