A MEMBER of Parliament says she is “deeply worried” about a reported rise in hate crime against immigrants since the vote to leave the European Union — and blames those behind the Vote Leave campaign.

Yasmin Qureshi, MP for Bolton South East, said she has been overwhelmed with emails and social media messages from people regarding what she described as a “sharp rise” in incidents of hatred against immigrants since last week’s Brexit vote.

Ms Qureshi, who was born in Pakistan, has now directed an urgent question on the matter to Home Secretary Theresa May and has called on prominent Vote Leave campaigners such as Nigel Farage and Boris Johnson to apologise for their “disgusting” campaign.

Ms Qureshi said: “People are reporting a big and sharp rise in incidents of hatred against immigrants since the Brexit vote. We have heard people having racist comments shouted at them in the street and being told to go home.

“I think a lot of this and be put down to the disgraceful campaign run by Vote Leave in the build up to the referendum.”

She added: “I am worried about the effect this could have on people in Bolton.”

In her question to Ms May — who is believed to be considering running to become the new leader of the Conservatives and subsequently the new Prime Minister — Ms Qureshi asks if the Home Secretary will make a statement on the issue.

She said: “I have also pointed out to her that no one from Vote Leave has come out to apologise for this or even to condemn what is taking place.

“Unless people like Nigel Farage and Boris Johnson start to become responsible and start speaking differently then I think we are going to have some real difficulties.

She added: “There are a lot of very worried people in the country at the moment.”