John Cleese says criticism of Islam is "not racist, it's culturalist".

The 86-year-old actor and comedian has described criticism of the religion as "Islamosceptic", after MP Rupert Lowe - who is carrying out an independent inquiry into sex abuse gangs - claimed the Muslim Council of Britain stated some of his inquiry's findings were "Islamophobic".

However, Fawlty Towers co-creator John has insisted phobias are "for spiders" rather than "criticising a religion".

He wrote on X: "I'll say again...

Criticism of Islam is not racist, it's culturalist

For example, disapproving of Female Genital Mutilation

is not racist

Criticism of Islam is Islamosceptic. There is no phobia involved in criticising a religion. That's for spiders

Life of Brian is not Christophobic. The Pythons did not have a phobia about Christianity. We were sceptical about some of its adherents

Trying to win arguments by changing the meaning of words is a cheap debating trick (sic)"

John's comments come after MP Rupert wrote on LinkedIn: "The Muslim Council of Britain has stated that certain findings from our rape gang inquiry are Islamophobic. This may have worked before to shut down debate. It will not work now. We are going to continue our inquiry, and we are going to continue telling the truth."

Rupert is one of the signatories for a new Early Day Motion entitled "Rape gang overseas trafficking", which was tabled in Parliament on Tuesday (10.02.26).

On the UK Parliament website, the motion text reads: "That this House expresses grave concern at evidence presented during recent independent hearings into organised child sexual exploitation indicating that a number of women and girls may have been trafficked overseas to Pakistan and elsewhere by those responsible for their abuse; notes that the Rape Gang Inquiry has received multiple witness statements alleging that victims were deliberately targeted to be removed from the United Kingdom in order to maintain control, prevent disclosure and obstruct investigation; recognises that such allegations, if proven, would constitute serious offences including human trafficking and modern slavery; further recognises the profound safeguarding failures that would be implied if victims were able to be taken abroad without effective intervention by public authorities; and calls on the Government to initiate, as a matter of urgency, a full and properly resourced national investigation into the alleged overseas trafficking of victims connected to organised sexual exploitation."