PRIME minister Theresa May has been cautioned against “whitewashing” any inquiries on former foreign secretary Boris Johnson’s remarks about burqas, as a leading charity has warned hate crime aimed at Muslim women had spiked since his divisive comments.
In a letter on Monday (13), the Muslim Council of Britain said no one should be allowed
to “victimise minorities with impunity”.
Conservative MP Johnson compared women in burqas and niqabs to “bank robbers” and “letter boxes” in a newspaper column earlier this month, sparking a debate among fellow politicians and community leaders.
May criticised Johnson’s comments last Wednesday (8), stating his remarks had caused offence and it was “wrong to have used [the] language”.
Calls for an urgent inquiry by the Conservative party have been made by leading politicians such as Tory peer and former party chair Baroness Warsi, who has previously accused the governing party of harbouring Islamophobic views. The Conservatives deny the allegation.
Lord Sheikh, the founder of the Conservative Muslim Forum, said last week that Johnson should have the whip withdrawn.
Labour MP Rushanara Ali said Johnson’s comments were an “indefensible and dangerous attempt” to stir up hatred towards Muslims at a time when Islamophobia has spiked in the UK.
“Johnson is pandering to the far-right instead of standing up for British values such as the protection of minority rights, including freedom of religious expression,” Ali, who represents Bethnal Green and Bow, said.
Fellow Labour MP Rupa Huq, who represents Ealing Central and Acton in London, shared
Ali’s sentiments, calling Johnson’s comments “deliberately calculated and divisive”.
Meanwhile, Tell Mama, a national project which records and measures anti-Muslim incidents
across the UK, has reported a spike in incidents of abuse aimed at Muslim women since the comments were made public.
Fiyaz Mughal OBE, the founder of Tell Mama, confirmed a “direct link” between the politician’s comments and an impact of Muslim women.
“Mr Johnson thinks his flippant comments were funny, and while his comments were about
the burqa, perpetrators see any visibly identifiable woman and off they go with their bigotry and prejudice,” Mughal said.
The Muslim Council of Britain also confirmed they had received hate mail which referred to the same derogatory language as Johnson used in his column.
Mohammad Yasin, a Labour politician representing Bedford, told Eastern Eye it was “unacceptable” women have been subjected to abuse due to Johnson’s comments.
“His unnecessarily offensive and calculated comments were not about opening a fair and honest debate, but an insult to women of a minority within a minority group,” Yasin said.
“We have now had over a week of public comment and opinion and political argument within government over whether it is acceptable to sneer at Muslim women in religious dress.
“In my view, this is precisely the divisive conversation Mr Johnson knew his comments
would provoke in the country.”
Labour MP Afzal Khan told Eastern Eye he had called for an inquiry into Islamophobia in the
Tory party for some time now, but had always “been rebuffed”.
The representative for Manchester Gorton also noted the Muslim Council of Britain had presented the party with “irrefutable” evidence of conduct which fell foul of the party’s code of conduct.
“Until the party launches an independent inquiry examining the problem, it will not convince Muslims or other minorities that its house is in order,” he said.
Both politicians shared similar sentiments on the use the burka, stating women should be able to choose what they wear.
“It is for women for all faiths and none to decide how they wish to dress,” Yasin said.
However, there has been some support for Johnson. Comic Rowan Atkinson wrote a public
letter to The Times last week advising him not to apologise and former Tory chief whip Andrew Mitchell said the MP had used “colourful language”, but Johnson should not refute his comments.
In an opinion piece in The Telegraph last Saturday (11), Dr Qanta Ahmed wrote she was thankful for Johnson’s comments. She added much of the hysteria was focused on his analogies rather than his points.
“The nation fails to recognise that Mr Johnson generously – but, in my view as an observant Muslim woman, mistakenly – welcomed British Muslim women as free to choose to wear the veil,” Dr Ahmed said. “…Like many other Muslim women, I am thankful Boris said what he did. To criticise the niqab and to criticise Muslim women are two very different things.”
