Conservative Muslim Forum seeks UK government talks over Islamophobia scandal

Britain鈥檚 Prime Minister Rishi Sunak is interviewed following a visit to the Siemens Mobility factory, Goole, East Yorkshire, England, Monday, Feb. 26, 2024. (AP Photo)
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  • CMF deputy chair: 鈥業s the party racist or Islamophobic? I would say no, from my heart. Individuals? Yes鈥�
  • PM fails to call comments by ex-deputy party chair, ex-home secretary Islamophobic聽

LONDON: The Conservative Muslim Forum has said it is seeking to meet with senior government figures as UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and his party continue to battle ongoing allegations of Islamophobia.

It comes after the party鈥檚 former deputy party chair, Lee Anderson, was suspended by the Conservatives for remarks about Mayor of London Sadiq Khan last week, and an article by former Home Secretary Suella Braverman for the Daily Telegraph claimed that 鈥渢he Islamists, the extremists and the antisemites are in charge鈥� of the UK.

Anderson refused to apologize for his claim that Islamists had 鈥済ot control鈥� of Khan and London.

Naveed Asghar, deputy chair of the CMF, told The Guardian: 鈥淚s the party racist or Islamophobic? I would say no, from my heart. Individuals? Yes. Are these people pandering to the vote base in their seats? I can鈥檛 see what鈥檚 going on.

鈥淚f he (Anderson) is doubling down on the comments, then the party should absolutely be having a word with him. I was hoping that the suspension would be enough.

鈥淎ny inflammatory remarks are just not acceptable, whether it鈥檚 people on the left making antisemitic comments or people on the right making anti-Muslim comments.鈥�

On a visit to East Yorkshire on Monday, Sunak refused condemn Braverman鈥檚 article, saying: 鈥淚 think that those comments were not about an individual in particular.鈥�

He also stopped short of calling Anderson鈥檚 comments Islamophobic, saying: 鈥淚鈥檝e been very clear that what he said was wrong, it was unacceptable, and that鈥檚 why we suspended (him).

鈥淚t鈥檚 important that everybody, but particularly elected politicians, are careful with their words and do not inflame tensions.鈥