- By Michael Sheils McNamee
- BBC News
Rishi Sunak has warned of the dangers of polarisation and hatred in politics, following a fractious week in Westminster.
He was speaking after Tory MP Lee Anderson was suspended from his party for refusing to apologise for comments about Mayor of London Sadiq Khan.
The prime minister did not directly address the remarks, but talked about protests and the safety of MPs.
Labour’s Sir Keir Starmer called for Mr Sunak to “get a grip” of his party.
Ashfield MP Mr Anderson was criticised by both Labour and Tory MPs after he told GB News Islamists had “got control” of Mr Khan and that he had “given our capital city away to his mates”.
His suspension was confirmed by Conservative party chief whip Simon Hart on Saturday, meaning he is no longer a member of the parliamentary party and will sit as an independent MP.
The capital’s Labour mayor Mr Khan sought to maintain pressure on the prime minister by describing the move as “belated” and saying his silence on the matter was “tacit endorsement”.
He had previously said Mr Anderson’s comments were “Islamophobic, anti-Muslim and racist”.
Following his suspension Mr Anderson said he “understood the difficult position” he had put the prime minister in and said he would “continue to support the government’s efforts to call out extremism in all its forms – be that antisemitism or Islamophobia”.
On Saturday, Labour leader Sir Keir questioned the prime minister’s judgement in appointing him to the role.
He said Mr Sunak needed to “take on the extremists in his party” and had a responsibility to “stop this slide into ever more toxic rhetoric”.
Image source, Getty Images
Lee Anderson told GB News Islamists had “got control” of Mr Khan and he had “given our capital city away to his mates”
In a statement on Saturday evening Mr Sunak did not address Mr Anderson’s words but warned of an “explosion in prejudice and antisemitism” since the attacks by Hamas on Israel on 7 October.
“The events of recent weeks are but the latest in an emerging pattern which should not be tolerated,” the prime minister said.
He said legitimate protests had been “hijacked by extremists” and said elected representatives had been “verbally threatened and physically, violently targeted”.
“And in Parliament this week a very dangerous signal was sent that this sort of intimidation works,” he said.
Mr Sunak was speaking following a week which as seen a heightened tension in Westminster, with a row over a vote by MPs on a ceasefire in Gaza, and concerns for MPs’ safety.
David Turner is a globe-trotting journalist who brings a global perspective to our readers. With a commitment to shedding light on international events, he explores complex geopolitical issues, offering a nuanced view of the world’s most pressing challenges.
