A Sikh member of British Parliament won applause from his colleagues and praise from progressives around the world Wednesday when he gave an impassioned speech demanding that Prime Minister Boris Johnson publicly apologize for the racist, xenophobic rhetoric he’s spread as the country inches toward a possible exit from the European Union.
Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi, a Labour MP from Slough, stood up in Parliament to denounce Johnson, who took office in July with the approval of Conservative MPs and 160,000 party voters—or just 0.25 percent of the British public—after Theresa May stepped down, as “racist.”
“For those of us who from a young age have had to endure and face up to being called names such as towel-head, or Taliban, or coming from bongo-bongo land, we can fully appreciate the hurt and pain of already vulnerable Muslim women when they are described as looking like bank robbers and letterboxes,” Dhesi said.
“When will the prime minister finally apologize for his derogatory and racist remarks, which have led to a spike in hate crimes?” He added. “When will the prime minister order an inquiry into Islamophobia?”
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The MP noted that Johnson promised a thorough investigation into hate crimes against Muslims and other marginalized communities, but has yet to follow through.
Dhesi’s statement drew applause from his fellow members, a rare occurrence in Parliament under ordinary circumstances.
Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn shared Dhesi’s remarks on social media, asking the public to watch the MP detail how Sikhs, Muslims, and other marginalized groups in the U.K have been affected by the Conservative Party’s push for Brexit.
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