Conservative Party chairman insists inquiry into Tory Islamophobia will go ahead
James Cleverly says Boris Johnson will fulfil pledge to order investigation into anti-Muslim abuse
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Your support makes all the difference.The Conservative Party is still planning to hold an inquiry into Islamophobia in its ranks, party chairman James Cleverly has insisted.
Mr Cleverly said that Boris Johnson would fulfil his promise, made during the Tory leadership campaign, to order a formal inquiry.
The new prime minister was among several of the then leadership candidates to commit to a probe following a series of reports about Tory members making anti-Muslim comments.
He has faced questions since taking office about when the inquiry will be announced. The probe was initially suggested by Sajid Javid, who is now the chancellor.
Asked if there was still going to be an investigation, Mr Cleverly told Sky News programme Sophy Ridge on Sunday: “Yes there will be.”
Pushed on whether the investigation would cover only Islamophobia or would be widened to include other forms of racism, as Mr Johnson has previously suggested it could be, Mr Cleverly said: “One of the things we need to get is a definition of that.
“Specifically on that point we will be guided by the formal definition of Islamophobia. We do and will always take firm action with anyone who steps outside the boundaries of appropriate behaviour.”
Mr Cleverly also cast doubts over a poll suggesting that a significant proportion of Tory members hold negative views on Islam.
The YouGov survey found that 54 per cent of Conservative members believe Islam is “generally a threat to the British way of life”, while 60 per cent think the religion “is generally a threat to Western civilisation”.
But Mr Cleverley said: “That poll was of people who claimed to be party members we didn’t share out membership data with the polling company, so we’re not sure that they necessarily are.
“We’ve always taken a robust line with people who have said inappropriate things or inappropriate behaviour. We will always do that.”
The new Conservative Party chairman refused to rule out a general election this year, saying only that the government would not “initiate” one.
Asked if there was going to be a poll later in the year, he said: “There isn’t. We are not going to initiate a general election.
“What we’ve got is a new prime minister who during the leadership campaign made a number of explicit commitments and he is setting about delivering on those commitments.
“Prime ministers making good on their promises is a good thing and that is what we are doing.”
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