Boris Johnson’s comments about women wearing the burqa gave the impression that the Tories were “insensitive to Muslim communities”, a review into Islamophobia in the party has found.
Several witnesses told the independent investigation that Mr Johnson’s comments comparing women wearing the burqa with bank robbers and letterboxes were “discriminatory and unacceptable”.
The inquiry criticised the Conservatives for failing to investigate racism, with two-thirds of complaints relating to anti-Muslim discrimination. “Anti-Muslim sentiment remains a problem within the party,” the report’s conclusions said.
Tory chairwoman Amanda Milling said the party accepted the recommendations of Swaran Singh’s report and apologised to all those “hurt by discriminatory behaviour of others or failed by our system”.
It comes as a Tory MP who made unwanted sexual advances to a member of staff faces a six-week suspension from the Commons. Rob Roberts has been stripped of the Tory whip, and is facing calls from Labour to quit.
