Tories Making The "Same Mistakes" Over Islamophobia As Labour Did With Anti-Semitism MP Says
16 May 2019, 14:45
A Labour MP has accused the Tories of making "the same mistakes" when dealing with Islamophobia within the Conservative party as Labour did with anti-Semitism.
During a Parliamentary debate on the definition of Islamophobia, Ilford North MP Wes Streeting told politicians: "I have watched with some amazement and even greater despair the Conservative Party making exactly the same mistakes over Islamophobia within their party, as my party has with anti-Semitism."
Mt Streeting is the co-chair of the All-Party Parliamentary group on British Muslims and is calling for the group's definition of Islamophobia to be more widely adopted.
"The same miserable, inexcusable pattern of dismissal, denial and delegitimisation of serious concerns raised by prominent Muslims about racism within their ranks."
He added: "As we recoil in horror at the deafening silence of decent people in the Conservative Party about racism within their ranks, I would respectfully say to some quarters in my own party: 'that is the same silence you demand of me'.
"It is a silence on anti-Semitism you will never receive."
