Rishi Sunak's Own 'Forces of Division'

The Prime Minister's call for the nation to reject extremism and intolerance will ring hollow as long as his Government continues to pursue the politics of hate

Last night Rishi Sunak lectured the nation about our duty to reject those promoting hatred and intolerance.

Standing outside Downing Street, he insisted that “the time has now come for us all to stand together to combat the forces of division”.

Yet at the same time as he ordered the rest of the country to reject the politics of hate, his own party colleagues were busy promoting it.

At a Conservative Party fundraiser in Bassetlaw, Sunak’s disgraced former Deputy Chair Lee Anderson was greeted with hugs and a “standing ovation” by a room full of party activists and senior MPs, including Liz Truss.

At the site of Anderson, whose vile comments about Sadiq Khan led to his suspension from the party last week, one MP reportedly commented that “Lee should absolutely get the Conservative whip back”, according to the Daily Express.

Meanwhile, back in Downing Street, Sunak’s spokespeople continued to reject calls for him to condemn his former Home Secretary Suella Braverman’s own inflammatory comments about Muslims.

Nor was he willing to condemn Liz Truss’ associations with the US far-right, or to label Anderson’s comments as being racist, or Islamophobic.

So while Sunak’s speech has gathered plaudits from those still willing to believe that he really does want to “unite” the country, here’s why the reality is quite different.