Boris Johnson faces backlash after pulling Islamophobia inquiry

Boris Johnson has faced backlash for backtracking on his promise to hold an independent inquiry into Islamophobia in the Tory party.



The PM told the BBC there would not be such an inquiry – but instead a "general investigation into prejudice of all kinds".

During the Tory leadership contest, he and other candidates agreed if they won they would hold a specific inquiry into Islamophobia.

And earlier this week, Michael Gove, chancellor of the Duchy of Lanacaster, confirmed to the BBC's Today programme the party would "absolutely" hold an "independent inquiry into Islamophobia...before the end of the year".

Now, however, that does not look likely to move forward.

Afzal Khan, Labour's shadow Home Office minister, blasted the decision, branding it a "spectacular betrayal of Muslim people across our country".

"Johnson promised he would hold an independent inquiry into Islamophobia when he stood to become Conservative Party leader...

"But now Johnson has shamelessly decided to drop the probe into Islamophobia in his party...

"Coming from someone whose own comments about Muslim women looking like 'bank robbers' and letterboxes resulted in a 375% rise in anti-Muslim hate crime, perhaps Johnson was concerned the findings might make uncomfortable reading."

Tell Mama, the racism monitoring group, found Mr Johnson's controversial column in the Daily Telegraph preceded a 375% spike in Islamophobic incidents in Britain.