Jeremy Corbyn accuses articles in The Sun of 'inciting Islamophobia' after 100 MPs slam column about 'Muslim problem'

Jeremy Corbyn accuses articles in The Sun of 'inciting Islamophobia' after 100 MPs slam column about 'Muslim problem'

19 August 2017

The Labour leader joined 100 MPs in saying an opinion column about 'The Muslim Problem' in The Sun was "wrong, dangerous and must be condemned"

BYDAN BLOOM

Jeremy Corbyn has accused The Sun of publishing articles that 'incite Islamophobia' after more than 100 MPs complained about an opinion piece.

The Labour leader has waded into the row over a column by Trevor Kavanagh which ended with the words: "What will we do about The Muslim Problem".

A letter signed by 107 MPs, including Labour, Conservatives, Lib Dems and the Greens, complained the "dangerous" article echoed language used about Jews before the Holocaust.

They wrote to the newspaper's editor after Jewish and Muslim groups launched a joint complaint to press regulator IPSO .

Their letter demanded a retraction and questioned whether Mr Kavanagh should be sacked, adding: "It is shocking that in the 21st Century a columnist is using such Nazi-like terminology about a minority community.

"We are sure you are aware how media reporting about Islam and Muslims has created an atmosphere of hostility against Muslims and that hate crime against Muslims is on the rise."

The letter was organised by the Labour MP Naz Shah but also includes former Tory Cabinet ministers Baroness Warsi and Anna Soubry.

Mr Corbyn said: "In recent days, The Sun has published statements that incite Islamophobia and stigmatise entire communities.

"That is wrong, dangerous and must be condemned, as Naz Shah's public letter does in the clearest possible terms."

Published on Monday, the column said Islam was the "one unspoken fear" that links child sex grooming in Rotherham with a "wave of rape" in Germany.

It added: "One day soon, if Philip Hammond and Liam Fox are right, we will be back in charge of immigration.

"What will we do about The Muslim Problem then?"

A spokesman for the Sun said earlier: "We strongly reject the allegation that Trevor Kavanagh is inciting Islamophobia. He is reflecting the links between immigration, religion and crime in the context of a trial of largely Pakistani sex gangs."

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