Metropolitan Police assessing Lee Anderson's 'Islamists' comments

The Metropolitan Police is "assessing" a report of hate speech made against MP Lee Anderson after he accused London mayor Sadiq Khan of being controlled by Islamists.

The force said it had received the report after the MP claimed "Islamists" had "got control" of Mr Khan and he had "given away our capital" to extremists.

The Ashfield MP refused to apologise and was suspended from the Tory party.

The prime minister's official spokesman said the language used was "wrong".

But he added that Rishi Sunak did not believe Mr Anderson was racist.

Labour mayor Mr Khan has urged the prime minister to call the remarks racist and Islamophobic.

"It is really important to understand there should be no hierarchy when it comes to racism," he told BBC Asian Network on Thursday.

"Racism is racism, hatred is hatred.

"Just like we would all rightly call out antisemitism, call out homophobia, call out misogyny, we should also call out Islamophobia and anti-Muslim hatred."

In an Evening Standard article, external, Mr Khan previously said Mr Anderson had "poured petrol on the fires of hatred".

The force said it did not provide information on named individuals but, on Wednesday, after a report about the MP's comments in The Sun, external, it said: "A report was made to police on Saturday, 24 February. Officers are assessing this report."

Mr Anderson, the former Tory deputy chairman who is now sitting in the House of Commons as an independent, has continued to refuse to apologise and said Mr Sunak made a "mistake" in suspending him.

He has not ruled out standing for Reform UK, formerly known as the Brexit Party, at the next election.

Senior Conservatives have described Mr Anderson's attack on Mr Khan as "wrong" but have so far stopped short of describing them as "Islamophobic".

Home Secretary James Cleverly joined calls for Mr Anderson to apologise on Monday, saying his comments were not "accurate" or "fair".

However, Mr Anderson has also received support from some Conservative MPs, including Jacob Rees-Mogg.

The former minister said his comments were "infelicitous" but "his concerns about Islamism are entirely legitimate" and he should not have been suspended from the party.

Follow BBC East Midlands on Facebook, external, on X, external, or on Instagram, external. Send your story ideas to [email protected], external or via WhatsApp, external on 0808 100 2210.