Zia Yusuf responds to complaint about Islamophobia in Reform by threatening the equalities watchdog
27 MPs have called for a formal investigation into Islamophobia in Reform
Zia Yusuf has responded to a complaint against Reform about alleged Islamophobia in its ranks threatening that his party will abolish the equalities watchdog and fire all of its employees.
Reform’s home affairs spokesperson said he was aware that Labour MPs had written to the Equality and Human Rights Commission “to complain that Reform have been meanies”.
In a post on X, Yusuf then said: “They’d best get their skates on with their investigation because Reform will abolish this ‘watchdog’ and fire the lot of them.”
Responding to Yusuf’s comment, one X user wrote: “Nothing says confidence in your conduct quite like threatening the watchdog before it’s even barked.”
As reported by Sky News earlier this week, the letter, signed by 27 MPs, said there was “overwhelming evidence” Reform has breached its obligations under the 2010 Equality Act.
Signatories of the letter include 26 Labour MPs, including Bell Ribeiro-Addy, Neil Duncan-Jordan, Allison Gardner and Simon Opher.
Diane Abbott, the former Labour and now Independent MP for Hackney North and Stoke Newington, has also signed it.
In the letter, the MPs said: “Over the last few years, we have seen a number of Reform UK politicians and members make comments that are clearly racist and discriminate against ethnic minorities, and in particular, Muslims.”
The letter added: “When elected politicians – be they councillors or members of Parliament – make comments that seek to spread hatred against Muslims because they are Muslim, this leads to a culture of intolerance and discrimination against Muslim party members and voters and has an impact on social cohesion across the country.”
The Labour MP who co-ordinated the letter, Afzal Khan, warned that Reform’s “consistent attacks on Muslim communities” are putting British Muslims in danger.
The letter also cites a list of examples of alleged Islamophobic behaviour from Reform politicians.
One example they referred to was Nigel Farage’s criticism of a Muslim prayer event in Trafalgar Square for Ramadan in March.
Farage also suggested they could be banned from taking place at historic British sites.
An EHRC spokesperson has confimed that the complaint will be investigated
Olivia Barber is a reporter at Left Foot Forward
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