Rishi Sunak slams Lee Anderson's comments as "not acceptable" and denies Tory Islamophobia

Rishi Sunak condemns Lee Anderson's remarks

Rishi Sunak has criticized Lee Anderson's comments as "not acceptable" and "wrong," while denying that the Tory Party has Islamophobic tendencies. The former deputy party chairman was stripped of the Tory whip for failing to apologize after making controversial remarks about London Mayor Sadiq Khan being controlled by "Islamists."

Prime Minister dismisses potential voter backlash

Prime Minister Boris Johnson also dismissed the possibility of a voter backlash in the Red Wall over his decision to sack Ashfield MP Lee Anderson. Johnson emphasized the importance of maintaining high standards within the party and stated that Anderson's suspension was necessary in upholding those standards.

Tory MPs express concerns over backlash

Messages from a Tory MP WhatsApp group revealed concerns about a potential backlash from voters in the Red Wall following Anderson's suspension. While no MP in the group expressed support for Anderson, they acknowledged constituents' concerns. Tory MP Jill Mortimer shared an email from a constituent expressing disappointment over Anderson's suspension.