Lee Anderson: MP suspended from Tory party over 'Islamists' comments

[muriel_volestrangler]

Former Tory deputy chairman Lee Anderson has been suspended from the party after "refusing to apologise" for comments aimed at Sadiq Khan.

The Conservative Ashfield MP told GB News on Friday "Islamists" had "got control" of the mayor of London.
...
Just over an hour after Mr Khan's criticism, a spokesperson for the Tory party's chief whip Simon Hart said: "Following his refusal to apologise for comments made yesterday, the chief whip has suspended the Conservative whip from Lee Anderson MP."

Speaking on GB News Mr Anderson 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."

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-68392621

Keir Starmer has accused Rishi Sunak of harbouring “extremists in his party” after a prominent MP was suspended for inflammatory comments about the London mayor, and other senior Conservatives faced condemnation over “toxic” rhetoric.
...
While Tory sources initially defended Anderson, action was taken amid a wave of anger from within the party that plunged it into a fresh bout of infighting.

Anderson’s remarks followed soon after an article by former home secretary Suella Braverman in which she stated: “The Islamists, the extremists and the antisemites are in charge.”

Meanwhile, at a rightwing conference in the US, former prime minister Liz Truss remained silent during an interview in which far-right figure Tommy Robinson was described as a “hero”.

https://www.theguardian.com/news/2024/feb/24/starmer-sunak-harbouring-extremists-islamophobia-row-lee-anderson

"Tommy Robinson" (a name he adopted after a football hooligan) is, of course, not just "far-right" (ie Islmaophobic) - he's a criminal, with multiple convictions for violence, fraud, and breaking court rules on what can be reported. He was literally an illegal immigrant in the USA - he used someone else's passport. But since he's a white male and bigot, he's a "hero" at CPAC, whatever his crimes. Like Trump the rapist is.

[Richard_GB]

1. They all need to be suspended

Via the ballot box.

[T_i_B]

2. 30p Lee has now defected to Reform

Now we can just wait to see how long it takes before he falls out with Farage in the same way he fell out with Labour, then the Conservatives.

[LeftishBrit]

3. What a surprise (not)

He and Farage deserve each other.

The shocking part is that the Tories considered him as a suitable person to be deputy chair. Even by the standards of the Tories, that is fairly horrifying.

[T_i_B]

4. There is a risk....

....that "Reform" could end up being seen as the last chance saloon for politicians who've failed elsewhere. It's certainly been the case with that lot in past guises and it's quite blatant with Lee Anderson and Simon Danczuk right now.

Maybe people will finally pick up on this point and figure them out at long last?