Rishi Sunak says Lee Anderson Islamist comments were wrong but denies Conservative party has ‘Islamophobic tendencies’

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Rishi Sunak has stated offensive comments by former deputy chairman Lee Anderson are ‘wrong’ but has denied the Conservative party has “Islamophobic tendencies”.

Mr Anderson has confronted fierce backlash after he stated ‘Islamists’ had management of London Mayor Sadiq Khan, and was suspended by the party over the weekend.

When requested if the party has an issue with Islamophobia on Monday morning, the prime minister advised the BBC: “Of course it doesn’t.”

He added: “I think it’s incumbent on all of us, especially those elected to Parliament, not to inflame our debates in a way that’s harmful to others. Lee’s comments weren’t acceptable. They were wrong, and that’s why he’s had the whip suspended.”

The former deputy chairman’s comments have obtained condemnation from a number of senior Conservatives. Sir Robert Buckland, former justice secretary, known as Mr Anderson’s comments “repugnant”, whereas former chairwoman below David Cameron, Baroness Warsi stated his comments revealed the “rot at the heart” of the party.

Over the weekend, deputy prime minister Oliver Dowden refused to say whether or not the previous deputy chairman’s comments were Islamophobic and advised BBC One’s Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg that Mr Anderson was not “intending to be Islamophobic”.

Former Conservative MP, Anna Soubry condemned Mr Downden for his refusal to sentence Mr Anderson’s comments. Talking to Sky News, Ms Soubry stated Mr Dowden’s refusal to name the comments Islamophobic was “quite extraordinary”.

“Oliver Dowden, the deputy Prime Minister of our country said if he apologised he would not have lost the whip. I cannot believe the state the Conservative party has got itself into” she added.

The Telegraph has since reported that some Conservative MPs have voiced concerns about the party’s decision to let Mr Anderson go as they said their constitunents have rallied around the former deputy chairman.

Chairwoman of the Labour party Anneliese Dodds said she has written to the Conservative Party chairs seven times over the past three years calling for them to take action against Islamophobia in the party.

“This isn’t something that popped up five minutes ago, it is a continuing concern”, Ms Dodds stated.

She additionally stated that Labour is looking for the federal government to undertake an official definition of Islamophobia.

Ms Dodds stated Lee Anderson’s remarks about Sadiq Khan were “appalling” and were “clearly not to do with who Sadiq Khan is, it was a slur that was directed at him because of Islamophobia”.

The Muslim Council of Britain has written to the chair of the Conservative Party demanding an investigation into “structural Islamophobia” within the party.

In a letter to Richard Holden, the organisation stated it welcomes the removing of the whip from Mr Anderson, but alleged that Islamophobia “persists” within the party.

Zara Mohammed, secretary basic of the Muslim Council of Britain, stated: “Our view is that the Islamophobia in the [Conservative] Party is institutional, tolerated by the leadership and seen as acceptable by great swathes of the party membership.”

The Conservative Muslim Forum additionally launched an announcement condemning the remarks made by Mr Anderson, stating:

“The Conservative Party is a natural home for Muslim voters, we cannot let a few individuals ruin the excellent work carried out by our MPs over the last decade.”