Deputy Prime Minister Oliver Dowden has been embroiled in controversy following comments made by Lee Anderson and Suella Braverman. Anderson, who did not apologize for his remarks suggesting that Islamists control London and specifically targeting Mayor Sadiq Khan, was suspended, while Braverman's similar comments about Islamists controlling the UK did not lead to her suspension. Dowden defended Braverman, stating she should not have to apologize and categorized Anderson's comments as 'different' because they targeted an individual. Despite Dowden's assertions that Anderson did not intend his comments to be Islamophobic and was expressing a 'deep concern about threats,' he has faced criticism for not acknowledging the inherently Islamophobic nature of Anderson's words. Dowden has consistently refused to label Anderson's comments as Islamophobic, stating that words matter and that Anderson would have retained his position had he apologized.
🚨 NEW: Deputy PM Oliver Dowden has stated that Lee Anderson would have kept his position if he had apologised [@bbclaurak]
“[Do you believe] those words are Islamophobic?” asks #BBCLauraK “The fact that it could be taken in that way is the reason why those comments led to the Chief Whip asking for an apology” says Deputy PM Oliver Dowden on Lee Anderson’s "Islamist" remarks https://t.co/o1dFn2kETd https://t.co/F1Myn2B6iy
Lee Anderson would have kept Tory whip if he'd said sorry, says Deputy PM Oliver Dowden https://t.co/j48O86ZzRt
Deputy prime minister Oliver Dowden said he does not believe Lee Anderson was “intending” to be Islamophobic when he claimed “Islamists” had “got control” of London and its mayor Sadiq Khan. https://t.co/pgOJwzwBXp
On both Sky and the BBC, Deputy PM Oliver Dowden has refused to say whether Lee Anderson’s comments were Islamophobic. Seems fairly clear that No10 want to deliberately avoid that label.
Oliver Dowden suggesting problem with Lee Anderson’s remarks was that they could have given impression of Islamophobia is totally wide of mark. Lee Anderson spoke with great clarity. What he said was Islamophobic.
Oliver Dowden tells @bbclaurak that while he disagrees with the comments made by Suella Braverman they are in a 'different category' to Lee Anderson because his are 'about attaching specifically to one person' - the Mayor of London
Unbelievable that Oliver Dowden can’t acknowledge that Lee Anderson’s words were inherently islamophobic. He cannot seriously criticise coarsening of political discourse without calling out Anderson’s words @bbclaurak
"I don't believe Lee Anderson said those words in any way intending to be Islamophobic" says Oliver Dowden. #bbclaurak https://t.co/gjn56fxfc5
Oliver Dowden: “I don’t believe Lee Anderson said those remarks intending to be Islamophobic.”
Oliver Dowden: "I don’t believe Lee Aander said those remarks intending to be Islamophobic." He says Anderson "didn't choose his words correctly" but was expressing a "deep concern" about threats of intimidation and violence.
Oliver Dowden tells Sky News that he doesn't think Suella Braverman should have to apologise for her comments and suggests that while Lee Anderson used the wrong words about Sadiq Khan, he thinks the issue is a "distraction" https://t.co/WERMyH52RC
Oliver Dowden asked by @TrevorPTweets why Lee Anderson was stripped of the Tory whip: "The words that he chose to use were not the right words to use, they were the wrong words — and words do matter"
Deputy Prime Minister Oliver Dowden on Lee Anderson: "What he said was wrong and words matter. He was given the opportunity to apologise and he didn't do so." #trevorphillips
Oliver Dowden's job today is to explain why Lee Anderson was suspended for saying Islamists control London, but Suella Braverman is not suspended for saying Islamists control the UK. #BBCLauraK #trevorphillips