This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-36272269
The article has changed 4 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
Version 0 | Version 1 |
---|---|
David Cameron sorry over 'IS' cleric comment | |
(35 minutes later) | |
David Cameron has apologised for "any misunderstanding" after describing a former imam as a supporter of the Islamic State group. | |
He accused Sulaiman Ghani in Parliament of backing the militant group as he questioned Sadiq Khan's judgement in sharing a platform with him. | |
Mr Ghani has said claims he backs IS are defamatory and must be retracted. | |
Earlier on Wednesday, Defence Secretary Michael Fallon apologised for making similar claims. | |
At Prime Minister's Questions in April, Mr Cameron said Mr Khan had appeared on a platform nine times with Mr Ghani, whom the prime minister alleged "supports IS". | |
Mr Ghani said at the time that he wanted to take legal action against Mr Cameron but was unable to do so because of Parliamentary privilege rules, which protect MPs' freedom of speech in the Commons. | |
Downing Street said Mr Cameron was referring to reports that Mr Ghani supports "an" Islamic state. | |
A Number 10 spokesman said: "In reference to the prime minister's comments on Sulaiman Ghani, the prime minister was referring to reports that he supports an Islamic state. The prime minister is clear this does not mean Mr Ghani supports the organisation Daesh and he apologises to him for any misunderstanding." | |
Several senior Conservatives attacked Mr Ghani at the height of the London mayoral race and accused Mr Khan of associating with extremists, an approach which Labour said was illustrative of a "divisive, dog-whistle campaign". | |
Mr Fallon apologised for an "inadvertent error" in labelling Mr Ghani an IS sympathiser. He made the claim about the Tooting preacher during a BBC interview, as he defended the Conservatives' London mayoral election campaign. |