The local election results have rattled the Establishment, primarily due to voting trends among Muslims across the country. Despite Labour’s overall positive performance nationally, this wasn’t entirely reflected in the voting patterns of Muslim electorates.
According to Sky News analysis, in local authorities where the Muslim population is under 5%, Labour saw a rise of 1.1 percentage points in its vote share. However, in areas where the Muslim population exceeds 20%, Sir Keir Starmer’s party faced a notable decline of 17.9 points in their vote share, leading to lost seats to the Greens, independents, and the Workers Party of Britain.
Labour’s Shadow Chancellor, Rachel Reeves, acknowledged that areas with substantial Muslim populations had distanced themselves from the party due to its stance on the Middle East conflict.
Speaking to LBC, she expressed Labour’s commitment “to rebuild relations, which we know are frayed with the Muslim community.” Reeves stated that Keir Starmer and David Lammy would spearhead efforts to rebuild these connections.
The Establishment was particularly incensed because Muslim voters turned out in significant numbers and used their votes to emphasize the importance of addressing Muslim issues and their power in influencing outcomes in crucial races across England, particularly some Labour seats.
For instance, in Birmingham, nearly 70,000 Muslim voters rallied behind independent candidate Akhmed Yakoob in the West Midlands Mayoral elections. Similarly, in Oldham, where Muslims constitute around 24% of the population, there was strong support from Muslim voters for independent candidates resulting in a surprising defeat for Labour, leading to the loss of overall control of the Council.
And in Kirklees, where they make up about 14%, Labour lost control of the councils as independents and the Greens made gains. This shift was indicative of a broader trend where Muslim voters were disillusioned with Labour’s stance on issues like the Gaza conflict (see p 6).
With Labour well ahead in the polls, it remains uncertain whether the influence of Muslim voters in local elections will carry over to the General Election in July. However, this uncertainty has not stopped Islamophobes and the Establishment from expressing alarm at Muslims exercising their electoral rights.
The Daily Mail headlined, “Dozens of pro-Gaza activists are elected to councils across Britain as fears grow the Middle East conflict will dominate many town halls.” Former Tory Cabinet Minister Sir Jacob Rees-Mogg complained that “foreign affairs are a matter for the House of Commons, not local councils,” expressing concern that a similar pattern in the General Election could reshape Parliament.
On GB News, Allison Pearson stated, “We could be looking at the gradual Islamification of our country. We do not want a bunch of Muslim councillors dictating British foreign policy,” without facing any challenge. “Choosing their politics based on who and what they are. Their religion or their race or anything like that. That is foreign to us,” said Trevor Phillips, presenter at Sky News, during a discussion on the impact of Muslim votes on Labour.
Shabana Begum, CEO of the Runnymede Trust, rightly emphasized that demonising Muslims is not the path to fostering their engagement in the democratic process.
“Treating Muslim voters and the legitimate expression of their interests as a threat to British democracy is a deeply harmful exercise that undermines the very fabric of the infrastructures that allow complex societies to function,” she wrote in Huck magazine.
So, there is growing concern that while the Tories may focus on securitising and maligning Muslims, Labour might be tempted to overlook Muslim voters, despite comments by some leading Labour politicians that they would look to rebuild relations with Muslim voters, risking the alienation of a key demographic. Historically and even now, the Conservative Party has not actively sought the Muslim vote.
What is of unique concern to the Muslim community is the fear of being targeted in right-wing and Tory electioneering, which could amplify Islamophobia and unfairly accuse Labour of aligning with Muslims.
For example, as we go to print, Nigel Farage told Sky News’ Sunday Morning with Trevor Phillips that a “growing number” of young Muslims do not subscribe to British values.
The honorary president of Reform UK said, “We have a growing number of young people in this country who do not subscribe to British values.” When asked if he was referring to Muslims, Farage confirmed, “We are.”
(Photo credit: AI Image/ GenCraft)
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