However, Muslim campaigner Shelina Janmohamed said if Johnson was genuine in addressing the issue, he would have spoken in a more “respectful way”.
“I think people should not be distracted by the fact that there are strong opinions about the
burqa and realise this is one more example of an environment where it is okay to talk about minorities in a way that generates hatred, bigotry and violence,” Janmohamed told Eastern Eye.
“As a nation, we need to have a moment of soul-searching about why it is okay to whip up hate against a minority.”
Janmohamed admitted she had suffered from “vast” amounts of abuse on social media since the comments had come to light.
In 2016-17, information from the police across England and Wales showed there were approximately 80,400 reported hate crimes. This was a 29 per cent an increase from the year before. An estimated 78 per cent of these crimes are racially motivated.
Shaista Gohir OBE, chair of the Muslim Women’s Network UK (MWNUK), told Eastern Eye Johnson deliberately used language similar to racists. She thinks it is to target “intolerant voters”.
“Rather than challenge their attitudes, he is pandering to them because he wants to be the next PM,” she said. “Someone like him is not for fit nor responsible enough to lead the Tory party or be leader on this country.”
Qari Muhammad Asim MBE, a senior Imam, told Eastern Eye the column has “[fanned] the flames of Islamophobia.”
Asked for his view on burkas and hijabs, Asim – who is worship leader at Makkah Masjid mosque in Leeds – stressed it was not a compulsory garment.
Asim further highlighted that not only did the “derogatory” statements play into the hands of the far-right, but also to extremists inspired by militant ideology.
“They try to radicalise young people by saying there is no place for you in British society, then a senior politician is ridiculing members of the Muslim community,” he said. “It is a huge concern.”
As Eastern Eye went to print, Johnson had yet to comment on his remarks.
Newly appointed home secretary Shabana Mahmood arrives at Number 10 at Downing Street as Keir Starmer holds a cabinet reshuffle on September 5, 2025. (Photo: Getty Images)
The King approved a series of new appointments on Friday. David Lammy becomes lord chancellor and secretary of state for justice, and will also serve as deputy prime minister. Yvette Cooper has been named secretary of state for foreign, commonwealth and development affairs.
Mahmood moves from justice secretary to the Home Office. Lisa Nandy will stay on as culture secretary despite months of speculation about her future.
Steve Reed is the new secretary of state for housing, communities and local government. Pat McFadden has been appointed secretary of state for work and pensions.
Peter Kyle is the new secretary of state for business and trade and president of the Board of Trade. Liz Kendall takes over as secretary of state for science, innovation and technology. Emma Reynolds becomes secretary of state for environment, food and rural affairs. Douglas Alexander has been named secretary of state for Scotland.
Jonathan Reynolds has been appointed parliamentary secretary to the Treasury (chief whip) and will sit in cabinet. Sir Alan Campbell becomes lord president of the council and leader of the House of Commons, and will also attend cabinet.
Darren Jones has been appointed chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and will continue as chief secretary to the prime minister.
Angela Rayner, Lucy Powell and Ian Murray have left the government.
Rayner resigned earlier after admitting she had underpaid stamp duty on a seaside flat. In a letter to Starmer, ethics chief Laurie Magnus said Rayner had failed to "heed the caution" of legal advice and considered the ministerial code to have been breached.
"I accept that I did not meet the highest standards," Rayner wrote in her resignation letter, adding she would also step down as housing minister and deputy leader of the Labour Party. "I deeply regret my decision to not seek additional specialist tax advice. I take full responsibility for this error."
In his reply, Starmer said he was "very sad" to see her leave government but added: "You will remain a major figure in our party."
Rayner confirmed she had underpaid stamp duty following reports that she had saved £40,000 ($53,000) by removing her name from the deeds of another property.
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The protests outside the Bell Hotel in Epping triggered a series of demonstrations across the country during heightened tensions over immigration. (Photo: Getty Images)
AN ETHIOPIAN asylum seeker, whose arrest in July led to protests outside a hotel near London where he and other migrants were housed, has been found guilty of sexually assaulting a teenage girl and another woman.
