Angry Anderson rips up second BBC licence letter

Reform UK's Lee Anderson has said he "will never apologise" to London mayor Sadiq Khan, claiming he had "given our capital city away".

- CLAUDIA SAVAGE

The MP for Ashfield also took aim at the BBC, said some migrants are "destined for a life of crime" and described Just Stop Oil protesters as "undernourished vegans".

Mr Anderson lost the Tory whip earlier this year after he claimed that “Islamists” had “got control” of Mr Khan, comments the London mayor described as “anti-Muslim and racist”.

At Reform UK’s party conference in Birmingham, Mr Anderson said his comments were “constructive criticism” and the London mayor should be “thoroughly ashamed of himself”. The MP, who defected to Reform, added: “I was told at the time that I must apologise to Labour’s mayor in London. Let me tell you, I will never apologise to that man.”

Later, members of the audience in the auditorium chanted “rip it up” as the Reform chief whip brandished a TV licence letter in the room. Addressing the crowd, he said: “Let’s be honest friends, we have made mistakes in the past and when we make mistakes we must apologise, and we have been responsible for some awful things, things like the BBC.”