Paul Scully says he regrets ‘speaking out in the first place’ as the Conservative party faces further accusations of Islamophobia.

The MP for Sutton and Cheam suggested there were ‘no-go zones’ in parts of Birmingham and London with big Muslim populations.

Colleagues of the former Tory minister urged him to take back the comments earlier.

Meanwhile Lee Anderson was suspended from the Conservatives’ parliamentary party over comments about London’s mayor.