Furious Tories Complained To No.10 En Masse About Lee Anderson

A growing row over perceived Islamophobia in the Conservative Party threatens to engulf the Government after a deluge of complaints from Tory MPs led to Rishi Sunak suspending the whip from the party's former chair Lee Anderson.

Anderson, the now-independent MP for Ashfield, on Monday doubled down on his contentions comments about London Mayor Sadiq Khan.

Speaking on GB News on Monday, Anderson said apologising for his claim that Islamists had "got control" of the Labour Mayor, which ultimately led to the Prime Minister suspending Anderson from the parliamentary Tory party at the weekend, would amount to a "sign of weakness".

Anderson's comments on Friday, also on GB News, prompted a furious backlash from figures across the political spectrum, including senior Tory figures.

Sajid Javid, the former Cabinet minister, was first high-profile Conservative politician to publicly criticise Anderson's remarks, describing them as "ridiculous". He was followed by figures like ex-secretary of state Robert Buckland and the former Scottish Tory leader Ruth Davidson. 

PoliticsHome understands that a large number of Tory MPs complained to Downing Street and Government Whips prior to Sunak withdraw the whip from Anderson. "Most of my colleagues are absolutely appalled," said one MP who made their feelings known. 

The same MP said there was a feeling that Javid, who describes himself as a Muslim MP, couldn't be left to challenge the remarks by himself, and that "enough" Conservative back benchers eventually complained to the Government to force Sunak to action.

Another senior Conservative MP, a former secretary of state, questioned the decision by the Prime Minister in the first place to make Anderson the deputy chair of the Tory party and give