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Boris Johnson’s vile burka jokes have sparked a four-fold increase in race hate crime.

Tell Mama, which tracks anti-Muslim violence, said there was a “direct link” between him comparing Muslim women with “letter boxes” and “bank robbers” and a spike in abuse and threats made against women wearing hijabs or niqabs.

In total, 21 Muslim women in hijabs or niqabs suffered racist abuse, harassment or threats of violence in the week from August 6 – the day Boris’s column was published – compared with five incidents in the seven previous days.

(Image: A M Sorenson)

The data was shared exclusively with the Daily Mirror, which has learned at least four women were called “letter boxes” by strangers and at least one was branded a “terrorist”.

Tell Mama director Iman Atta said Mr Johnson’s comments were “dehumanising”, adding: “It is this dehumanisation that leads perpetrators to feel emboldened enough to target women for anti-Muslim hate.”

Mr Johnson has still not apologised and the Muslim Council of Britain has warned the Tories their probe must not be a “whitewash”.

Meanwhile, Mr Johnson’s latest column was on plans to boost house building. But he was accused of hypocrisy as just weeks ago the Mirror revealed he was still in a taxpayer-funded mansion after quitting as Foreign Secretary.

Lib Dem housing spokeswoman Wera Hobhouse said he was “shameless”.