The success of impartial candidates within the UK election has despatched a robust sign to prime minister Keir Starmer that he ought to take severely the sense of marginalisation and frustration amongst Muslim voters.
His authorities and social gathering might want to restore relations with Muslim communities throughout the UK if he needs this to be a blip reasonably than a long-term pattern.
A number of impartial candidates beat Labour MPs by operating on tickets criticising Labour for failing to take robust sufficient motion on Gaza. Some took seats from Labour, others got here shut. Their successes replicate a disquiet amongst Muslim voters and a disengagement from conventional social gathering politics.
In one of the vital stunning outcomes of the 2024 election, Jonathan Ashworth, a member of Labour’s shadow cupboard, misplaced his Leicester South seat to impartial candidate Shockat Adam.
Adam turned over a majority of 20,000, having campaigned on points associated to Gaza. In his first speech within the Home of Commons, Adam instructed his voters he would “converse up for them in these corridors of energy”. He additionally vowed to “converse in regards to the injustices of the world” with a concentrate on the “forgotten in Yemen” and “victims of battle in Sudan”.
In Blackburn, impartial candidate Adnan Hussein overturned Labour’s earlier majority of over 10,000 to attain a slender victory by 132 votes. Iqbal Mohamed, one other impartial, took Dewsbury and Batley in Yorkshire by 7,000 votes. And Ayoub Khan overturned a majority of 15,000 to take Birmingham Perry Barr from Khalid Mahmood by 500 votes.
There have been incidents of threats and verbal abuse through the election. Jess Phillips, MP for Birmingham Yardley, described “a completely horrible marketing campaign”. Shortly after being voted in, Adam was compelled to overlook the federal government’s announcement on help funding for Gaza because of a possible dying risk towards him.
Starmer’s authorities ought to take a agency line, investigating and, the place applicable, prosecuting these concerned. Then begins the very important work of coping with the reputable considerations of Muslim communities.
The Labour social gathering’s manifesto included a dedication to recognise Palestinian sovereignty. A couple of days after the election, funding was reinstated to the UN Reduction and Works Company, an help supply physique working in Gaza.
This can be a begin. However the resolution doesn’t finish at stronger management on Israel-Palestine. These needs to be the primary three steps to reassuring the UK’s Muslim residents that their wants are being taken severely:
1. Perceive what drove the impartial vote
The impartial vote was not solely about Gaza. Socio-economic drawback was an element, too. Adam pledged to struggle to abolish the two-child profit cap – a welfare coverage that limits common credit score and little one tax credit to a household’s first two youngsters. The Muslim Council of Britain argued in 2019 that this coverage impacts Muslims greater than different religion teams. Figures on the time confirmed 46% of Muslims lived within the ten most disadvantaged native authorities in England and 60% of Muslim youngsters lived in households with three or extra dependent youngsters.
Starmer has no plans to scrap the two-child cap however should ship his manifesto pledges referring to financial progress. This may give hope to Muslim communities within the UK’s poorest areas.
In keeping with the final census, respondents figuring out as Muslim in England and Wales had the bottom share of individuals aged 16 to 64 in employment. They have been much less more likely to personal their dwelling and practically 4 occasions extra more likely to dwell in overcrowded properties than the final inhabitants.
2. Cope with Islamophobia
Knowledge gives an incomplete image however anti-Muslim discrimination is widespread within the UK.
Analysis has confirmed that anti-Muslim prejudices, discrimination and hatred kind a typical a part of on a regular basis life for a lot of Muslims within the UK.
The Metropolitan Police recorded a rise in Islamophobic incidents following the terrorist assaults by Hamas on October 7. There have been 101 incidents between October 1 and 18 2023 – up from 44 incidents throughout the identical interval in 2022.
Shutterstock/Michael Tubi
The report of the final authorities was largely one in every of inaction. It didn’t undertake an official definition of Islamophobia regardless of one being proposed by the All-Celebration Parliamentary Group on British Muslims. This outlined the issue as “rooted in racism and is a kind of racism that targets expressions of Muslimness or perceived Muslimness”.
When in opposition, the Labour social gathering adopted this definition but it surely isn’t but clear if the plan is now to make it the federal government’s definition.
Both manner, a definition of some form must be adopted rapidly. This may then kind the idea for daring insurance policies to deal with Islamophobia.
3. Rebuild relations with Muslim organisations
As a 3rd plan of action, the brand new Labour authorities must rebuild a community of officially-endorsed organisations that signify and assist Muslim communities within the UK. At present, engagement with Muslim-led organisations is non-existent.
Organisations such because the Muslim Council of Britain are well-placed to make a significant contribution to this re-building work. Nonetheless, the UK authorities suspended hyperlinks with the MCB in 2009. This was because of its place on Gaza and for allegedly condoning assaults on British troops.
Extra just lately, the MCB had restored casual contact with MPs and civil servants to debate vital issues affecting Muslims communities. These intermittent relations stopped after the UK authorities minimize funding for the Inter Religion Community – a charity working to extend cooperation between religion communities – in February 2024. This was after the organisation appointed a former deputy secretary basic of the MCB as a trustee.
With or with out the MCB, the federal government – maybe by way of Angela Rayner as secretary of state for housing, communities and native authorities – could be well-advised to reassess its standards for participating with Muslim-led organisations.
The Fee for Countering Extremism, a Dwelling Workplace-funded advisory physique, might play a key position right here in enabling a constructive dialogue between Muslim communities and the federal government.
If Starmer follows these steps, he can start the method of constructing a programme of group engagement. Doing so will encourage a return to mainstream politics throughout the Muslim communities his authorities now serves.
