‘Lunatics have taken over the asylum’: Lee Anderson furiously blasts Angela Rayner over ‘failure to answer basic Islamophobia question’

The Reform UK MP said Rayner failed to do so - and went about laying into the Labour figure.

“It was just a basic question - not exactly mischief”, he said.

“Angela Rayner was banging on about Islamophobia and now the Labour Party are going hell for leather to root out Islamophobia.

“I decided to ask a really difficult question, Martin, which was to define Islamophobia.

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“She couldn’t tell me. The lunatics have taken over the asylum.”

It comes after Rayner laid out Government plans to amend its definition after a series of riots swept the country in July.

The Communities Secretary accused the previous government of “stoking division” as she revealed Labour are “actively considering” the move.

In 2019, the all-parliamentary group (APPG) on British Muslims devised a definition of Islamophobia as “rooted in racism and is a type of racism that targets expressions of Muslimness or perceived Muslimness.”

Labour MP Afzal Khan (Manchester Rusholme) had previously called on Keir Starmer to host meetings with Muslim community leaders and to formally adopt the definition of anti-Muslim prejudice by the APPG.

Rayner said in the Commons on Monday that her department is “at the heart of the Government’s work to restore order and unity”.

Asked to give a definition of Islamophobia, Rayner responded:“A new definition must be given careful consideration so that it comprehensively reflects multiple perspectives and considers potential implications for different communities.

“And we’re actively considering our approach to Islamophobia, including definitions, and we’ll provide further updates on this in due course.”