Politicians tend to pledge the earth to get elected. Often it is something infeasible or virtually impossible to do and has, unfortunately, become such an immoral trait in our leadership . However, the unexpected pledge by Tory candidates seeking to replace Theresa May to hold an independent inquiry into the extent of Islamophobia within the Tory rank and file is certainly welcome. Unfortunately, neither the Government nor the Conservative Party have agreed to do so.

All hate crimes are totally unacceptable and have no place in British society. The most pernicious has been Islamophobia but the ruling party has refused to even admit that there is an endemic problem among its own members let alone in much of the media and other influential institutions. The commitment by the leadership candidates to hold an external investigation may have been a spur-of-the-moment decision after being embarrassed by being questioned whether words have consequences.

The Tory candidates, Boris Johnson, Jeremy Hunt, Sajid Javid, Michael Gove and Rory Stewart and the Government and the Conservative Party had all refused to do that. So for the potential leaders of the Party to have agreed to look into the Islamophobia in their party if they are elected as the leader of the Conservative Party, is a welcome move and hope it will be implemented soon.