Is Islamophobia still alive and kicking at all levels within the Conservative party after comments made by a leading local Conservative official in Southgate ?.
This was regarding comments made in Southgate yesterday on clothing choices within the Muslim faith by Fiona Bulmer the Chair of the local Conservative Association
That is why they have asked Fiona to stand down as chairman of their local party, with immediate effect, and she will take no further part in the general election.
The Conservative Party, both nationally and locally, condemns prejudice and discrimination and will always promote the values of equality and mutual respect between people of different faith and ethnic backgrounds.
At least four ministers have gone on election campaigning trips to endorse Tory candidates facing allegations of Islamophobia since the claims against them came to light, the Guardian has learned.
In constituency visits that appear to contradict Boris Johnson’s repeated claim that the party has a “zero tolerance” stance on the issue, Sajid Javid, Matt Hancock, Andrea Leadsom and Thérèse Coffey have thrown their weight behind the accused candidates – all of whom are fighting in key marginal battlegrounds.
Incidents include one candidate who argued that Muslims have divided loyalties, as well as blaming immigrants for bringing HIV to Britain, and another who retweeted posts from former English Defence League leader Tommy Robinson.
Johnson himself has also posed shaking hands with a Conservative candidate accused of sending an anti-Muslim tweet to Nobel Peace prize winner, Malala Yousafzai, 22. It is understood the photograph was taken after the party became aware of the tweet.
The disclosures came as the Tories face increasing pressure over Islamophobia following a slew of revelations, with the Equality and Human Rights Commission considering whether to launch a formal investigation into the party.
Johnson, who apologised on Thursday for previously describing women wearing face-covering veil as looking like “letterboxes”, has pledged to hold an inquiry into all forms of discrimination, including Islamophobia, before the end of the year.Lady Sayeeda Warsi, former Conservative chair and the country’s first female Muslim cabinet minister, said: “There is a gulf between the rhetoric of tackling Islamophobia in my party and my party actually tackling it. Time and time again we see those accused of anti-Muslim racism face no penalty and no consequence.
“They continue to be embraced by the party leadership and this sends a clear message that there is a culture of impunity on the issue of Islamophobia in the Conservative party.”
Nick Lowles, chief executive of anti-racism charity Hope Not Hate, said: “For Conservative Cabinet members to be campaigning openly for candidates who are facing serious accusations of anti-Muslim prejudice is nothing short of hypocrisy after Boris Johnson promised a ‘zero tolerance’ approach to Islamophobia.
Source
Guardian and Conservative Party
