Boris Johnson launched a report in 2019 following complaints of Islamophobia in the party.
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Boris Johnson’s comments about women wearing the burka have given an impression that the Tories are “insensitive to Muslim communities”, an independent review has said.
The prime minister ordered a report in 2019 into how the party handles discrimination allegations.
It found anti-Muslim views were seen at local association and individual level.
But claims of “institutional racism” were not borne out by evidence of the way complaints were handled.
However, there is “clear evidence” the Conservative party’s complaints system is “in need of overhaul”, according to Professor Swaran Singh’s independent review.
The report warned it “should make for uncomfortable reading for the party”.
But it also said it found “no evidence the party had… systematically failed any particular community”.
In a statement Prof Singh said: “For those unable or unwilling to read all of its 44,000 words, here’s a summary: we found evidence of discrimination, and while the problem is not systemic the party must now act to root it out.”
Responding to the report, a Conservative spokesman said: “The party is considering the recommendations set out by the report. We will respond later.”
Former Conservative Chancellor Sajid Javid said the report contained “distressing examples of anti-Muslim sentiment” and urged his party to “unconditionally” accept the findings.
Another former cabinet minister – and long-standing critic of the party over Islamophobia – Baroness Sayeeda Warsi said each section of the report “reveals a deep and embedded issue of a party at best unable and at worst unwilling to deal with the issue of racism”.
The report was commissioned in December 2019 after accusations of Islamophobic behaviour by some Conservative party members and representatives.
The review, led by Prof Singh, was set up to examine the “nature and extent” of complaints made since 2015 of alleged Islamophobia and discrimination in the Conservative Party.
It considered cases including allegations against Zac Goldsmith’s London mayoral campaign against Sadiq Khan in 2016, and comments made by Boris Johnson in a Telegraph column in 2018, when he wrote that women wearing burkas looked like “letter boxes” or “bank robbers”.
The review said such cases “give an impression to some of a party and leadership insensitive to Muslim communities”.
Speaking to the inquiry, Mr Johnson said: “I am obviously sorry for any offence taken. Would I use some of the offending language from my past writings today? Now that I am prime minister, I would not.”
Concerning his 2016 London mayoral campaign, the report said Zac Goldsmith – now Lord Goldsmith “accepts poor judgement in the way his campaign was conducted but forcefully denies harbouring anti-Muslim sentiments or using such sentiments for political advantage”.
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The report also found:
- From 2015 to 2020 the party’s central database recorded 1,418 complaints concerning 727 incidents of alleged discrimination
- Two-thirds of all incidents reported related to allegations of anti-Muslim discrimination
- Three-quarters of all incidents recorded in the Conservatives’ complaints database involved social media activity
- Sanctions were issued in 231 cases with 50% resulting in a suspension and 29% an expulsion from the party
- In 418 incidences, no action was taken due to, amongst other reasons, lack of evidence or the complaint relating to someone not in the party
- “No evidence” that complaints related to Islam are treated differently from those related to other forms of discrimination
“Judging by the extent of complaints and findings of misconduct by the party itself that relate to anti-Muslim words and conduct, anti-Muslim sentiment remains a problem within the party,” the report added.
“This is damaging to the party, and alienates a significant section of society.”
Responding to Prof Singh’s report, the Equality and Human Rights Commission said: “We will assess the report alongside the investigation’s terms of reference and await the Conservative Party’s response on the actions they will take.
“This process will take some time and we do not anticipate making any further comments until that work is completed.”
The Conservative Party has been accused of failing to tackle Islamophobia within its ranks for a number of years.
In 2018, the then-chairman of the Conservative Muslim Forum Mohammed Amin, accused his party of putting “electoral concerns” ahead of “decisive action” on tackling Islamophobia.
The Conservatives’ first female Muslim cabinet minister, Baroness Warsi, has also long decried her party’s response to the issue, accusing it of “turning a blind eye” and becoming “institutionally Islamophobic”.
During the 2019 race to lead the Conservative party, then-home secretary Sajid Javid challenged all of his fellow contenders – including eventual winner Mr Johnson – to hold an external investigation into the allegations.
The Singh report said the Conservatives should, within six weeks, publish a plan laying out how it intends to tackle the failings highlighted by the investigation.
It also recommended producing a code of conduct and said at least one member of every party association should receive training on the complaints process.
The Muslim Council of Britain had previously criticised the inquiry, describing the terms of reference as a “facade” and argued that the appointment of Prof Singh as the chair meant the report risked being “a whitewash”.
Responding to criticism, Prof Singh said: “I hope fair minded people who read the report will see that we haven’t shied away from criticising the party.”