Boris Johnson burka storm: Pressure mounts on for him to say sorry over 'crass' remark saying wearing burka makes women look like 'letter boxes'

Boris Johnson is resisting calls to apologise after sparking a storm with remarks he made about burkas
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A call for Boris Johnson to be expelled from the Tory Party was made by a leading Conservative Muslim as the burka storm grew today.

Conservative peer Lord Sheikh said Theresa May should take “severe action” after the former Foreign Secretary insulted Muslim women by saying wearing the burka made them look like “letter boxes” or “bank robbers”.

“The Party must take action,” said the peer who founded the Conservative Muslim Forum. “I don’t think an apology is enough.

“Take the whip from him. Why not? He’s not a super human being, he’s a member of the party.”

Pressure on the Uxbridge MP to apologise grew as more senior party figures weighed in. Former party chairman Lord Pickles said his remarks were “crass”.

Tory Peer Lord Mohamed Sheikh called for Boris Johnson to have the party whip withdrawn
ITV

Cabinet Minister Jeremy Wright said such comments were not “helpful”.

Conservative Baroness Sayeeda Warsi said his comments are "alienating a whole section of society" in an opinion piece for the Guardian.

She also accused him of making "hate crime more likely."

Lord Pickles said the 'sensible' thing would be for Mr Johnson to apologise
EPA

And a key member of the campaign team that helped Mr Johnson win two terms as Mayor of London spoke up by saying she no longer recognised him.

PR expert Kate Perrior, who went on to run comms at 10 Downing Street, told the Standard: “The Boris I know is liberal and respectful of all different communities. He loves the great melting point that is London and recognises what diverse cultures bring to our capital city.

“I regret he made these comments because I think they are divisive at a time when tensions are already high even though I am no fan of the burka.”

Yesterday, Theresa May and Conservative Party chairman Brandon Lewis called on Mr Johnson to say sorry for his remarks, which were made in a newspaper article that argued against banning face coverings by law while ridiculing them.

Baroness Warsi accused Mr Johnson of making "hate crime more likely" (Picture: PA)

But sources close to Mr Johnson, who is now on holiday, were continuing to insist he would not back down despite the top-level interventions.

Lord Pickles said it would be a “very big leap” to suggest Mr Johnson could be thrown out of the party but he would not rule it out, saying “you never know how these things develop”.

“The very sensible thing would be for him to apologise,” he said.

Culture Secretary Mr Wright said there was no reason not to have a “robust conversation”, but added: “We’re not talking to our friends in the pub, we are public figures and we have an additional obligation to be careful.”

Allies pointed to past remarks by other figures, including Kenneth Clarke who once described the burka as a “bag”, and claimed Mr Johnson was being singled out to stymie his leadership ambitions.

International Aid Secretary Penny Mordaunt, who campaigned alongside Mr Johnson for Brexit, criticised him strongly.

She tweeted: “@BrandonLewis has done the right thing. Remember only two things are the case: either a woman wants to wear the niqab, or she does not.”

Former city hall adviser Munira Mirza said her old boss’s comments on the burka had been “entirely consistent” and highlighted Mr Clarke’s past comments. “The reality is there is a political fight here,” she said. “People who frankly couldn’t care less about the issues that Muslim women face are piling into Boris because Boris said it.”

Close supporters said the episode would not harm Mr Johnson’s chances of winning the Conservative leadership, where the final decision is made by a ballot of activists. “He knows better what ordinary folk think,” said Johnson ally.

Conservative peer Lady Warsi accused Mr Johnson of adopting the “dog-whistle” tactics of former Donald Trump aide Steve Bannon.

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