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| Equalities professor to head Tory inquiry into discrimination in party | Equalities professor to head Tory inquiry into discrimination in party |
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| PM faces criticism after initially pledging to hold inquiry specifically into Islamophobia | PM faces criticism after initially pledging to hold inquiry specifically into Islamophobia |
| The Conservative party has appointed a former equality and human rights commissioner to lead a broad-brush review of its handling of complaints of discrimination after Boris Johnson broke his promise to hold an inquiry specifically into Tory Islamophobia. | |
| The prime minister, who has himself publicly ridiculed Muslim women who wear the burqa, reneged on his pledge to hold the more focused inquiry within a fortnight of making the vow live on television as he sought the Conservative leadership this summer. | The prime minister, who has himself publicly ridiculed Muslim women who wear the burqa, reneged on his pledge to hold the more focused inquiry within a fortnight of making the vow live on television as he sought the Conservative leadership this summer. |
| Johnson faced staunch criticism as the plan was quickly watered down and the Tories have opened numerous investigations into allegations of Islamophobic behaviour by party figures in recent months. | Johnson faced staunch criticism as the plan was quickly watered down and the Tories have opened numerous investigations into allegations of Islamophobic behaviour by party figures in recent months. |
| While he has declined to apologise for his comments made in newspaper articles, Johnson has said sorry in more general terms for “all the hurt and offence that has been caused” by Islamophobia within the Tory party during the general election campaign. | While he has declined to apologise for his comments made in newspaper articles, Johnson has said sorry in more general terms for “all the hurt and offence that has been caused” by Islamophobia within the Tory party during the general election campaign. |
| On Tuesday, five days after the vote that handed the party a solid Commons majority, the Conservatives announced appointed Prof Swaran Singh to lead an independent review into its handling of complaints of any form of discrimination and prejudice. | On Tuesday, five days after the vote that handed the party a solid Commons majority, the Conservatives announced appointed Prof Swaran Singh to lead an independent review into its handling of complaints of any form of discrimination and prejudice. |
| The party said the review would look at how it could improve its processes, to ensure “any instances are isolated, and that there are robust processes in place to stamp them out as and when they occur”. | The party said the review would look at how it could improve its processes, to ensure “any instances are isolated, and that there are robust processes in place to stamp them out as and when they occur”. |
| Its chairman, James Cleverly, said it was committed to stamping out “unacceptable abuse”. He added: “The Conservative party has always worked to act swiftly when allegations have been put to us and there are a wide range of sanctions to challenge and change behaviour. | Its chairman, James Cleverly, said it was committed to stamping out “unacceptable abuse”. He added: “The Conservative party has always worked to act swiftly when allegations have been put to us and there are a wide range of sanctions to challenge and change behaviour. |
| “The Conservative party will never stand by when it comes to prejudice and discrimination of any kind and it is right to hold an independent review, so we can stamp out unacceptable abuse that is not fit for public life.” | “The Conservative party will never stand by when it comes to prejudice and discrimination of any kind and it is right to hold an independent review, so we can stamp out unacceptable abuse that is not fit for public life.” |
| Singh is a professor of social and community psychiatry at the University of Warwick. | Singh is a professor of social and community psychiatry at the University of Warwick. |
| When it emerged that the promised Islamophobia-specific inquiry would not be forthcoming, the Muslim Council of Britain accused the Tories of “denial, dismissal and deceit” over the issue. | When it emerged that the promised Islamophobia-specific inquiry would not be forthcoming, the Muslim Council of Britain accused the Tories of “denial, dismissal and deceit” over the issue. |
| “Rowing back on the promise only demonstrates further unwillingness to deal with bigotry seriously. We expect nothing less than a full and independent inquiry into Islamophobia,” it said in June. | “Rowing back on the promise only demonstrates further unwillingness to deal with bigotry seriously. We expect nothing less than a full and independent inquiry into Islamophobia,” it said in June. |
| The Conservatives have also been heavily criticised by their former chair, Sayeeda Warsi, who has long campaigned against Islamophobia in the party. | The Conservatives have also been heavily criticised by their former chair, Sayeeda Warsi, who has long campaigned against Islamophobia in the party. |