THE Conservative Party is “institutionally Islamophobic,” one of its own peers admitted today.

Baroness Sayeeda Warsi accused the Tories of “turning a blind eye” to anti-Muslim racism in their ranks and said Prime Minister Theresa May had ignored her pleas.

In an interview with PoliticsHome, Ms Warsi said: “I have been raising these issues for over three years and yet still the party fails to act.

“We now have daily examples of the most vile racist and Islamophobic comments from both elected representatives and members and still the party remains in denial.

“What’s even more hurtful and worrying is my party’s complete lack of political will to even acknowledge the extent of the challenge we face.

“This rot is institutional and it’s why I have been urging the Prime Minister and others to hold an independent inquiry.”

Her intervention followed the revelation that Conservative council candidate Peter Lamb had written a string of tweets against Muslims, comparing the Islamic faith to alcoholism and accusing Muslims of “sticking together” with Isis.

Mr Lamb apologised for his remarks and was reinstated as a candidate but resigned from the party yesterday morning.

Fourteen Tory activists have also been expelled for posting racist and Islamophobic comments online.

In response to the lack of interest by Ms May and party chair Brandon Lewis, Ms Warsi has written to senior party figure Sir Mick Davis pressing for action.

A Muslim Council of Britain spokesperson told the Star that the organisation was demanding an independent inquiry into Tory hostility to Muslims, saying: “The scale of Islamophobia at all levels of the party is astonishing.

“We’ve seen MPs, councillors and members engage in bigotry that should have no place in a modern Conservative Party.”

A party spokesperson said: “Discrimination or abuse of any kind is wrong and will not be tolerated.”