Whoever becomes the country’s next prime minister, it is certainly not the way to start by backtracking on pledges. This applies to the commitment all the leading candidates made to carry out an independent investigation into the extent of Islamophobia within the ruling Tory party.

Going back on their word even before taking up the reins of power, which both Boris Johnson and Jeremy Hunt have already indicated, can only further alienate community relations.
Each of the leading candidates quickly watered down pledges within days even during the hustings. It appears that the plan may be to include any investigation into a much wider probe and thus bury the rampant Islamophobia in the party.

The Political Spokesman for the Conservative Leader, Theresa May, denied that there were large numbers of Islamophobic members in their party saying there were only “a small number of cases” and that they have taken action against those who were involved in Islamophobia by being expelled from the party. This is despite polling showing that a majority of Conservative Party members believe in the far-right conspiracy theory that parts of the UK are under Sharia Law.

The Muslim News challenged the Spokesman’s assertion given many of those who have been expelled were quietly re-instated and that there were a large number of documented cases of Islamophobia. For example, the Conservative Party has been given over 100 cases of Islamophobic behaviour by Tory members. He answered that those who were re-instated had gone “through some course of action.”

For more than two years, the Tories have been in denial about the extent of the problem, despite the evidence to the contrary. Not only has it denied that there is a huge issue but the Government has even refused to accept a definition of Islamophobia which other parties have accepted.

It seems the Conservative Party and the Government has buried its head in the sand on the anti-Muslim prejudice in its party. It is only concerned about anti-Semitism in the Labour Party.