A Tory minister has launched an outspoken attack on the party’s candidate for London mayor after she claimed Jewish people were “frightened” of Sadiq Khan.
Susan Hall has been widely condemned for the remark, which she made at the Conservative conference in Manchester.
Hall, who will go head-to-head with Khan in next May’s mayoral election, told a fringe meeting: “I live in North London and I know the wealth and joy of the [Jewish] community. But I tell you something else, I know how frightened some of the community is because of the divisive attitudes of Sadiq Khan.
“One of the most important things we can do when I become mayor of London is make it safer for everybody, particularly for our Jewish community, so I will ask for as much help as I can in London because we need to defeat him, particularly for our Jewish community.”
Hall was criticised by the Board of Deputies of British Jews, which said Khan had “treated our community with friendship and respect”.
At another fringe event last night, business minister Nusrat Ghani said: “The language of fear and demeaning our political opponents is not a Conservative value that I recognise. We just shouldn’t stoop to it.
“And furthermore, to get the Board of Deputies to issue a statement to clap that comment down shows these comments do not work, especially when they attract such condemnation from the people that you are purporting to support.
“Have we not learned anything from Zac Goldsmith’s similar attempt in his mayoral candidate which ended in abject failure?”
Ghani was also supported by Northern Ireland minister Steve Baker, who was sitting beside her at the event.
Ghani’s comments came shortly after home secretary Suella Braverman praised Susan Hall and claimed she was the victim of a Labour “smear” campaign.
She said: “If there’s any justice in this world, Susan Hall is going to wipe the floor with him in May.
“They’ve already started the character assassination against Sue. The distortions. The insults. The lies.
“That’s what the Labour Party always does. It prefers smears to debate.”