London (Parliament Politic Magazine) – Former Conservative Deputy Chairman Lee Anderson criticized the Prime Minister’s decision to strip him of the Tory whip, but he said he had not fallen out with him
Lee Anderson has cautioned that Rishi Sunak has made a mistake by dumping him as a Conservative MP. The loudmouth has been removed from the Tory whip after he claimed Sadiq Khan is controlled by “Islamists.”
But the PM is now meeting a row between his MPs about whether he was right to penalize Mr. Anderson – as some of his Cabinet ministers have openly suggested he could be allowed to return.
As he occurred on 5 News, the former Conservative Deputy Chairman was asked whether he had put Mr. Sunak in a difficult position.
“Err, well, Rishi has to do what he has to do. He’s the boss; he’s the manager. If erm he takes the whip off me, erm’s up to him,” he stated.
“I think he’s made a mistake, but I’ve got no truck with him. I’m not going to fall out with him over it; he’s got a job to do, and it’s as simple as that.”
Mr. Sunak has stated he believes Mr. Anderson’s remarks were “wrong” and “not acceptable,” but he and his ministers have repeatedly declined to say whether they were racist or Islamophobic. Questioned on BBC local radio on Monday whether his party has an Islamophobia problem, the Prime Minister said: “No, of course, it doesn’t.”
Transport Secretary Mark Harper indicated that the party could welcome Mr. Anderson back, telling Sky News: “He’s contributed a lot in the past. I’d like to see him be able to contribute to the Conservative Party in the future.”
Appearing on GB News on Friday evening, Mr. Anderson said that Mr. Khan had “given our capital city away to his mates.”
“I don’t 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 added.
Mr. Anderson moonlights as a £100,000-a-year TV presenter on GB News, even though he used to rail against those who split their time between the Commons and other work. The Ashfield MP has a history of saying contentious things.
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He has frequently ranted about struggling Brits relying on foodbanks – and earned the nickname ’30p Lee’ for his claims about the cost of meals.