more now on our top story and the argument engulfing the conservatives after its former deputy chairman, lee anderson, was suspended from the parliamentary party. he d refused to apologise for saying the mayor of london, sadiq khan, was controlled by islamists. the deputy prime minister, oliver dowden, declined to call those comments islamophobic, but said he shared concerns they could be taken that way. he s been speaking to laura kuenssberg on her sunday morning programme. well, that s why the prime minister took action. he gave lee anderson the opportunity to apologise, he didn t take that opportunity. words matter. he didn t choose his words correctly and, having failed to apologise, the prime minister took action and removed the whip. i think that was the appropriate course of action to take. do you agree, though, that the remarks were islamophobic, anti muslim? i don t believe that lee anderson said those remarks she was concerned they would be interpreted, and for th
that is why the prime minister took action, he gave lee anderson the opportunity to apologise. he did not take that opportunity. words matter. he did not choose his words correctly. having failed to apologise, the prime and instead took action and removed the whip which i think was the appropriate course of action. but do you agree that the remarks were islamophobic and anti muslim? i don t believe that lee anderson said those remarks intending to the islamophobic. i listen to the comments of your previous contributor and the way in which she was concerned they would be interpreted, and for exactly that reason, the prime minister asked, and indeed the chief whip asked for that apology and one was not forthcoming and action has been taken. i think that is the appropriate step to take. i think what lee anderson was more broadly expressing in his interview, as others have done, is a deep concern which, by the way, i also share, about the way in which politics is being conducted
while handling conflicts abroad? the prime minister s right hand man oliver dowden is here to answer that question. from salford, labour s lisa nandyjoins us too. he s been caught in the headlines for the wrong reasons of late in charge during the post office scandal. but how does ed davey, the lib dem leader, want to change the script in this year of a general election? and, a week on from the death of alexei navalvny we ask the estonian prime minister what s it like to be one of putin s most wanted. good morning. with you and me for the next 60 minutes halima begum, the boss of the charity action aid, andy burnham, the labour mayor of greater manchester, now author, and therese coffey, who was deputy prime minister herself in liz truss cabinet. she is now a conservative backbench mp. a warm welcome to all three. and welcome to you, too. so let s first of all catch up with what s making the news. keir starmer accuses rishi sunak of harbouring extremists in his party