View from Westminster Sign up for emails to get expert analysis delivered straight to your inbox.
Get your free View from Westminster email
Conservative MP Paul Scully has announced that he will resign at the next general election after his comments about “no-go” areas in London and Birmingham caused an uproar.
Mr Scully sparked outrage when he said parts of Tower Hamlets and Birmingham Sparkhill were “no-go zones” because people were “abusing” their religion.
The former minister has now announced his resignation. Scully posted on social media site X:
“I have told my local association that I will not be running in the next general election. For the past nine years, it has been an honor to represent the area I have called home for 35 years in Parliament. ”
He added: “The party has become increasingly divided, the party has lost its way and needs a clear focus, and I hope the Budget will deliver that.” We need a vision that goes beyond crisis management and appeals to a wider range of voters, including young people…”
Mr Scully said in a BBC London interview last week that “parts” of Tower Hamlets and Birmingham Sparkhill were “mainly for doctrinal reasons and because people are doing certain kinds of abuse in different ways. “It’s a no-go area,” he said, drawing criticism for his comment. religion”.
His comments echoed the sentiments of Labor and the Conservative Party, as Conservative Mayor Andy Street said: “It’s time for the people of Westminster to put an end to this nonsense and experience the real world.” received criticism from both. I’m proud to lead one of the most diverse places in the UK. ”
Labor MP Jess Phillips added: “As a member of Sparkhill, I look forward to an apology for this complete nonsense.”
Mr Scully made the comments after former deputy leader Lee Anderson was suspended from the Conservative Party after he refused to apologize for claiming that “Islamists” had “taken over” London.
Scully said Anderson was “trying to reflect” concerns about neighborhoods changing “in a really clumsy way.”
Sparkhill and Tower Hamlets both have large Muslim populations.
Ali Milani, chairman of the Labor Muslim Network, told BBC London that Scully was perpetuating a “constantly perpetuated Islamophobic myth”.