Oliver Dowden refuses to say if Tory party regards Lee Anderson as ‘racist’

Oliver Dowden has suggested Lee Anderson used the “wrong” words in an anti-Muslim rant about Sadiq Khan, but has refused to answer if the Conservative Party regards him as “racist”.

The deputy prime minister said Mr Anderson was given the chance to apologise for claiming the London mayor is controlled by “Islamists” and would have kept the Tory whip if he had, but was eventually suspended for refusing to say sorry.

“Words do matter and he was given that opportunity to apologise and he didn’t,” Mr Dowden said of the MP, refusing to answer if the party regards him as racist.