‘A former head of the country’s equalities watchdog has been suspended from the Labour Party over allegations of Islamophobia.
Trevor Phillips, an anti-racism campaigner who previously chaired the Equality and Human Rights Commission, faces an investigation and could be expelled from the party.
He was among a group of 24 public figures who last year declared their refusal to vote for the Labour Party because of its association with anti-Semitism.
However, The Times reported that he is now being investigated over past comments, some of which date back years, including remarks on Pakistani Muslim men sexually abusing children in northern British towns.
The report also cited other comments by Mr Phillips about the failure of some Muslims to wear poppies for Remembrance Sunday.
It is also thought other remarks included the issue of the sympathy shown by some in an opinion poll towards the motives of the Charlie Hebdo attackers.
However, since receiving news of the suspension Mr Phillips has penned a column for The Times on Monday in which he questions the motivation behind the sanction and accuses Labour bosses of ‘political gangsterism’.
Labour officials have reportedly drawn up a draft ‘charge sheet’ that accuses Mr Phillips of using language ‘which targets or intimidates members of ethnic or religious communities, or incites racism, including Islamophobia’.’
