One study conducted by Hope Not Hate revealed that 58% of Tory politicians believe that Islam is a threat, which is a 2% increase from a 2019 survey that asked them the same thing. This comes after the Conservatives face multiple allegations of Islamophobia within its ranks.
Hope Not Hate’s Survey
A recent study conducted by the charity organization Hope Not Hate showed that 58% of Tory politicians in the survey believe that Islam is a threat to the country, which isn’t a great look after allegations of Islamophobia have been hitting the party from all sides.
Tory MP’s Controversial Comments
In February alone there have been two controversial incidents involving Tory MPs, including former Home Secretary Suella Braverman claiming that “Islamists are in charge of Britain.”
Anderson Follows up Comments
Following Braverman’s statement, former Tory MP Lee Anderson argued that he did not believe they had control of Britain, but that London Mayor Sadiq Khan had given away London to “his mates” who he called “Islamists.”
Anderson Has Whip Suspended
Lee Anderson had the whip suspended when he claimed that so-called “Islamists” had “control of Khan, and they’ve got control of London,” receiving calls for his permanent dismissal from critics.
YouGov Survey on Tory Leadership Contenders
Back in 2019, YouGov, commissioned by Channel 4, surveyed to figure out if Islamophobia runs within the Tory Party as calls for investigations arise from Labour and the Muslim Council of Britain.
Concerns Over Representativeness
The survey encompassed 892 members, revealing that 56% believed Islam posed a threat to British values, although the former Party chairman Brandon Lewis questioned the representativeness of the poll.
Brandon Lewis Expresses Doubts
Lewis took to his social media to express reservations about the potential dangers of relying on the opinions of fewer than 900 respondents when the party’s membership exceeds 180,000.
Party’s Handling of Islamophobia Allegations
Former chair and current Tory peer Baroness Sayeeda Warsi characterized the poll’s results as “disturbing,” while recently accusing Anderson’s comments of being the “rot at the heart” of the Party.
Muslim Council’s Complaint to the Equality and Human Rights Commission
After the 2019 survey, the Muslim Council of Britain submitted a formal complaint to the Equality and Human Rights Commission, outlining instances of Islamophobic comments by party members.
Muslim Council of Britain Call for Fresh Investigation
After Anderson’s comments, the Muslim Council of Britain urged Prime Minister Rishi Sunak to further investigate Islamophobia within his ranks, describing Anderson’s words as “Islamophobia” that was “on public display.”
Sunak’s Response to Anderson’s Comments
When asked to respond to the comments made by Anderson, Rishi Sunak called them “wrong” but did not necessarily call them racist or Islamophobic, causing some to wonder why they would be classed as “wrong” if they were not racist.
Sunak Denies Islamophobic Allegations
When asked if his Conservative Party had an Islamophobia problem that needed investigating, the Prime Minister responded with the words, “No, of course it doesn’t.”
Anderson “Not Intentionally” Racist
Deputy Prime Minister Oliver Dowden downplayed Anderson’s comments, arguing that he did not believe Anderson was “intentionally” being racist but did see how it could be taken that way.
Deputy PM Denies to Comment on Islamophobia
Dowden also declined to say whether Braverman or Anderson’s comments were Islamophobic, opting to say, “The fact it could be taken that way is the reason why the [Conservative] chief whip asked for an apology”.
Apologizing “A Sign of Weakness”
The Conservative chief whip suspended Anderson after he refused to apologize for his words, saying that if he apologized now, it “would be a sign of weakness” causing criticism.
Labour’s Criticism of Apology Decision
Labour MP Anneliese Dodds critiqued the Conservative Whip, arguing that it was “deeply concerning” that Anderson would be able to regain confidence from Sunak for a simple apology.
Former Prime Minister Fails to Act
Other incidents this year alone involved former Tory Prime Minister Lizz Truss, who failed to criticize an American right-wing commentator for calling the right-wing activist Tommy Robinson a “hero.”
Hope Not Hate’s Response
In response to these allegations, Hope Not Hate founder Nick Lowles conducted the survey, arguing “It’s clear from the events of the past week that Islamophobia and anti-Muslim sentiment runs deep in the Conservative party.”
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