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Tory leadership hopefuls consider BBC debate boycott after question from controversial imam

Sources close to candidates query future participation after 'Zionist's payroll' imam allowed question at last debate

June 20, 2019 08:40
Abdullah Patel asked the candidates, including frontrunner Boris Johnson, about Islamophobia in the Tory Party
1 min read

Several Tory leadership hopefuls are reportedly considering boycotting the next BBC debate after the corporation allowed an imam who made controversial statements about Zionism, Israel and the Jewish people to put a question to the candidates at the last event.

Abdullah Patel, from Bristol, asked Boris Johnson, Jeremy Hunt, Michael Gove, Sajid Javid and Rory Stewart about Islamophobia during Tuesday’s televised debate.

It later emerged Mr Patel had written on Twitter, "How long are the Zionists going to hide behind the Holocaust cry? It was a tragedy, but Gaza today is a repeat of the oppression." He also tweeted: “Every political figure on the Zionist’s payroll is scaring the world about Corbyn.”

Following the revelations, imam was suspended from schools where he was head and deputy head, and from his post at a mosque.