Support our Nation today - please donate here
News

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

25 Feb 2024 2 minute read
Suella Braverman. Photo Justin Tallis/PA Wire. Lee Anderson, Victoria Jones/PA Wire

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Mr Anderson had the Conservative whip withdrawn on Saturday after he refused to apologise for comments made during a Friday night GB News appearance, in which he said “Islamists” had control of London and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She added: “We also note that the whip was withdrawn only after there was widespread condemnation across the board, while the Prime Minister and the rest of the Cabinet remained silent.”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.


Support our Nation today

For the price of a cup of coffee a month you can help us create an independent, not-for-profit, national news service for the people of Wales, by the people of Wales.

Subscribe
Notify of
guest
6 Comments
Oldest
Newest Most Voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
Mab Meirion
Mab Meirion
7 months ago

No alleged about it, we have become Modi Ji’s little India, turning history on its head…

Total anti-Islam party, they are disgusting…

Factor in Truss importing Bannon’s American Fascism and under Sunak the UK has sunk to its lowest level yet…

Last edited 7 months ago by Mab Meirion
Mab Meirion
Mab Meirion
7 months ago

That’s a pair of mug-shots…the faces of today’s Nasty Party and tomorrow’s British Nazi Party…

Dai Ponty
Dai Ponty
7 months ago
Reply to  Mab Meirion

TODAYS NAZI PARTY

John Davies
John Davies
7 months ago

The EHRC ONLY regard Labour as fair game for that sort of investigation. As usual, the Tories will get a free pass. They might carry out their own whitewash investigation, but there again they might not.

Jeff
Jeff
7 months ago

Sunak put both these in senior posts, don’t forget that. This is what our UK Tory party is willing to go with until they stink too much. No one called them out on the awful rhetoric. And Truss is off hobnobbing with the US fascists.

Ed Jones
Ed Jones
7 months ago

Imagine voting for either of them, or even employing them after they leave politics…

Our Supporters

All information provided to Nation.Cymru will be handled sensitively and within the boundaries of the Data Protection Act 2018.