A former Conservative Party minister has been criticized for claiming there are “no-go zones” in parts of London and Birmingham where Muslims live.
Paul Scully, Minister in London until the last changemade the comments in an interview with BBC Radio London, saying some people were “concerned that their neighborhoods are increasingly changing”.
He also said Lee Anderson: suspended from the Conservative Party After refusing to apologize, claiming that “Islamists” had achieved “control” of London, it is “trying to reflect that in a really clumsy way”.
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Mr Scully appealed for “wise use of language to have a constructive adult discussion”, before adding: My father is half Burmese, so I’ve seen it firsthand. When it comes to skin color, it’s a different thing…
“What I am saying is if you look at parts of Tower Hamlets for example, there are no-go areas.
” parts birminghamAt Spark Hill, people use their religion mainly because of doctrine, mainly because it is not Islamic doctrine, and abuse it in various ways, and support what some people are saying. There are no-go areas due to people who do this.
“I think that’s a concern that needs to be addressed.”
Conservative West Midlands Mayor Andy Street wrote on X that claiming there was a “no-go zone” was “news to me and I suspect the good people of Sparkhill”.
He added: “It’s really time for the people of Westminster to put an end to the nonsense and get some real world experience. I’m proud to lead the most diverse place in the UK.” Ta.
Conservative Mayor Andy Street called the comments “nonsense”. Photo: P.A.
Miqdad Bershi, a spokesperson for the Islamic Council of Britain, also posted that the term “no-go zone” was “a typical false and Islamophobic metaphor from white supremacists and the far right.”
TV presenter and actor Adil Ray added: “There are many communities and cultures in Sparkhill, but perhaps your own prejudices are holding you back. This is racism. Voices. Raise it. Enough is enough,” he added.
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Conservative Baroness Warsi, the first Muslim woman to serve as a cabinet minister, said Ms Scully was a “good member” of her party and hoped this was “just a thoughtless and ill-judged comment”.
But referring to Mr Street’s reaction, she told Sky News: “These colleagues need to come and live in the real world.
“Maybe they need to leave their constituency and look at the rest of the country and understand the rest of the country. There are no ‘no-go areas. ” and there aren’t a bunch of rabid racists asking us to come in. Act like rabid racists so they can vote for us. .
“Britain is better than that. My party needs to be better than that.”
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Meeting with Mr Anderson, who was suspended by the Conservative Party whip for making ‘Islamophobic’ comments
Downing Street said: Rishi Sunak I disagreed with Mr. Scully’s comments.
Asked whether the Prime Minister believed there were “no-go” areas in Birmingham, his spokesperson said: “No. He has previously spoken about the value of Britain’s very diverse communities and society. There are things that happen.”
Sky News contacted Mr Scully for comment but did not receive a response.
However, the same lawmaker posted the following to X: “As someone who has stood up and actually defended British Muslims for 10 years, and ended up supporting partition and being seen as being likened to Katie Hopkins, I would like to recuse myself from the conversation. “I intend to leave the relationship between the two parties.”
“I’ve always said language is important. So is perception, and if moderates are pushed to one side or the other, nothing will be solved. I’m out.”