Ex-Tory deputy chairman joins Reform UK party following his suspension over Islamophobic remarks

By Burak Bir

LONDON (AA) - Lee Anderson, the Conservative Party's former deputy chairman who was recently suspended for making Islamophobic remarks, joined the Reform UK Party on Monday.

Anderson was suspended as a Conservative MP after refusing to apologize for Islamophobic comments, claiming that Islamists had "control" over London Mayor Sadiq Khan.

He did not back down from his remarks and weeks after widespread condemnation, he joined the Reform UK Party, becoming its first-ever MP.

Anderson said at a press conference that he was "prepared to gamble on myself" because he knew "how many people support Reform and what they have to say."

"Following what has been a turbulent few weeks for me, in which I have felt unsupported and cast aside by (my) own party, I have been left to feel politically isolated for representing the common voice of my loyal constituents in Ashfield," he said on X after joining the party.