Cleverly calls on Lee Anderson to apologise as Starmer could face parliamentary probe

Labour leader Keir Starmer continues to come under pressure over claims that he pressured the Commons speaker into accepting his party’s amendment last week in a row over a ceasefire in Gaza.

According to The Times, Penny Mordaunt, the Tory Commons leader, believes Mr Starmer’s push for the speaker to break with precedent was a “breach of privilege” and could move to have him investigated by the privileges committee.

Mr Anderson doubled down on his criticism of Sadiq Khan as Rishi Sunak came under pressure to label his words as Islamophobic.

Tom Pursglove has become the latest minister to decline to say whether Lee Anderson’s comments about Sadiq Khan were Islamophobic.

Asked about Mr Anderson’s comments, the legal migration minister told Times Radio: “I think that what Lee said was wrong and he shouldn’t have said it.

“The chief whip asked him to apologise and to withdraw those comments, and he didn’t do so, and so that left no option but to withdraw the whip.”

Asked whether he thought the comments were Islamophobic, Mr Pursglove said: “I don’t think Lee personally is racist but what he said was unacceptable.”

The prime minister has consistently declined to say whether the Tory former deputy chair’s remarks were Islamophobic or anti-Muslim, saying he was suspended only because they were “wrong”.

The meaning of the term Islamophobia has come under the spotlight following MP Lee Anderson’s suspension for an anti-Muslim rant about Sadiq Khan.

The former deputy chairman of the Conservative party lost the party whip after failing to apologise over a widely criticised interview on GB News in which he said “Islamists” have “got control” of Mr Khan.

In response, the mayor of London said the comments were Islamophobic, anti-Muslim and racist.

Rishi Sunak has been accused of aiding Vladimir Putin’s regime over the government’s plans to spend hundreds of thousands of pounds of taxpayers’ money training up the next generation of Russian leaders.

Britain barred Russians from applying to the Chevening scholarship programme – a fully funded masters degree aimed at “emerging leaders” from all over the world – after Mr Putin invaded Ukraine two years ago.

But, despite the conflict still going on – and Britain ramping up sanctions on Moscow in response to the death of opposition leader Alexei Navalny – The Independent can reveal that the scheme has been reopened to applicants from Russia.

Lee Anderson’s comments about Sadiq Khan were “unambiguously racist, Islamophobic, divisive and damaging,” Labour’s party chair has said.

Anneliese Dodds told Sky News on Monday (26 February) she has written to the Conservative Party chairs seven times over the past three years calling for them to take action against Islamophobia in the party.

The former Tory deputy chair lost the Conservative whip after failing to apologise for claiming “Islamists” had “got control” of the London mayor and the capital city.

The prime minister “acted when it appeared no apology was going to be forthcoming,” Dodds added.

Richard Madeley accused Transport Secretary Mark Harper of not answering a “simple” question on whether Lee Anderson’s comments about London Mayor Sadiq Khan were Islamophobic in a heated exchange on Good Morning Britain on Monday (26 February).

Mr Anderson had the Conservative whip removed over the weekend after he claimed that “Islamists” have “got control” of the London mayor.

Mr Madeley asked Mr Harper several times if Mr Anderson’s claims were Islamophobic, but the MP would not give a straight answer.

Mr Madeley asked: “Was it Islamophobic, straight answer, yes or no?

“I am giving you an opportunity to answer a straight question.

“Would you just answer?”