The Conservative Party has said a Tory lawmaker who used the term “Anglo-Muslim relations” in a now-deleted tweet will not be facing further action.
Lichfield MP Michael Fabricant was the recipient of widespread criticism for the comment he made in response to accusations of Islamophobia in the said the ruling Conservative Party.
The tweet came during an exchange with Miqdaad Versi, the Muslim Council of Britain (MCB) media spokesperson accused him of implying “English and Muslim are separate categories”.
Mr Fabricant responded to Versi, who had criticised the Conservative Party regarding allegations of Islamophobia. The politician said the MCB spokesman's "spite and unpleasantness" does not help the "cause of tolerance in this country nor the cause of Anglo-Muslim relations any good at all".
On Wednesday, Fabricant said in a follow-up post that Versi was deliberately "milking and misreading“ and clarified that nationality and religion "are not the same thing".
This character is deliberately milking and misreading the fact that I criticise his tweets for being divisive, damaging to Muslim-nonMuslim relations in this country all for his own ends, and not calling out #LabourAntisemitism.
— Michael Fabricant 🇬🇧 (@Mike_Fabricant) November 18, 2020
Nationality & religion are NOT the same thing. https://t.co/cfqkT9fXlf
A Conservative Party spokesperson accepted the explanation saying that "Michael Fabricant has clarified his tweet" and raised "an important point about how it is the Labour Party that has been investigated by the EHRC for racism'.
“The Conservative Party does not tolerate prejudice and discrimination", the spokesperson added.
In an official party statement released by the party, Mr Fabricant said it is "clear that there is no connection between religion and nationality which is why I have clarified my tweet accordingly".
The MBC has demanded an investigation into Fabricants tweet, which a spokesperson said hinted that "Muslims are foreign and alien to the English”.
“Even though the Conservative Party faces hundreds of allegations of Islamophobia, Tory MP Michael Fabricant attacks MCB spokesperson Miqdaad Versi by urging him to look the other way and focus on bigotry elsewhere”.
“The comment, be it inadvertent or not, betrays a view of Muslims institutionalised in sections of the Conservative Party - that Muslims are not part and parcel of British society", a spokesperson added.
Later, in response to the controversy, Fabricant slammed accusers of being a "troll on Twitter" and for the "misrepresentation" of his comments.
The art of the troll on Twitter:
— Michael Fabricant 🇬🇧 (@Mike_Fabricant) November 19, 2020
Misrepresent someone, attack the misrepresentation and encourage others to do likewise.
The incident comes as the ruling Conservative Party faces complaints to the UK's equalities watchdog over accusations of Islamophobia. The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) released a statement in May saying that the protestations did not warrant a formal investigation.
Last year, during Boris Johnson's leadership campaign, he pledged to tackle the issue and launch an independent inquiry into Islamophobia in the Conservative party.
