As most of us are aware, the United Kingdom will have its general election next Thursday 12th December. The upcoming election has been described as one of the most important elections in a generation, and certainly the most important election in the history of Muslims in the UK.
The past few years in the UK has seen several political issues debated, including Brexit, the NHS, crime, racist and Islamophobic counter-terrorism policies, and many other things. No doubt you are asking yourself: what matters to Muslims? Which political party cares most about Muslims? Who should I vote for?
To make your life easier, MEND has produced a simple checklist to help you make maximum use of your vote in shā Allāh in an informed fashion.
-
Which party to vote for?
MEND have written to all parties and liaised with countless candidates on the ground to see who is willing to sign up to their pledges. MEND have created an infographic that outlines a ‘league table’ exhibiting where the main political parties stand on Muslim issues.
Have a read of the infographic, think about what matters to you, and vote with your conscience. We measured each party manifesto against our Policy Pledge areas. We scored each area as follows:
-
Which candidate to vote for?
In the UK, the way that the Muslims are spread across constituencies means that we have more potential power than our numbers. Our research at MEND has shown that Muslims live in large numbers in many marginal seats – some of which were won in the past by only a few dozen votes. The Muslim vote could be the deciding vote if we are organised and proactive.
Last month, MEND released the findings of a survey concluding that up to 50 seats across the country could be heavily influenced by Muslim voters. Many have cited that 50 seats in a ‘hung parliament’ could prove critical.
Muslim voters could affect the outcome in next week’s general election in more than 30 marginal constituencies. These include Kensington in London, where the Labour candidate, Emma Dent Coad, is defending a majority of 20. Other constituencies include Dewsbury in West Yorkshire, and Pendle in Lancashire, among others.
MEND has uploaded answers from all candidates responding to the Muslim pledges survey here. Simply enter your postcode to find out which of your local candidates has agreed to what pledge.
-
What matters to Muslims?
You can read MEND’s Muslim Manifesto on what matters and view the pledges we are asking political parties and local prospective candidates to sign up to as a means of protecting Islam and Muslims in the UK in shā Allāh. The pledges cover halal meat, the niqab, Muslims schools, Islamophobia, and much more.
We hope you find this information useful and that you definitely get out and vote next Thursday for the most Muslim-friendly party and candidates. The provided information above will aid in your decision-making in shā Allāh.
We pray that Allāh (subḥānahu wa taʿālā) protects and preserves Islam and Muslims in the UK and across the entire world. Āmīn.
[donationbanner]
Source: www.islam21c.com
The Labour Party election manifesto says precious little about matters specific to Islam and Muslims although it is liberally sprinkled with references to BAME.
The National Education Service section states: “We will review the curriculum to ensure that it enriches students and covers subjects such as black history and continues to teach issues like the Holocaust” on page 39, and in the Women and Equalities Section it states: “Create an Emancipation Educational Trust to educate around migration and colonialism, and to address the legacy of slavery and teach how it interrupted a rich and powerful black history which is also British history” on page 67.
However, it says nothing about including Islamic history (such as the Golden Age of Islam) in the National Curriculum, or a greater emphasis on teaching Islam in religious studies lessons, rather than Christianity and ethics and philosophy which currently dominates the curriculum.
On counter-terrorism, the Police and Security section states: “We will review the Prevent programme to assess both effectiveness and potential to alienate communities and consider alternatives including safeguarding programmes to protect those vulnerable to the recruitment propaganda and ideologies of the far-right and others who promote terror as a political strategy” on page 44, and “We will ensure the powers exercised by the security services are proportionate and used in accordance with human rights” on page 43.
However, there is no visible commitment to repeal Prevent or any of the counter-terrorism legislation enacted by the Blair government or the successive Conservative government.
Also on page 43 it states: “A police force working within our communities, with the capacity to gather local intelligence, is also the frontline of our domestic security – the first eyes and ears of effective counter-terrorism” and “We will ensure closer counter terrorism co-ordination between the police and the security services, combining neighbourhood expertise with international intelligence”.
In other words, more spying on and surveillance of Muslims by the police and MI5.
The Labour Party have pledged to introduce abortion, on-demand, for any reason, right up to birth.
Their election manifesto states: “We will uphold women’s reproductive rights and decriminalise abortions” on page 48 – in the Justice section rather than the NHS and Social Care section.
Jeremy Corbyn personally supports the full decriminalisation of abortion.
https://wheredotheystand.org.uk/t/islington-north/jeremy-corbyn
Jeremy Corbyn is renowned for being a long time advocate of homosexuality and LGBT rights since his days as a London councillor in the 1970s and he has voted unwavering in favour of nearly every piece of LGBT rights legislation since he was elected as an MP in 1983. He also voted in favour of same sex marriages on three occasions between 2013 and 2019.
https://www.theyworkforyou.com/mp/10133/jeremy_corbyn/islington_north/divisions?policy=826
https://www.theyworkforyou.com/mp/10133/jeremy_corbyn/islington_north/divisions?policy=6686
The Labour Party has pledged make RSE compulsory in schools and incorporate LGBT rights and history into the National Curriculum.
Their election manifesto states: “Put LGBT+ equality at the heart of government, ensuring our public services are LGBT+ inclusive and delivering on the national LGBT Action Plan” and “Provide sufficient funding for schools to deliver mandatory LGBT+ inclusive relationships and sex education” on page 69.
