The former Tory deputy chairman's claim that 'Islamists' had 'got control' of the London mayor has prompted criticism from Labour and some Tories, with Sadiq Khan himself saying they fuelled 'the fire of anti-Muslim hatred'.
Lee Anderson has been suspended from the Conservative Party after making 'Islamophobic' comments. A spokesperson for Simon Hart, the chief whip, said: 'Following his refusal to apologise for comments made yesterday, the chief whip has suspended the Conservative whip from Lee Anderson MP.' Pressure had been mounting on Rishi Sunak to act after the MP for Ashfield said he believed 'Islamists' had 'got control' of Sadiq Khan, the mayor of London.
'Labour is calling on the prime minister to also remove the whip from Liz Truss for her egregious and embarrassing comments about our country on the international stage and if he doesn't then he is not serious about ridding the Conservatives of radical and dangerous views,' she said. Meanwhile, Nigel Farage, told Sky News that Mr Anderson should 'join Reform UK', the party formerly known as the Brexit Party, which Mr Farage is honorary president of.