Lee Anderson tells the Express ‘I am not a racist’ in an exclusive interview (Image: Jonathan Buckmaster)
Lee Anderson declared “I’m no racist” and said his controversial comments represent the views of thousands of Tory voters.
The former deputy chairman also revealed he is committed to the party, and would happily sit down with Rishi Sunak to discuss the matter.
But Mr Anderson told the Express he will not apologise as he has been inundated with supportive emails.
Writing for our paper, the now independent MP, said: “The simple fact is I am not a racist but in this day and age the opposition are very quick to use the race card for political advantage and unfortunately some of my colleagues also fell into the race trap.
“As I have said on numerous occasions over the past week, 99.9 percent of our Muslim friends in the UK are decent, hardworking and law-abiding people who just want to get on with their lives.”
Lee has been inundated with support from voters across the UK – and particularly the Red Wall (Image: Jonathan Buckmaster)
Mr Anderson added: “The point I was trying to make last week was that the Mayor of London has lost control of our capital city as the extremists who hide under the Islam banner take over our streets in their attempt to change the course of our democracy.”
Mr Anderson had the whip withdrawn at the weekend after he refused to apologise for claiming “Islamists” had “got control” of London mayor Sadiq Khan.
He was accused of Islamophobia and attacked by Mr Khan, Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer and some of his own colleagues.
Mr Khan claimed Mr Anderson’s comments were “unambiguously ignorant, prejudiced and racist”.
The MP later conceded his language had been “clumsy” but refused to apologise and accused Mr Khan of resorting to “playing the race card”.
Since then he has been inundated with support from across the country – even receiving a standing ovation in his local pub.
At his London office yesterday afternoon, an impassioned Mr Anderson said: “The party has done a lot for me. It rescued me when I was politically homeless.
“Of course I want to be back in the party but I stand by the things I said last week and I won’t apologise.”
Mr Anderson said he “of course” would sit down with the Prime Minister to discuss the row and would meet members of the Muslim community.
“I would sit down with anybody,” he said.
After months of tensions over the policing of pro-Palestian protests in London, emotions boiled over in parliament last week when Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle bent the rules over a vote on Gaza.
He later claimed the decision was motivated by fears for the safety of MPs after concerns were raised about the impact the results of the vote could have.
Protests were held around Westminster and anti-Semitic chant “from the river to the sea”, widely seen as a demand for Israel to be wiped out, was projected onto the Elizabeth Tower while police stood by.
“I think we are out of touch. I have always said it. We are out of touch with the people of this country.
“When I went home last week I went to my local pub and walked in and people stood up and clapped me. We are supposed to be here to represent people.”
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Lee Anderson tells the Express he wants to return to the Tories but will not apologise (Image: Jonathan Buckmaster)
Writing in the Express, Mr Anderson warned giving in to the “baying mob” only encourages extremism.
He said: “Sadly, Sadiq Khan has resorted to playing the race card and accused me of stoking up division yet sits idly by and has not yet condemned the shocking scenes we witnessed last week on Parliament Square.”
Mr Anderson, who represents Ashfield in Nottinghamshire, said he has had lots of support locally and nationally, with more than 2,500 emails from around the country backing him, the highest amount on any single topic, while only around ten have written in to criticise him.
He said: “There’s a Westminster bubble. We get engulfed in this nonsense that we think we are all right and we are not. The people out in the country are right, not us.
“I think we are out of touch. I have always said it. We are out of touch with the people of this country. When I went home last week I went to my local pub and walked in and people stood up and clapped me.
“We are supposed to be here to represent people. That’s difficult because you can’t represent everybody the same because people have different opinions and political beliefs etc.
“But you have got to be able to read the room in your own constituency. And I think I am reading the room in Ashfield anyway.
“And the amount of emails I’ve had from around the country I think I am reading the room in the country as well.”
As one of the most high profile members of the Conservative party, the MP has spent the last year speaking at local constituency associations, clocking up more than 80 events.
His calendar is full until Christmas but there is now a question mark over whether the engagements will now go ahead.
Two booked in for this week have been put on hold.
Although he remains a member of the party and could still attend, as an independent, he said he did not want to “embarrass” the Conservatives.
He added: “I’ve got a lot of support from the membership, my inbox tells me that.
“When the members ask their MP or local association to ask Lee Anderson to come, that’s quite an honour for me, so that’s why I go.”
Home Secretary James Cleverly called for Mr Anderson to apologise.
He said: “The Prime Minister has made the position of the party clear, he has asked Lee to apologise, Lee didn’t apologise which is why the party whip has been withdrawn.
“I think Lee should apologise, what he said wasn’t accurate, it wasn’t fair, but the Chief Whip and the Prime Minister have made the party position absolutely clear on this.”