Boris Johnson placed under Conservative party investigation for comparing Muslim women in burqas to 'letter boxes'

Getty

Boris Johnson

• Boris Johnson is to be investigated by an independent panel established by the Conservative party, following his comments about Muslim women who wear burqas.
• The former foreign secretary compared women who wear the items to "letter boxes" and bank robbers.
• The panel will consider whether Johnson should be disciplined following a deluge of complaints against him.
• Johnson has so far refused requests to apologise for the comments.

LONDON - Boris Johnson is to be placed under an official investigation by the Conservative party following a deluge of public complaints about his comments comparing Muslim women who wear burqas to "letter boxes" and bank robbers.

Sources told the Evening Standard that officials were now sifting through a "considerable volume" of public complaints about Johnson's comments.

The complaints will be assessed by an independent panel. Under Conservative party rules MPs must adhere to "minimum standards of behaviour" and "lead by example to encourage and foster respect and tolerance."

Johnson has so far resisted pressure from the Chairman of the Conservative party, numerous MPs, and the prime minister Theresa May herself, to apologise for his comments.

Sources close to Johnson said earlier this week that calls for him to apologise for the comments were "ridiculous".

"It's ridiculous these views are being attacked - we mustn't fall into the trap of shutting down the debate on difficult issues," the source said.

"We have to call it out. If we fail to speak up for liberal values then we're simply yielding ground to reactionaries & extremists."

However Johnson, who is on holiday, has yet to speak publicly about the claims.

This is a developing story...

Our Brexit Insider Facebook group is the best place for up-to-date news and analysis about Britain's departure from the EU, direct from Business Insider's political reporters. Join here.