Abu Yusra Chowdhury

On February 24, Lee Anderson, former Conservative Party Deputy Chair, sparked widespread outrage during an appearance on GB News, alleging that “Islamists” had control over London’s Mayor Sadiq Khan and Labour leader Keir Starmer.

Despite the swift withdrawal of the Conservative Party whip from Anderson, senior party leaders refrained from explicitly labelling his comments as Islamophobic or indicative of anti-Muslim sentiment.

The party’s response merely condemned Anderson’s remarks as “wrong,” failing to address the underlying issue of Islamophobia within its ranks. This lack of clarity has drawn criticism, with many questioning the party’s commitment to combating anti-Muslim hatred.

Despite leaving the party after disciplinary action, Anderson is reported to still retain support within the Conservative Party, highlighting the challenges of addressing entrenched attitudes.

A recent poll conducted by Hope Not Hate revealed alarming sentiments among Conservative Party members, with 58% viewing Islam as a threat to British values, while only 18% consider it compatible with the British way of life.

Anderson’s comments are not isolated incidents. Other notable examples include Paul Scully MP’s claim (which he has since retracted) of “no-go” Muslim areas in Birmingham and London, dismissed as baseless by the Conservative Mayor of the West Midlands, Andy Street.

Former Prime Minister Liz Truss’s appearance alongside far-right commentator Steve Bannon and her silence on his praise of far-right activist Tommy Robinson further raised concerns.

Additionally, former Home Secretary Suella Braverman, writing in the Daily Telegraph, and Robert Jenrick, claiming in Parliament, have both echoed tropes about ‘Islamist takeovers’ over the last month, echoing far-right narratives.

Conservative Party donor Sir Paul Marshall’s endorsement of Islamophobic tweets and prospective parliamentary candidate Nick Timothy’s advocacy for discriminatory measures against Muslims underscore a pattern of intolerance within the party.

The Muslim Council of Britain has called on the Conservative Party to address what it terms “structural Islamophobia.”

In a letter to the party chairman, Richar Holden, and the council’s secretary general, Zara Mohammed, highlighted the institutional nature of Islamophobia within the party and urged urgent action to combat hate crimes.

Notably, the Conservative Party stands alone among mainstream parties in its refusal to endorse the All-Party Parliamentary Group on British Muslims’ definition of Islamophobia.

In an interview in the Guardian newspaper, former Muslim cabinet minister Baroness Warsi criticised Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s failure to confront anti-Muslim racism directly, questioning his reluctance to acknowledge the issue.

Last month, it was revealed that the government-appointed anti-Muslim hatred working group (AMHWG) has not met in four years and has not replaced Imam Qari Asim, who was removed as the government’s supposed independent advisor on Islamophobia in 2022.

It is for this reason that many are questioning the government’s announcement this month of committing a total of £117 million for three years towards the protection of mosques, faith schools, and community centres.

As the Conservative Party grapples with accusations of Islamophobia, pressure mounts for substantive action to address systemic discrimination and promote inclusivity within its ranks. However, as the country prepares for the general election in the coming weeks and months, it remains to be seen whether the party will lean into the anti-Muslim prejudices of rank-and-file members to avoid electoral annihilation at the ballot box.

Photo: Tory MPs Lee Anderson, Suella Braverman, Paul Scully and Robert Jenrick have been embroiled in a series of Islamophobic tropes, prompting claims that the government is relying on anti-Muslim biases to avert electoral defeat.
(Credit: David Woolfall/UK Parliament)

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