Oliver Dowden declines to say whether Lee Anderson's comments Islamophobic

Oliver Dowden, the Deputy Prime Minister, refrained from labeling Lee Anderson's remarks as Islamophobic.

Anderson was suspended from the Conservative Party on Saturday for not apologizing for his comments suggesting that London Mayor Sadiq Khan was under the influence of "Islamists".

Speaking on BBC One, Dowden did not outright condemn the comments but indicated they could be perceived as offensive, which precipitated a request for an apology from the party's chief whip.

Labour has intensified its condemnation of the Conservative Party's handling of the incident. They addressed a letter to the Prime Minister claiming it was correct to suspend Anderson for his "racist and Islamophobic" remarks. Mayor Khan described Anderson's comments as Islamophobic and racist, saying they fuel anti-Muslim sentiment.

Anderson attracted criticism after asserting that "Islamists" controlled not only Khan but also London and the opposition leader Starmer. Despite the party urging an apology, Anderson has not expressed remorse, arguing it would place the party in a difficult situation, yet admitted his suspension was justified.

Sir Robert Buckland, Conservative MP and former cabinet minister, labeled the remarks racist, and Therese Coffey, another former cabinet minister, denied any internal "hierarchy of racism" but acknowledged that the party responded swiftly to Anderson's behavior.

On Sky News, Dowden suggested Anderson could be reinstated as a Conservative MP if he apologizes, yet Labour criticizes this stance as evidence that the Conservatives are not treating Islamophobia with due seriousness.

Mayor Khan also criticized Prime Minister Sunak and his Cabinet for their "deafening silence" on the matter, while Sunak himself did not directly comment on Anderson's suspension or comments. Instead, he spoke about the recent rise in prejudice and antisemitism following a violent incident involving Hamas.

Anderson, becoming an independent MP after his suspension, previously resigned as deputy chairman of the Conservative Party over disagreements regarding a government policy.

The Muslim Council of Britain acknowledged Anderson's suspension but asserted the punitive action should be for making racist remarks rather than the refusal to apologize. They also requested an internal investigation into the perceived institutional Islamophobia within the party.

Khan later used social media to criticize Sunak's statement for omitting any mention of anti-Muslim sentiments, emphasizing the need for zero tolerance towards any politics that fertilizes division.