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DAVID CAMERON was accused yesterday of demeaning the office of prime minister by making “racist” slurs against Labour London mayoral candidate Sadiq Khan.
Tory mayoral candidate Zac Goldsmith has sought to smear his Muslim rival as an extremist sympathiser in a desperate bid to overturn a 10-point poll deficit.
And the PM did his bit for the “dog-whistle” campaign at his weekly parliamentary head-to-head with Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, watched by more than a million people every week.
Responding to a set-up question from a Tory backbencher, Mr Cameron said he was “concerned” that Mr Khan (pictured) had appeared on a platform with Suliman Gani, the imam at the Tooting Islamic Centre, nine times.
Mr Cameron said: “This man supports IS. Anyone can make a mistake about who they appear on a platform with. We’re not always responsible for what our political opponents say. But if you do it time after time after time, it is right to question your judgment.”
His efforts to link Mr Khan with the alleged hate preacher were met with cries of “racist.” Jeremy Corbyn was heard branding Mr Cameron’s comments “disgraceful.”
Later a senior Labour source blasted: “I think it demeans the office of the prime minister to repeat some of these smears. Sadiq has been very strong on issues around terrorism.”
And the attack backfired as it emerged that health minister Jane Ellison had also shared a platform with Mr Gani, while Tory MP Tania Mathias had attended a meeting with him.
Mr Gani has also posted a photo online of a smiling Mr Goldsmith posing alongside him for a photo.
Mr Khan has spoken of how his previous work as a rights lawyer and chairman of the Liberty campaign group brought him into contact with some “pretty unsavoury guys.” But he made clear that he found their views “abhorrent” and rejected the details of Mr Cameron’s claims.
He said: “The Tories are running a nasty dog-whistling campaign that is designed to divide London’s communities.
“I’m disappointed that the Prime Minister has today joined in.
“As mayor, I will be the British Muslim who takes the fight to the extremists.”
