Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle
(Picture: PA Media)Parliament is not an “appropriate place” to discuss concerns about Islamophobia, a Labour MP was told during Prime Minister‘s Question on Wednesday.
Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle interrupted MP Imran Hussain’s question about alleged racism in the Conservative party.
The Bradford East MP asked Boris Johnson why Mark Spencer had been appointed as Commons Leader while an investigation is being carried out into allegations made by Tory MP Nusrat Ghani.
Sherwood MP Mr Spencer identified himself as the Tory whip at the centre of the row after Ms Ghani alleged she was told her “Muslimness” was a factor in her losing a ministerial role in 2020.
He has denied making the comment.
Speaking in the Commons, Mr Hussain said: “The member for Sherwood is currently under investigation for Islamophobia following accusations he told a fellow MP that her being a Muslim was making colleagues uncomfortable.
“How did the Government punish this behaviour? With a promotion that puts the accused member in charge of the complaints procedure. And, of course, we all know that the Prime Minister himself is no stranger to derogatory remarks about Muslim women, so let me...”
Mr Hussain was then cut off by Sir Lindsay. He told the him: “This is not the appropriate place to be raising this.”
The MP referred to comments Mr Johnson made in a Telegraph column in 2018 when he compared Muslim women wearing burkas to "letter boxes".
The Prime Minster has previously said he is “sorry for any offence” caused by the past comments.
