Prime Minister David Cameron faced cries of “racist” in the House of Commons on Wednesday as he accused Labour’s London mayoral candidate Sadiq Khan of sharing a platform with an extremist supporter of Islamic State.
During Prime Minister’s Questions, Cameron said Khan had appeared nine times alongside Suliman Gani, a radical imam whom the PM claimed supports IS. Labour MPs shouted “racist” in response, but Cameron insisted: “This man supports IS. I think they are shouting down this point because they don’t want to hear the truth.”
However, the claim was quickly undermined when Gani told LBC Radio that he had backed the Conservative candidate in Tooting at the last general election and even supplied canvassers. He accused the Tories of using him “as a scapegoat to discredit Sadiq Khan.” Labour MP Neil Coyle said the PM’s “desperate dog-whistle” had backfired.
Downing Street defended the prime minister, saying Cameron was merely questioning Khan’s judgment. But Labour figures accused the Conservatives of running a “nasty, dog-whistling campaign” designed to divide London’s communities. Former shadow business secretary Chuka Umunna said: “They would not be raising these questions if Sadiq was not a Muslim.”
Gani himself rejected the claims, arguing he has always condemned Isis and challenging Cameron to repeat his comments outside the chamber so he could sue for defamation. Labour sources pointed out that Gani has also shared a stage with a Conservative health minister.
