Tory minister suggests Lee Anderson could return despite ‘repugnant’ Sadiq Khan rant

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The deputy prime minister has refused to rule out Lee Anderson having the Tory whip restored despite a senior Conservative calling Mr Anderson’s remarks “repugnant”.

Oliver Dowden stated on Sunday that he “certainly would not rule out” the potential for Mr Anderson coming back from his suspension over an anti-Muslim rant on GB News.

But Robert Buckland, the Tory former justice secretary, stated Mr Anderson had “crossed a line” and that his feedback had been “repugnant”.

In an look on GB News, Mr Anderson stated: “I don’t actually believe that the Islamists have got control of our country, but what I do believe is they’ve got control of Khan and they’ve got control of London… He’s actually given our capital city away to his mates.”

A Conservative supply initially backed Mr Anderson, however after intense media stress and the controversial MP’s refusal to apologise, the celebration suspended him. He will now sit as an unbiased MP.

Rishi Sunak has up to now failed to handle Mr Anderson’s feedback or surging Islamophobia throughout Britain, despite talking publicly a couple of rise in “prejudice and antisemitism”.

And on Sunday Mr Dowden stated Mr Anderson, who was deputy Tory chairman till final month, had merely “used the wrong words”.

“I don’t believe that Lee Anderson said those remarks intending to be Islamophobic,” Mr Dowden informed the BBC.

Mr Buckland was amongst a number of senior Tories vital of Mr Anderson’s remarks, telling BBC Radio 4 on Sunday that they had been “racist and repugnant”.

“This man has clearly crossed a line,” Mr Buckland added.

Labour stated it was “concerned” about Mr Dowden’s suggestion that the Tories could give Mr Anderson the whip again.

Shadow paymaster basic Jonathan Ashworth has referred to as on Mr Sunak to verify that no “deal or undertakings” have been provided that will see him sit as a Tory MP once more.

In a letter to the prime minister, he stated: “The elimination of the Conservative whip from Lee Anderson was the right choice after his disgusting racist and Islamophobic remarks aimed on the Mayor of London. Despite the Defence Secretary’s prevarication yesterday morning, it was clear his place was untenable.

“We all have a duty to stand up against the spreading of far-right conspiracy theories that threaten our democracy, our institutions and the fabric of society.

“That’s why I used to be so involved to see your Deputy Prime Minister Oliver Dowden inform GB News this morning that he ‘certainly wouldn’t rule that out’ when requested if Mr Anderson could have the whip returned.

“This extraordinary suggestion comes less than 24 hours after his removal from the Conservative Party and with no apology or retraction having yet been offered. It will inevitably lead to concerns that the withdrawal of the whip was merely a temporary measure taken in response to media criticism, and that the possibility of Mr Anderson being allowed back into the Tory Party is being kept on the table.”

He added: “Can you confirm that no deal or undertakings have been offered to Mr Anderson by you or anyone speaking on behalf of the Conservative Party that would see him have the Tory whip returned?”