Lee Anderson expected to defect from Conservatives to Reform UK

Former Tory vice-chairman was suspended over his refusal to apologise for claims that Islamists had ‘got control’ of Sadiq Khan and London

Source - Daily Telegraph 11/03/24

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The former vice-chairman of the Conservative Party was suspended from the Tories over his refusal to apologise for his claims that Islamists had “got control” of Sadiq Khan and of London.

The defection, which will be a blow to Rishi Sunak, follows weeks of speculation about the Ashfield MP’s next moves. 

Mr Anderson sparked a furious backlash after he claimed last month that the capital had been “taken over” amid the weekly pro-Palestinian protests over the war in Gaza.

In an interview with GB News, Mr Anderson said: “I don’t actually believe that these Islamists have got control of our country, but what I do believe is that they’ve got control of Khan, they’ve got control of London.

“He’s actually given our capital city away to his mates... If you let Labour in through the back door, expect more of this, expect our cities to be taken over by these lunatics.”

Mr Anderson was stripped of the Tory whip after he refused to apologise for the remarks, opting instead to double down on his comments although admitting his choice of words was “clumsy”.

Amid growing calls from fellow MPs for him to be readmitted to the Conservative Party, the Ashfield MP met with Richard Tice, the leader of Reform UK, which fuelled speculation about a possible defection.