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Britain's human rights watchdog is examining alleged Tory Islamophobia after being contacted by a former chair of the Conservative Party.

Sayeeda Warsi is understood to be in talks with the Equality and Human Rights Commission after dozens of members were accused of anti-Muslim rants and racism.

An EHRC spokeswoman said: “We have received a complaint and will consider the issues raised.”

It is not known if Baroness Warsi has made a full formal complaint, and the EHRC has not launched a formal investigation.

However, it is understood that the peer raised the issue of Islamophobia with the watchdog and is in talks with EHRC chiefs.

(Image: Getty Images)

The peer declined to comment when contacted by the Mirror.

Baroness Warsi, the first Muslim woman to attend Cabinet and co-chair of the Tories under David Cameron, is a critic of the party’s alleged slow response to Islamophobia claims.

Earlier this week she accused Tory chiefs of “revolving door racism” over reports 15 councillors suspended for alleged racism or Islamophobia had been reinstated.

The Guardian reported that one, Swale Borough Council leader Andrew Bowles, had his membership restored after he retweeted a post hailing far-right activist Tommy Robinson as a ‘patriot’.

Mr Bowles later said he did not have any racist or Islamophobic views and “I wasn’t supporting him, I was supporting the process of free speech”.

Theresa May was confronted this week at Prime Minister’s Questions by Labour MP Afzhal Khan, who accused her of being “in denial”.

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The Manchester Gorton MP claimed Tory chairman Brandon Lewis failed to reply to three letters he had sent on Islamophobia.

He said: “The Conservative Party leadership are in denial about Islamophobia in their ranks and simply aren’t taking it seriously.”

The Prime Minister told Mr Khan: “It is absolutely clear that discrimination or abuse or any kind is wrong. We take action where there are cases of discrimination or abuse.

“He says we haven’t acted, I think, since 2018 when he raised this issue.

“We have acted on cases. Any allegations that are brought before the party, the party chairman takes very seriously and we will continue to do so.”

(Image: Getty Images)

However, Muslim leaders have previously accused Tory chiefs of acting too slowly, or without full transparency.

In one case reported by the Mirror, Medway councillor Michael Franklin retweeted a message that said Justin Trudeau was “worshipping the devil” in a mosque.

His posts were raised with Medway’s council leader in February 2016 but Mr Franklin was only expelled from the Tories last month.

Mr Franklin said he regretted the “naive” posts and did not hold Islamophobic or racist views.

Elsewhere the Muslim Council of Britain has accused the Conservatives of “trying to cover up” details of suspensions.

Two dossiers compiled by online activists this month claimed to show 25 alleged members making offensive comments, including calling for Britain to “get rid of all mosques” and saying “it will be us whites who will suffer in years to come.”

But Tory chiefs refused to say exactly how many had been identified as members and suspended.

It comes weeks after the EHRC announced it was examining anti-Semitism in Labour, saying the party may have “unlawfully discriminated” against people due to their religion.

A Conservative Party spokeswoman said: “We have not been contacted by the EHRC.”