The protests outside the Bell Hotel in Epping, about 20 miles (30 km) from London, triggered a series of demonstrations across the country during heightened tensions over immigration.
Hadush Gerberslasie Kebatu was convicted at Chelmsford Magistrates' Court of sexually assaulting a 14-year-old girl and a woman. He was also found guilty of attempting to sexually assault the girl, inciting her to engage in sexual activity, and harassment.
"This was an incident which became a cause of deep concern for the local community," said prosecutor Rebecca Mundy.
Immigration has become the main political issue in Britain, overtaking concerns about the economy, with record numbers of asylum claims and migrant arrivals by small boats across the Channel.
Prosecutors said that on July 7 the girl had offered Kebatu pizza because he looked hungry. He then tried to kiss her, touched her thigh, said he wanted a baby with her and her friend, and invited them back to the hotel.
The next day, when the girl was in her school uniform, he again attempted to kiss her.
District Judge Christopher Williams said the girl’s evidence was consistent and he did not believe she or other witnesses fabricated their accounts.
Kebatu, who had moved to the Bell Hotel about a week before the incident, denied the charges, telling the court he was "not a wild animal".
The asylum seeker said he was a teacher in Ethiopia and claimed the woman had given him her phone number and repeatedly invited him to her home.
His arrest sparked protests outside the hotel, some of which turned violent. The local council obtained a temporary injunction to prevent asylum seekers from being housed there, but it was overturned last week after a government appeal.
Opposition politicians accused prime minister Keir Starmer of prioritising migrants’ rights over those of local residents.
Government data shows that just over 32,000 migrants were housed in hotels across the UK as of the end of June. The government has said it will end the practice before the next election, scheduled for 2029.
(With inputs from agencies)
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Rayner, 45, announced she would step down as deputy prime minister, housing minister and deputy leader of the Labour Party. (Photo: Getty Image)
Rayner steps down after admitting underpaying property tax
Resigns as deputy prime minister, housing minister and Labour deputy leader
Becomes eighth minister to leave Starmer’s government, and the most senior so far
Her departure comes as Labour trails Reform UK in opinion polls
DEPUTY prime minister Angela Rayner resigned on Friday after admitting she had underpaid property tax on a new home. Her resignation is a fresh setback for prime minister Keir Starmer, who had initially stood by her.
Rayner, 45, announced she would step down as deputy prime minister, housing minister and deputy leader of the Labour Party. She becomes the eighth minister to leave Starmer’s team, and the most senior departure so far.
"I deeply regret my decision to not seek additional specialist tax advice... I take full responsibility for this error," Rayner wrote in her resignation letter to Starmer.
Starmer said he was very sad her time in government had ended in this way but that she had made the right decision.
Labour under pressure in polls
The resignation comes as Labour trails Reform UK in opinion polls. Starmer has already faced criticism over his party’s image, with accusations of hypocrisy linked to accepting costly gifts such as clothing and concert tickets from donors.
Rayner’s exit is seen as a major blow, as she had played a key role in keeping Labour’s left and centrist factions together and was considered more broadly popular than Starmer himself.
From potential successor to resignation
Rayner had been mentioned as a possible successor to Starmer. On Wednesday, she referred herself to the independent adviser on ministerial standards after acknowledging a mistake in her tax payment.
In an interview, Rayner appeared close to tears as she explained that she had set up a trust for one of her sons, who has lifelong disabilities caused by an injury. She sold her share of her family home in northern England to the trust, using the money to buy an apartment in Hove. She believed she did not need to pay the higher tax rate for a second home.
Rayner’s departure adds to a series of losses for Starmer’s government. Eight ministers have now resigned, five over wrongdoing. This is the highest number of ministerial resignations outside cabinet reshuffles for any prime minister at the start of their tenure since at least 1979.
Even Boris Johnson, who later faced widespread criticism over lockdown-breaking parties, saw fewer resignations at the same stage.
