Lee Anderson joins Reform party: Here's why his comments about Sadiq Khan were 'wrong' – Scotsman comment

His complaints about free speech being stifled were equally false. He’s free to spout poisonous nonsense and others, including the Conservatives, are free not to associate themselves with him.

Government ministers have said Anderson’s comments about Khan, a Muslim, were “wrong” but struggled to explain why, demonstrating an alarming lack of moral leadership. Former Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson had no such problem. Describing Anderson’s remarks as “offensive bollocks”, she told LBC radio: “The reason why it’s wrong is because it’s conflating a Muslim mayor with Islamism, which is an extremism and one that carries a level of threat, and it’s making that link because of his faith.”

Populists the world over try to whip up ethnic and religious tensions because they have little else to offer. All politicians who believe in liberal democracy must take a firm, unequivocal stand against them.