Faiza Shaheen was a parliamentary candidate in the constituency of Chingford and Woodford Green, where she was hoping to unseat the former Secretary of State for Work and Pensions Iain Duncan-Smith.

After the election loss, Ms Shaheen says that she has had ‘five different families discuss their UK exit plan with me in case racism gets worse’.

She added that it was ‘frightening that this is where we are’.

Ms Shaheed told Metro.co.uk: ‘I’ve been in touch with my cousin, who has spoken about putting some money aside in case it gets really bad, it’s been the dominant conversation.’

Boris Johnson has been accused of Islamophobia over comments he made in the Telegraph last year for comparing Muslim women to ‘letterboxes and bank robbers’.

The prime minister says his words were taken out of context and he was defending the right of Muslim women to wear what they like.

He has also been criticised over his handling of Islamophobic incidents in the party, in which members who shared far-right posts and referred to Muslims as scum, were not immediately suspended, with others allowed back into the party.

Although Mr Johnson has apologised for Islamophobia in the party, calling it ‘intolerable’ and pledging to hold an independent inquiry into all forms of prejudice, Ms Shaheen says many fear for their safety.

She said that it was not just Muslims but also people from other ethnic minority backgrounds who are also considering leaving the UK.

Ms Shaheen added that one of her Mauritian friends was also concerned about the future of her children, given the now ‘toxic atmosphere’.

The former Labour candidate, who is a Muslim herself, said she thought the prime minister is ‘Islamophobic’ but that there was a perceived hierarchy when it came to racism and that ‘racism against black and Muslim people, was further down that list’.

It comes after Metro.co.uk revealed that a number of British Muslims said they were planning to leave the country over fears regarding Islamophobia.

She added: ‘What I really struggled with on the doorstep, was when people said they can’t vote for Labour because of anti-Semitism, and cases have been badly handed, but when people said “I’m voting for Iain Duncan Smith” and I said what about Islamophobia, it was perceived as not really a thing’.

Ms Shaheen also recalled an incident at her local polling station on election day in which she was called a ‘terrorist’ and had to ask for police to be called.

Asked if she thought Islamophobia had played a part in helping the government win votes, Ms Shaheen said ‘it probably did help him’, as there are ‘certain demographics’ who would’ve supported such a position.

She added: ‘There is no one on our side in government’.