Sadiq Khan is facing death threats from Islamists and needs round-the-clock police protection it has been reported just days after under-fire MP Lee Anderson accused him of being ‘controlled’ by extremists.
The mayor of London has been receiving police protection – usually reserved for members of the royal family and a handful of senior cabinet ministers – since 2017.
A source close to the Muslim leader’s security arrangements has now revealed that as well as facing threats from the far right, Mr Khan is also receiving threats from Islamist extremists.
The Labour politician, who denounced Islamist terrorists after the capital faced two Jihadist attacks in 2017 with a third in Manchester, currently has a team of 15 officers protecting him.
Muslims holding public office in western democracies can be seen as targets for Islamist extremists, while Mr Khan also voted in favour of same-sex marriage and is a long champion of LGBTQ rights.
Sadiq Khan is facing death threats from Islamists and needs round-the-clock police protection it has been reported
The revelation comes just days after under-fire MP Lee Anderson accused him of being ‘controlled’ by extremists
A source close to the mayor told the Guardian: ‘Sadiq faces threats from a wide range of sources. His main concern has always been the safety of his family, and also that young people from his background will be put off entering public life.’
Last night it was revealed that Mr Khan had received death threats over the weekend shortly after Mr Anderson said the mayor was controlled by Islamists and has ‘given our capital away to his mates’.
Ipswich resident Christopher Massey, 52, made threats aimed at the mayor in two 999 calls to Suffolk Police’s control room.
The Crown Prosecution Service said Massey had pleaded guilt to two counts of sending communication threatening death or serious harm under the new Online Safety Act. He could now face a prison term.
Speaking on GB News on Friday, Mr Anderson said: ‘I don’t actually believe that these Islamists have got control of our country, but what I do believe is they’ve got control of Khan and they’ve got control of London and they’ve got control of Starmer as well.
‘Again, this stems with Khan, he’s actually given our capital city away to his mates.
‘Beware, because if you let Labour in through the back door, expect more of this and expect our cities to be taken over by these lunatics.’
Mr Anderson to have burned his bridges with PM Rishi Sunak after making clear he will not say sorry to the London mayor (pictured today) ‘while I’ve still got breath in my body’
Rishi Sunak said Mr Anderson was ‘wrong’ to ‘inflame tensions’, but refused to say if he thought his comments to be ‘Islamophobic’
Mr Anderson waded back in on Sadiq Khan claiming the London mayor ‘almost enjoys’ seeing chaotic pro-Palestinian protests outside Parliament
He earlier used a separate TV appearance to claim Mr Khan ‘almost enjoys’ seeing chaotic pro-Palestinian protests outside Parliament.
The Mayor slammed the Ashfield MP for pouring ‘fuel on the fire of anti-Muslim hatred’, labelling his comments as ‘Islamaphobic’ and ‘racist’.
On Saturday, Mr Anderson was stripped of the Conservative whip and was later told he would need to apologise for the language he used.
Last night he told GB News – where he is employed as a presenter – that he refused to apologise to the mayor ‘while I’ve still got breath in my body’ for the controversial attack.
He also declared that he would definitely be standing at the next general election, but when asked whether he would be standing as a Tory MP he said ‘that’s not up to me’.
Less than 24 hours after being suspended from his party, the MP, who was previously a Labour councillor, was spotted in secret talks with head of the Reform Party Richard Tice.
Since being suspended by the Tories on Saturday, Mr Anderson has refused to rule out joining Reform, the party founded by ex-UKIP leader Nigel Farage.
In a round of TV interviews, the Ashfield MP said it was ‘disgusting’ people were accusing him of attacking Mr Khan last Friday because of the Labour politician’s faith.
Mr Anderson was suspended by the Conservative party after he refused to apologise for ‘Islamophobic, racist’ comments
Mr Anderson suggested when he levelled his original criticism at Mr Khan he ‘didn’t think what religion he was, I just think he’s a useless mayor’
Speaking to ITV, Mr Anderson said: ‘I don’t regret it. No, I stick by the sentiment of my comments.
‘It was live TV. You know, we’ve seen a week where we’ve seen massive disruptions around Parliament.
‘We’ve seen Keir Starmer get in his own way and, and ultimately the, the Labour Party getting their own way.
‘Mayor Kahn is a Labour politician. Let’s not forget that. So I was within my rights to attack him and to suggest I’ve attacked him ’cause he’s a Muslim, that’s quite disgusting.’
Meanwhile, No10 said yesterday that Mr Anderson was guilty of conflating all Muslims with Islamist extremism in his initial remarks – but said Mr Sunak did not believe the former senior Tory was a racist.’
The PM’s official spokesman told reporters: ‘The PM responded to these questions yesterday, he doesn’t believe that the individual is a racist but… the language he used was wrong and it’s unacceptable obviously to conflate all Muslims with Islamist extremism or the extreme ideology of Islamism.
‘That’s why the PM regarded those comments as wrong and unacceptable.’