Reform UK Deputy Leader Ben Habib has accused Sadiq Khan of using identity politics to create division amid the growing row over remarks made by Lee Anderson.
Habib criticised both Anderson and Khan for being “intellectually lazy and inflammatory” in their language.
The former deputy Tory chairman faced backlash after claiming that “Islamists have got control of our country”. The MP also claimed that Khan has “given our capital city away to his mates.” The London Mayor said the comments were “Islamophobic, racist and anti-Muslim”.
Anderson has since had the Tory whip suspended, with Rishi Sunak describing the remarks as having been “wrong” and “not acceptable”.
Habib said: “It is incumbent on anyone in politics to choose their words carefully and convey their message accurately.”
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But speaking about the back and forth, Habib said: “It is incumbent on anyone in politics to choose their words carefully and convey their message accurately. Both Lee Anderson and Sadiq Khan were intellectually lazy and inflammatory in the language they used in their recent furore.”
Writing for GB News, the Reform UK Deputy Leader explained: “First, the use of the word ‘Islamist’ is vague at best. It has come to mean, I think, Islamic extremists. But its literal use would merely mean adherents to the faith of Islam.
“Either way, there is no evidence, of which I am aware, that would indicate Khan is under the control of an extreme or other Muslim group. There is ample evidence Khan holds the United Kingdom, its people, history and culture in contempt. But he does so entirely of his own volition.
“There is no group of people controlling him. Khan has relentlessly used identity politics to create division in society. He has been given cover to do so by the regulatory/ legal framework, at the heart of which is the practising of Diversity, Equality and Inclusion (DEI).
“DEI is anything but diverse, equal or inclusive. It requires institutions in this country to practice the promotion of minorities, including ethnicities and religious beliefs. It does so to the detriment of the majority white population and meritocracy. Our institutions used not to be prejudiced. DEI now requires them to be so. These regulations were initiated by Blair but it is Lee’s own government that has propagated and accelerated the adoption of DEI in virtually all walks of life.”
Hitting out at the London Mayor, Habib added: “Khan’s response is equally intellectually lazy but typical of him. Never one to miss an opportunity to spread division, he accused Lee of Islamophobia.
“There can be no way he could have inferred that from Lee’s comments. Either Lee’s use of the word “Islamist” meant extremists, in which case that could not have amounted to a phobia; or it meant Muslims in general, in which case, by Khan’s own measure, he should not have been offended – he is after all a Muslim and no doubt influenced by his beliefs.
“The losers in this furore are those of us who recognise Khan’s politics to be vile and need DEI exposed for the cover it gives him. If Lee had been accurate in his criticism, and addressed it to his colleagues in office, there was a chance of successfully making the case (correctly) to ditch DEI and stop Khan. Instead, Lee gave Khan the opportunity to wrap himself in the false cloak of an injured minority and to hit back.
“In the end, it was Lee that was censured, when so much of what Khan says should in fact disqualify him from public office.”
Instead of last week’s comments, Habib claimed Anderson should have said: “The regulatory/ legal framework promotes prejudice against the white majority in this country.
“It has legitimised their demotion and the attacking of our nation state. Attacks on our history, our culture and our values are given cover by this framework. Sadiq Khan uses this cover ruthlessly. The law must be changed to outlaw anything other than all people being equal.”
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Earlier this week, Khan accused the Tories of “pouring petrol on the flames of Islamophobia”.
He said: “It’s been more than two days now since the senior Conservative made comments that were clearly racist, anti-Muslim and Islamophobic, and still no firm condemnation from the leader of the Conservative Party, the Prime Minister.
“But what we know, over the last four months there’s been a massive increase in antisemitism. There’s also been a massive increase in Islamophobia, anti-Muslim hatred and racism. And that’s why it’s so important to be careful with language. There are tropes that are clearly antisemitic. We call them out. There are tropes that are clearly Islamophobic and anti-Muslim. They should be called out as well.
“What this man said were racist, Islamophobic and anti-Muslim. I’m bewildered why Rishi Sunak and the cabinet are refusing to call this out. He called them unacceptable and wrong. I’m unclear why Rishi Sunak says these comments are unacceptable. I’m unclear why he says they’re wrong. I’m unclear why the Deputy Prime Minister thinks he should apologise. They should say what the problem is.
“The problem is you have a senior Conservative saying things that are clearly racist, anti-Muslim and Islamophobic. That’s leading to an environment where anti-Muslim crime is spiralling and what they’re doing is pouring petrol on the flames of Islamophobia.”
