GB News presenter Eamonn Holmes has said no-go areas do exist in Britain, citing examples from Northern Ireland.
It came as Tory MP Paul Scully added fuel to the flames of the Islamophobia row plaguing the Conservatives by claiming London and Birmingham has religious ‘no- go areas’.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak is already dealing with a headache on the matter of Islamophobia after the Tories suspended Lee Anderson for his criticism of Sadiq Khan where he claimed “Islamists” have got “control” London.
But Eamonn insisted there are such things as “no-go areas” in Britain.
Eamonn Holmes has defended Paul Scully's comments on 'no-go zones'
GB NEWS
“Of course he is right”, he said.
“Having grown up in Northern Ireland, there was a phrase the British Government hated more than anything which was, ‘you can’t go in there, it’s a no-go area’.
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“They would say, ‘there are no such things as no-go areas in the United Kingdom’.
“What a load of baloney. I can point out the no-go areas. They were Republican and Loyalist.
“The Secretary of State, night after night, would say there are no such things as no-go areas.
“Of course there are no-go areas.”
Lee Anderson was suspended by the ToriesGb News
Eamonn Holmes says there are 'no-go areas' in Britain
GB NEWS
Bev Turner waded in on the discussion to say Britain needs a “conversation” on “rapid immigration of people who do not share our culture.”
She added that having the conversation often results in “being accused of being racist or Islamophobic”.
Anderson’s comments have put a spotlight on the ongoing dispute over the classification of Islamophobia.
Downing Street reiterated the Government’s position of refusing to back the all-party parliamentary group on British Muslims’ 2019 definition.
The Prime Minister’s official spokesman told reporters: “As the Government has stated previously, there are issues in relation to the APPG’s definition of Islamophobia, which conflates race with religion, does not address sectarianism within Islam, and may unintentionally undermine freedom of speech.
“But as I’ve said, we have always been clear that this Government does not and will not tolerate anti-Muslim hatred.”
Sunak said Anderson had been deprived of the Tory whip because his “choice of words wasn’t acceptable, it was wrong”.
But he refused to describe the MP’s comments as Islamophobic when pressed repeatedly, telling broadcasters in Yorkshire: “I think the most important thing is that the words were wrong, they were ill-judged, they were unacceptable…
“It’s important that everybody, but particularly elected politicians, are careful with their words and do not inflame tensions.”