The advocacy group MEND has created an infographic comparing several policies of the establishment political parties, and concluded that the Labour Party best meets the priorities of the Muslim community. My verdict is that they have misled voters by failing to factor in variables of (im)morality and fitna, and they appear on matters relating to minorities to have somewhat conflated matters specifically relevant to Muslims with those intended for ethnic minorities in general. MEND has also failed to factor in an intelligent handling of Brexit – one of the most prominent issues in this general election. Every man on the street will tell you that Labour is ambiguous when it comes to Brexit and over the past three years Jeremy Corbyn has changed his position on Brexit like the weather.
This might be a very bitter pill to swallow but my plea is for Muslims to forget tuition fees, forget ten years of crushing austerity, forget the NHS, forget Islamophobia in the Conservative Party and Boris as PM, as compelling reasons to vote Labour and instead focus on upholding moral standards and combating fitna. I find it difficult to understand how any Muslim, or even non-Muslim of high moral standards, could ever support Labour with many of the social policies it has. My own belief is that Jeremy Corbyn is not a hero but a villain and Muslims who support him have sadly been taken for a ride.
The strapline of Labour is “For the many, not the few”. The truth is that secularists and social liberals are the many and Muslims are the few.
The advocacy group MEND has created an infographic comparing several policies of the establishment political parties, and concluded that the Labour Party best meets the priorities of the Muslim community. My verdict is that they have misled voters by failing to factor in variables of (im)morality and fitna, and they appear on matters relating to minorities to have somewhat conflated matters specifically relevant to Muslims with those intended for ethnic minorities in general. MEND has also failed to factor in an intelligent handling of Brexit – one of the most prominent issues in this general election. Every man on the street will tell you that Labour is ambiguous when it comes to Brexit and over the past three years Jeremy Corbyn has changed his position on Brexit like the weather.
This might be a very bitter pill to swallow but my plea is for Muslims to forget tuition fees, forget ten years of crushing austerity, forget the NHS, forget Islamophobia in the Conservative Party and Boris as PM, as compelling reasons to vote Labour and instead focus on upholding moral standards and combating fitna. I find it difficult to understand how any Muslim, or even non-Muslim of high moral standards, could ever support Labour with many of the social policies it has. My own belief is that Jeremy Corbyn is not a hero but a villain and Muslims who support him have sadly been taken for a ride.
The strapline of Labour is “For the many, not the few”. The truth is that secularists and social liberals are the many and Muslims are the few.
The Labour Party have pledged to introduce abortion, on-demand, for any reason, right up to birth.
Their election manifesto states: “We will uphold women’s reproductive rights and decriminalise abortions” on page 48 – in the Justice section rather than the NHS and Social Care section.
Jeremy Corbyn personally supports the full decriminalisation of abortion.
https://wheredotheystand.org.uk/t/islington-north/jeremy-corbyn
Jeremy Corbyn is renowned for being a long time advocate of homosexuality and LGBT rights since his days as a London councillor in the 1970s and he has voted unwavering in favour of nearly every piece of LGBT rights legislation since he was elected as an MP in 1983. He also voted in favour of same sex marriages on three occasions between 2013 and 2019.
https://www.theyworkforyou.com/mp/10133/jeremy_corbyn/islington_north/divisions?policy=826
https://www.theyworkforyou.com/mp/10133/jeremy_corbyn/islington_north/divisions?policy=6686
The Labour Party has pledged make RSE compulsory in schools and incorporate LGBT rights and history into the National Curriculum.
Their election manifesto states: “Put LGBT+ equality at the heart of government, ensuring our public services are LGBT+ inclusive and delivering on the national LGBT Action Plan” and “Provide sufficient funding for schools to deliver mandatory LGBT+ inclusive relationships and sex education” on page 69.
The Labour Party election manifesto says precious little about matters specific to Islam and Muslims although it is liberally sprinkled with references to BAME.
The National Education Service section states: “We will review the curriculum to ensure that it enriches students and covers subjects such as black history and continues to teach issues like the Holocaust” on page 39, and in the Women and Equalities Section it states: “Create an Emancipation Educational Trust to educate around migration and colonialism, and to address the legacy of slavery and teach how it interrupted a rich and powerful black history which is also British history” on page 67.
However, it says nothing about including Islamic history (such as the Golden Age of Islam) in the National Curriculum, or a greater emphasis on teaching Islam in religious studies lessons, rather than Christianity and ethics and philosophy which currently dominates the curriculum.
On counter-terrorism, the Police and Security section states: “We will review the Prevent programme to assess both effectiveness and potential to alienate communities and consider alternatives including safeguarding programmes to protect those vulnerable to the recruitment propaganda and ideologies of the far-right and others who promote terror as a political strategy” on page 44, and “We will ensure the powers exercised by the security services are proportionate and used in accordance with human rights” on page 43.
However, there is no visible commitment to repeal Prevent or any of the counter-terrorism legislation enacted by the Blair government or the successive Conservative government.
Also on page 43 it states: “A police force working within our communities, with the capacity to gather local intelligence, is also the frontline of our domestic security – the first eyes and ears of effective counter-terrorism” and “We will ensure closer counter terrorism co-ordination between the police and the security services, combining neighbourhood expertise with international intelligence”.
In other words, more spying on and surveillance of Muslims by the police and MI5.