London (Parliament Politic Magazine) – Growing demands urge Rishi Sunak to appoint an independent Islamophobia adviser amidst controversy over Lee Anderson’s remarks on Muslims.
There is growing pressure for the prime minister to assign a new independent Islamophobia adviser amid the continuing row over Lee Anderson.
After Tory MP Rehman Chishti condemned Rishi Sunak for failing to engage a new adviser after taking office, the Liberal Democrats have now reported to the government demanding the “vital first step” in helping the British Muslim community.
The Ashfield MP was discontinued from the Conservative Party last weekend after he declined to apologize for declaring “Islamists” had taken “control” of London and that Labour mayor Sadiq Khan had “given our capital city away to his mates.”
There has been broad denunciation of the remarks from ministers, but they – and Rishi Sunak – have repeatedly denied classifying them as Islamophobic.
Former Tory minister Rehman Chishti informed Sky News Politics Hub With Sophy Ridge that the determination to categorize the comments should be taken by an independent adviser rather than politicians and criticized the prime minister for failing to appoint one since coming into office.
Now, the Liberal Democrats have written to the government, calling on them to take “a vital first step towards taking the type of action the British Muslim community deserves” by appointing someone to the role.
In her letter to Equalities Minister Kemi Badenoch, the Lib Dem MP Christine Jardine said: “The recent weeks have unfortunately reiterated how vital it is that this post be filled as a matter of urgency.”
She contended: “Religious hatred in all its forms must be stamped out, and the government has a critical role to play in facilitating that.”
Theresa May designated Imam Qari Asim as an independent adviser, tasked with providing “expert advice on a definition of Islamophobia to the government” and setting former Labour MP John Mann to advise on antisemitism.
However, after Boris Johnson took over Number 10, no advancement was made in the definition. In June 2022, Mr. Asim was fired for backing calls to ban a film about the Prophet Mohammed’s daughter – something he denied.
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After being removed, the former adviser argued there had been a “lack of political will at the very top level of government” to tackle the issue, and he was not given “any resources,” which “fuelled perceptions that the current government was not serious in tackling anti-Muslim prejudice.”