London (Parliament Politic Magazine) – Starmer criticizes Sunak for failing to label Islamophobic remarks, citing weak leadership. He warns of continued chaos if Tories reign.
Sir Keir Starmer has taken a strong stand against Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s handling of statements made by Lee Anderson, which have flared widespread controversy. Starmer blames Sunak for displaying a glaring deficiency in leadership by not adequately addressing what he terms ‘Islamophobic’ remarks directed at the mayor of London.
Starmer claimed Rishi Sunak was “too weak” to describe Lee Anderson’s comments about Sadiq Khan as Islamophobic.
The Labour leader pointed broadcasters this afternoon: “I think this is straightforward. It is Islamophobia, and the Prime Minister should call it out for what it is.
“The reason he won’t is because he is so weak. They are divided, they are chaotic, and if they are re-elected, we are going to have five more years of this.
“It is only Labour now that can unite the country, bring people together, turn a page on this, and actually usher in the sort of society, the kind of future that people desperately want. But the
Prime Minister lacks the strength. He is too weak. He can’t call it out for what it is. That is how vulnerable he is.”
However, British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak stated on Monday that a Conservative lawmaker was immoral to say Islamists control the mayor of London and also rejected that the governing party tolerates anti-Muslim prejudice. Sunak is under stress to condemn Islamophobia after the comments by Lee Anderson.
Anderson, a combative populist, declared Islamists had “got control” of Khan and the city of London. Khan is Muslim and a member of the opposition Labour Party.
“These comments weren’t acceptable, they were wrong,” Sunak told BBC radio on Monday. “Words matter, especially in the current environment where tensions are running high, and I think it’s incumbent on all of us to choose them carefully.”
Questioned whether his party has an Islamophobia problem, Sunak said: “No, of course it doesn’t.’”
Opponents blamed the Conservatives for deliberately raising tensions over pro-Palestinian protests that have been held most weekends since the Israel-Hamas confrontation began in October. Sunak removed former Home Secretary Suella Braverman in November after she called the demonstrations, which have drawn hundreds of thousands of demonstrators, “hate marches” and accused police of being too lenient with them.
The protests have been overwhelmingly peaceful, though there have been several dozen arrests over signs and chants allegedly supporting Hamas, a banned organization in Britain. Some people also say the mass marches have created an intimidating atmosphere for Jewish Londoners.
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Moreover, This obscurity has not sat well with figures such as former Conservative MEP Sajjad Karim, who has publicly condemned Anderson’s comments and called for more decisive leadership from Sunak. The incident has also blazed a spotlight on the increasing incidents of anti-Muslim and antisemitic hate crimes in the UK, with organizations like Tell Mama recording a significant rise in Islamophobic incidents.