Tory minister distances himself from Lee Anderson claim ‘Islamists’ control Sadiq Khan

Cabinet minister Grant Shapps has distanced himself from Lee Anderson’s claim that “Islamists” have “got control” of Sadiq Khan.

But the defence secretary appeared to defend the former Tory deputy chairman’s right to “speak (his) mind” as he was pressed on whether the remarks were acceptable.

It comes as Rishi Sunak faces calls from Labour for Mr Anderson to lose the whip after he said the London mayor had “given our capital city away to his mates”.

The PM is also under pressure to remove the whip from his predecessor Liz Truss, who was interviewed by Steve Bannon and remained silent as he hailed far-right figure Tommy Robinson a "hero”.

Ms Truss was slammed by former chancellor Sajid Javid, who said “I’d hope every MP would confront such a statement head on”. “Liz should really know better,” Sir Sajid added. And Labour’s Jonathan Ashworth accused Ms Truss of an “unforgivable lowering of the office of prime minister”.

Speaking to BBC Breakfast on Saturday, Mr Shapps said he had not seen Mr Anderson’s comments first-hand, but added: “It’s certainly not the way I would put things.

“I think there are more concerns about the way that some of these (pro-Palestinian) protests have been taking place... but I certainly wouldn’t phrase things like that.”

Asked whether Mr Anderson should lose the Tory whip, Mr Shapps said the matter was “one for party itself”.

The Defence Secretary declined to say whether the MP for Ashfield is a good representative voice for the Conservative Party, saying only that “we live in a democracy where people are allowed to speak their mind and Lee Anderson, I think, is famed for speaking his mind”.

In an appearance on GB News, Mr Anderson had said: “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… He’s actually given our capital city away to his mates.”

The remarks prompted criticism from Labour and some Conservatives, with senior Tory MP Sir Sajid Javid describing them as “ridiculous”.

That came as Ms Truss used a talk at the Conservative Political Action Conference (Cpac) in the US to claim her efforts to cut taxes were "sabotaged" by the "administrative state and the deep state".

The former prime minister, whose disastrous mini-budget in 2022 unleashed economic chaos, later took part in an interview with Mr Bannon, declining to challenge his characterisation of far-right agitator Mr Robinson as a "hero”.

Sir Sajid was among those criticising her for not challenging the remark.

Ms Truss claimed in her speech that Conservatives are “now operating in what is a hostile environment” and that “left-wing elites” will be “aided and abetted by our enemies in China, Iran and Russia”.

Interviewed by Mr Bannon after her speech, she also said she was willing to work with Nigel Farage to change the Conservative Party.

And she suggested the former Donald Trump adviser, who is facing fraud charges in New York, could “come over to Britain and sort out Britain”.

In a letter to Mr Sunak, Mr Ashworth wrote: “For a senior politician to engage in spreading such blatant conspiracy theories is incredibly damaging to our democracy, our institutions and social cohesion.”

He added: “For a former prime minister to make such remarks, while on an international visit to a country with whom the UK shares a special relationship which upholds liberal values is an unforgivable lowering of the office of prime minister which lessens the United Kingdom’s standing in the world and needs to be acted upon.

“It’s time to show some leadership and take on the extremists in your party. Liz Truss and Lee Anderson must no longer sit as Conservative MPs. Their words cannot go unchecked or unchallenged.”

Tory peer Gavin Barwell, who was Theresa May’s Number 10 chief of staff, said Mr Anderson’s remark was a “despicable slur”.

The Muslim Council of Britain said the comment was “disgusting” and criticised the “silence of the party in the face of such extremism”.

A spokesperson said: “In a week where we learn of an explosion in Islamophobic hate crimes, influential MPs and a donor to the Conservative Party are endorsing common talking points that peddle conspiracy theories and Islamophobic tropes of alleged Muslim takeovers of our country.”

Ashfield Independent council leader Jason Zadrozny said the town “deserves better” and “Lee Anderson is an embarrassment”.

A Conservative Party source said: “Lee was simply making the point that the mayor, in his capacity as PCC (police and crime commissioner) for London, has abjectly failed to get a grip on the appalling Islamist marches we have seen in London recently.”