Rishi Sunak is “complicit” in the ant-Muslim hatred spread on GB News by Lee Anderson, Sadiq Khan has said.
The prime minister and his cabinet have failed to “call out and condemn” the comments by Mr Anderson, the London mayor told Sky News.
He said: “Racism is racism, I’m unclear why Rishi Sunak and members of his cabinet aren’t calling this out or condemning this.
Sadiq Khan said Rishi Sunak is ‘complicit’ in Mr Anderson’s racism for failing to call out the ex-Tory deputy chairman’s remarks
(PA)
“It’s like they’re complicit in this sort of racism. And I think the message it sends is, Muslims are fair game.”
It came after Mr Anderson, the former deputy chairman of the Conservative Party, said “Islamists” have “got control” of Mr Khan.
In an appearance on GB News, Mr Anderson had said: “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.”
Asked about Mr Anderson’s comments, Mr Khan said: “These comments from a senior Conservative are Islamophobic, are anti Muslim and are racist.
“We’ve seen, over the last two days, confirmation that there’s been an increase in anti-Muslim cases by more than 330 per cent.
“These comments pour fuel on the fire of anti-Muslim hatred, and I’m afraid the deafening silence from Rishi Sunak and from the cabinet is them condoning this racism.
“It confirms so many people across the country that there’s a hierarchy when it comes to racism.”
The PM is also under pressure to remove the whip from his predecessor Liz Truss, who was interviewed by Steve Bannon and remained silent as he hailed far-right figure Tommy Robinson a “hero”.
Ms Truss was slammed by former chancellor Sajid Javid, who said “I’d hope every MP would confront such a statement head on”. “Liz should really know better,” Sir Sajid added. And Labour’s Jonathan Ashworth accused Ms Truss of an “unforgivable lowering of the office of prime minister”.
On Saturday morning, cabinet minister Grant Shapps appeared to distance himself from the comments by Mr Anderson, but defended the controversial backbencher’s right to “speak (his) mind”.
But left-wing Labour MP Dawn Butler, chairman of the London Parliamentary Labour Party, has written alongside fellow London Labour MPs to the prime minister calling for “immediate action” over Mr Anderson’s comments.
Ms Butler said the comments were “Islamaphobic and hateful” and “fuel the flames” of division in society, calling for Mr Anderson to have the Tory whip removed.
The Independent has approached No10 for comment.
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