Challenges ahead for Starmer
The resignation leaves Starmer weakened as he faces the end of the year, when his government must prepare a budget that is expected to include further tax rises. At the same time, Nigel Farage’s Reform is mounting a growing challenge.
Starmer had hoped to signal a new phase of leadership with a reshuffle on Monday after returning from his summer break. But that effort was overtaken by the allegations against Rayner and by Farage’s claim that the prime minister was stifling free speech.
(With inputs from agencies)
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Migrants swim to board a smugglers' boat in order to attempt crossing the English channel off the beach of Audresselles, northern France. (Photo: Getty Images)
Refugee family reunion scheme suspended as part of migration reforms
Nearly 21,000 visas issued in the past year, mainly to women and children
New rules to include contribution requirements and longer waiting periods
Government expects first migrant returns to France later this month
THE GOVERNMENT has announced it is suspending a scheme that allowed families of refugees in the UK to apply to join their relatives, as part of efforts to cut irregular migration.
Home secretary Yvette Cooper told parliament on Monday that new applications under the refugee family reunion route would be “temporarily” paused while the system is reformed.
“We do need to address the immediate pressures on local authorities and the risks from criminal gangs using family reunion as a pull factor to encourage more people onto dangerous boats,” she said.
Nearly 21,000 visas issued in a year
Home Office figures released earlier this month showed almost 21,000 refugee family reunion visas were granted in the year to June 2025. The majority were issued to women and children.
Cooper said the suspension is ahead of wider reforms due later this year. These will examine “contribution requirements” for family members and “longer periods before newly granted refugees can apply”.
“Until the new framework is introduced, refugees will be covered by the same family migration rules and conditions as everyone else,” she said.
Immigration concerns rising
An Ipsos survey published last month found immigration is currently the top concern for Britons, ahead of the economy and the National Health Service.
Over 111,000 people applied for asylum in the UK in the year to June 2025, the highest number since records began in 2001, according to Home Office data.
Since Keir Starmer became prime minister in July 2024, more than 50,000 migrants have crossed the Channel from northern France. Similar crossings also took place under the previous Conservative government.
The arrivals have fuelled discontent that has been tapped into by Reform UK, led by Nigel Farage, which has overtaken Labour in national opinion polls.
Deal with France
Cooper said the government expects to return the first migrants to France “later this month” under a new agreement.
Under the “one-in, one-out” deal, the UK can send back to France some migrants who crossed the Channel, while accepting the same number of migrants from France who can apply for a visa through an online system. Priority will be given to vulnerable nationalities and those with ties in Britain.
“We expect the first returns to begin later this month,” Cooper said.
“Applications have also been opened for the reciprocal legal route, with the first cases under consideration subject to strict security checks,” she added.
Reform’s challenge to Labour
Reform UK has led Labour in opinion polls for several months, though the next general election is not due until 2029.
(With inputs from agencies)
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Angela Rayner arrives for a cabinet meeting at Downing Street on September 2, 2025. (Photo credit: Reuters)
DEPUTY prime minister Angela Rayner is awaiting the outcome of an investigation into her underpayment of stamp duty on a property in East Sussex, with the findings expected soon.
Prime minister Keir Starmer said he anticipated the report, led by ethics adviser Sir Laurie Magnus, would be delivered “pretty quickly.” He added: “Then, of course, I will act on whatever the report is that's put in front of me.”
Rayner admitted she did not pay the correct tax on an £800,000 flat in Hove. She paid £30,000 in stamp duty after listing it as her main residence. However, as she co-owned another property, she should have paid the higher “second home” rate of £70,000, according to BBC.
The Times reported that Rayner’s lawyers said they had not given her any tax advice and were being made “scapegoats,” contradicting her earlier claim that she had acted on advice.
BBC reported that her allies said she had consulted a conveyancer and two trust law experts.
Starmer’s spokesperson condemned vandalism at Rayner’s Hove property, where “tax evader” had been spray-painted.
“Whatever scrutiny our parliamentarians may face, it is appalling that their private homes should be targeted in this way,” the spokesperson said.