This is an accepted version of this page Lee Anderson (born 6 January 1967) is a British Reform UK politician and television presenter who has served as Member of Parliament (MP) for Ashfield since 2019.

He resigned to vote against the government on an amendment relating to the Rwanda asylum plan; he had abstained after stating that he had been taunted by Labour Party MPs in the No lobby.

[3] In February 2024, he had the Conservative whip suspended after refusing to apologise for stating that "Islamists" had "got control" of Sadiq Khan and Keir Starmer.

[6][7] In his youth, Anderson was a member of Arthur Scargill's National Union of Mineworkers and campaigned for the Labour Party's Michael Foot in the 1983 general election.

[13] He was suspended by the local branch of the Labour Party in February 2018 after receiving a community-protection warning by the council for using boulders to block members of the Traveller community from "setting up camp at a site in the area".

[20] Will Moy of Full Fact said: "Misleading campaign techniques from parties and candidates won't only harm those who are caught out, but could damage voter confidence in our political system.

[33] Following the publication of an interim report on the connections between colonialism and National Trust properties, including links with historic slavery,[34] Anderson was among the signatories of a letter by the group in The Telegraph in November 2020.

[33] In response, the All-Party Parliamentary Group Against Antisemitism issued a briefing paper to all Conservative MPs warning against using the term "cultural Marxism", as it may "inadvertently" act as a "dog-whistle for the far-right".

[35] In the same month, Anderson attended a breakfast meeting at Downing Street with Prime Minister Boris Johnson and five other Conservative MPs.

[39][40] In November 2021, Anderson voiced his support for offshore processing of asylum applications in the Falkland Islands, and lobbied an immigration minister on the subject.

[40][42] In a later interview, in February 2023, Anderson commented, when asked on how he would respond to the small boats migrant crisis: "I'd send them straight back the same day.

Martin commented, "It illustrates the point you can produce healthy meals [cheaply] but it's not in the capacity of every family, and not easy to replicate in every household.

[59] He was criticised by Labour MP Chris Bryant for making alleged transphobic comments about the comedian Eddie Izzard in an interview in October 2022, and Ashfield Independent Councillor David Hennigan reported Anderson to the Metropolitan Police.

[64] In February 2023, The Guardian reported that Michael Hollis, who runs a food bank charity, was pursuing a libel claim against Anderson.

[65] In August 2023, Anderson commented that any asylum seekers who disliked being housed in barges such as the Bibby Stockholm "should fuck off back to France".

Justice Secretary Alex Chalk voiced his support for Anderson on behalf of the government, stating that although his language was "salty", his "indignation is well placed" and "not bigotry at all".

[68][69] In January 2024, Anderson resigned, along with Brendan Clarke-Smith, as Deputy Chairman of the Conservative Party, in order to vote for an amendment on the Safety of Rwanda (Asylum and Immigration) Bill.

[70] The amendment, put forward by Bill Cash, would "ensure UK and international law could not be used to prevent or delay a person being removed to Rwanda.

"[71] In November 2024, Anderson apologised for swearing following an investigation on bullying and harassment by parliament's watchdog which found he swore at a security guard and said "everyone opens the door to me".

[72] On 24 February 2024, Anderson had the Conservative parliamentary whip suspended for his unwillingness to apologise for comments in a GB News discussion on an article by former Home Secretary Suella Braverman where she had stated that "The truth is that the Islamists, the extremists and the antisemites are in charge now".

"[73][74][75] GB News issued a statement on 26 February, which had been drafted by Anderson two days earlier in which he declined to apologise for his comments but said that his "words may have been clumsy but... were borne out of sheer frustration at what is happening to our beautiful capital city.

[79] Anderson had previously been critical of Reform UK, saying it was "not a proper political party" and describing its leader Tice as a "pound shop Farage".

[83][84][85][86] GB News announced in March 2023 that Anderson would host a show on the channel on a £100,000 salary, whilst also working full time as the MP for Ashfield.

[90] He was criticised in the same month by the Serjeant at Arms, the official responsible for maintaining order in the House of Commons, for using the parliamentary rooftop to film a promotion video for the show.