Tory MP Lee Anderson claims ‘Islamists’ have got control of Sadiq Khan

The Conservative MP Lee Anderson has claimed that “Islamists” have “got control of London” and its mayor, Sadiq Khan.

Speaking on GB News, Anderson said of Khan, the first Muslim mayor of London: “He’s given our capital city away to his mates.”

“I don’t actually believe that the Islamists have got control of our country, but what I do believe is they’ve got control of Khan, and they’ve got control of London,” Anderson said.

The remarks triggered a furious backlash on social media and calls for Anderson to have the Tory whip suspended.

Wes Streeting, the shadow health secretary, said Anderson’s comments were “divisive and dangerous”.

Streeting said on X: “The Conservatives have gone beyond the dogwhistle playbook of previous mayoral elections to outright racism and Islamophobia. Enough is enough. Is this really what your Party stands for @RishiSunak @RicHolden?”

Streeting added: “Sadiq has been a mayor for all Londoners. Disagree with him? Fine. Want to beat him at the ballot box? That’s democracy. But the demonisation and othering of a Mayor who has unprecedented police protection because of threats is not only disgusting, it’s dangerous. Enough.”

Tan Dhesi, the shadow exports minister, said: “Given the recent spike in Islamophobia and antisemitism, and the febrile atmosphere in our country, it’s deplorable that an elected MP can openly make such incendiary and divisive statements; especially against Sadiq Khan, who has done so much to foster community cohesion and tackle hate crime.”

A report published this week suggested that anti-Muslim hate in the UK has more than tripled in the four months since Hamas’s attacks. Tell Mama, a charity, recorded 2,010 Islamophobic incidents between 7 October and 7 February, compared with 600 in the same period last year.

Rob Blackie, the Liberal Democrats’ mayoral candidate in London, accused Anderson of “spreading dangerous conspiracy theories” and called for him to lose the Tory whip.

The Conservative party was contacted and asked whether it planned to take any action against Anderson.

Anderson is the Tory MP for Ashfield and was a deputy chairman of the Conservative party until mid-January, when he resigned over the vote on the government’s Rwanda deportation policy.

In the same GB News appearance, Anderson suggested politicians should intervene in police operations because they had not cracked down on pro-Palestinian protesters.

“Ultimately we run the country, and if the police aren’t doing their job – and they’re not doing their job … We need to step in and take over,” Anderson said.