Islamophobia goes right to the top of the Tory party, says former co-chair
3 min read
The “poison” of Islamophobia has infected the Conservative party at every level, a Tory former co-chair has declared.
Ex-minister Baroness Warsi said the party leadership was ignoring the problem because the Muslim community “doesn't vote for them in any great numbers”.
She lashed out at the controversial London mayoral campaign the Tories ran against Sadiq Khan, arguing: “If you run toxic campaigns then you eventually poison the nation.”
Concerns about Islamophobia in Tory ranks has been growing in recent days, with the Muslim Council of Britain and the Conservative Muslim Forum sounding the alarm.
A number of councillors and candidates have been suspended for spreading offensive comments online, including one who shared a post about "Muslim parasites".
Baroness Warsi - who served as a minister under David Cameron - has been vocal on the issue in the past, but her latest comments, to Business Insider, are by far her strongest to date.
"It's very widespread [in the Conservative party]. It exists right from the grassroots, all the way up to the top," she said.
"I don't think it's something that Theresa [May] is a part of, but I do believe it is something the leadership feels can be easily ignored."
The peer said the Tory leadership was tolerating the problem because "they don't think it is going to damage them because that community doesn't vote for them in any great numbers”.
And she added: "I think that there is a general sense in the country that Muslims are fair game and it is not the kind of community where you can treat really badly and have many consequences…
“It has been a classic case of 'we're not racist — we like brown people but we like this kind of brown people as opposed to this kind of brown people...
"It's saying 'these are the acceptable brown people and those are the unacceptable brown people' and I think that is really dangerous."
Baroness Warsi raised the case of the 2016 London mayoral race, when the Conservatives fought a highly criticised campaign - suggesting Mr Khan was an extremist and out to take gold from Hindus.
The race was run by Australian strategist Lynton Crosby, but the approach ended in failure when Mr Khan easily beat his Tory opponent Zac Goldsmith.
Baroness Warsi said: “If you campaign without a conscience then you're going to run toxic campaigns... And if you run toxic campaigns then you eventually poison the nation.”
Elsewhere, Baroness Warsi said now-Environment Secretary Michael Gove had “extreme views” on Muslims and over time influenced ex-Prime Minister Mr Cameron with his thinking.
The Conservative Party has denied it has a problem with Islamophobia and has so far rebuffed calls for a review.
Home Secretary Sajid Javid earlier this month lashed out at the Muslim Council of Britain and argued his own appointment proved the party had no problem with Muslims.
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