An impassioned debate was sparked on GB News surrounding the term Islamophobia, after Lee Anderson made comments about London Mayor Sadiq Khan.
The former Tory deputy chairman said he believes Islamists have "got control" of Khan, and that the Mayor has "given our capital city away to his mates".
A spokesperson for Chief Whip Simon Hart announced Anderson's suspension, confirming: "Following his refusal to apologise for comments made yesterday, the Chief Whip has suspended the Conservative whip from Lee Anderson MP."
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak denied that the party had "Islamophobic tendencies" and condemned Anderson's comments, calling them "wrong, ill-judged, and unacceptable".
Peter Tatchell says Islamophobia is an 'idea that should be open to criticism'
GB News / PA
Anderson has since doubled down on his remarks, accusing Khan of overseeing "double standards for political benefit" in the way that pro-Palestinian marches are policed in London.
In his own statement, he said: "I made some comments yesterday that some people thought were divisive. Politics is divisive and I am just incredibly frustrated about the abject failures of the mayor of London, Sadiq Khan."
In a debate on the comments made by Anderson, Human Rights and LGBT Campaigner Peter Tatchell told GB News that we "must protect Muslim people against prejudice, discrimination and hate crime", but argued that Islam is "an idea" and "should be open to criticism".
Human Rights Campaigner Aisha Ali-Khan fought back against Tatchell and stated that as a practicing Muslim herself, it is "not just an ideology", but her "religion and way of life".
Lee Anderson has defended his comments after having the Tory whip suspended
Parliament TV
Tatchell told GB News: "Islamophobia means fear of Islam. If you're a gay person or a woman, there are some aspects of Islam or some interpretations of Islam which rightly make you fearful if you live in an Islamic majority country, most of them are dictatorships with appalling human rights records.
"So I want to say let's use the term anti-Muslim prejudice to focus on protecting Muslim people, not protecting the idea of Islam."
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Ali-Khan said of Tatchell's view: "The fact we've got this definition that has been adopted by the Labour Party, the Lib Dems and many of the people, it protects us from acts of hatred that are targeted towards us simply because we are Muslim.
"And I'll give you an example, recently we had a pig's head thrown into the home of a Muslim person. In the past we've had similar acts where we've had bacon left in the mosque, in the mosque we've had people playing loud music when it's times of prayer. These acts are designed to harass, intimidate, cause harm to Muslims.
"They might not necessarily be something that offends the non-Muslims, but it's definitely something that would that Muslims would find offensive. So I definitely think that we need to keep the term. It's something that we've spent many years campaigning on."
Host Tom Harwood then argued that there are people in the UK, including refugees who have fled Muslim-majority countries who are "genuinely fearful" of Islam.
Aisha Ali-Khan said Islam is her 'religion and way of life'
GB News
Tatchell responded: "The examples that Aisha has given are all examples of attacks and threats against Muslim people, not against an idea, and I oppose that, and I stand with the Muslim community against that prejudice, hatred and hostility. That is absolutely wrong.
"But I think what's wrong with the term Islamophobia is it focuses on the idea of Islam, not on Muslim people. And we need to protect Muslim people, not to protect any particular idea."