Islamophobia and the Muslim Vote

How does a party that denies the ‘block-vote’ effect stand up to a challenge from an organisation which seeks to capitalise on a block-vote?

Labour’s Islamophobia Policy says the following:

This does rather beg a question. The following statement comes from www.theMuslimVote.co.uk.

Given that most of the 85 target seats are in Labour held constituencies, will Labour activists be subject to internal struggle sessions to get their thinking right?

The people behind TheMuslimVote clearly believe that there is a community block-vote. They intend to exploit it. But what does Labour think now?

TheMuslimVote are targeting several local Labour seats.

We note that even voting for the defining issue, a ceasefire in Gaza, is not sufficient to get you off the hit-list. 

It is not known whether Tahir Mirza, who has announced his candidacy for East Ham in 2024 is connected to the Muslim Vote organisation, but we suspect that they will be supportive of his candidacy.

Sam Tarry in Ilford North was deselected and the seat will be fought by former council leader Jas Athwal.

In neighbouring Ilford North, Leanne Mohamad who is Palestinian by descent is challenging Wes Streeting and she is supported by TheMuslimVote. 

Rushanara Ali is being challenged by former Lib-Dem candidate, and lawyer for Shemima Begum, Sham Uddin who is now standing as an independent Muslim, again supported by TheMuslimVote.

The tone of the campaign is being set. This was seen in Redbridge in February.

The Evening Standard reported “A survey for the Labour Muslim Network from the start of February estimated that only 60% of British Muslims who backed Labour at the 2019 general election are willing to do so again at the next election”. 

Other surveys have suggested that far fewer Muslim voters see Gaza as THE defining issue. They will also focus on health, the economy, taxation etc. Time will tell which is correct.