In my previous article, I shared some reflections on the outcome of the recent elections from a national perspective, the impact on the Muslim community, how we voted, and what I felt some of the strategic considerations should be going forward.
But I wanted to reflect a little further, because whilst much of the conversation has understandably focused on national politics, Reform, Labour, Gaza, and the wider political landscape, there is another discussion that we as a community need to have, and perhaps it is an even more important one.
Muslim vote has weight to it
Over the last two years, the Muslim community has shown that, when mobilised, it can absolutely have political impact.
In the 2024 General Election, because of the Gaza genocide and the deep anger many in our community felt towards the Labour Party and Keir Starmer’s handling of the issue, many Muslims across the country made a conscious decision not to vote Labour.
That translated into some remarkable results. We saw Shockat Adam defeat Jonathan Ashworth in Leicester. We saw Iqbal Mohamed in Dewsbury and Batley, Ayoub Khan in Birmingham, and Adnan Hussain in Blackburn. In each of these cases, local Muslim communities mobilised, organised, and voted in a way that materially changed the political outcome.
That trend then continued in the recent local elections. Across the country, many Muslims either voted for Independent candidates, supported Independent groupings, or in places where credible Independent candidates were not available, voted for alternatives such as the Greens. Again, Labour suffered politically.
Protest voting alone isn’t a strategy
Now, it would be inaccurate to say Labour’s losses nationally were solely because of the Muslim vote. Clearly that is not true. Labour also suffered because of broader public frustration, economic concerns, dissatisfaction with public services, and the rise of Reform.
But in a number of constituencies and boroughs, the loss of Muslim support undoubtedly hurt Labour. In places like Newham, the shift was dramatic. Newham Independents became the second-largest party and the official opposition.
So the political impact is real. But now comes the more important question: do we continue protest politics and protest voting? Or do we now begin to mature politically as a community and think strategically?
Protest voting has its place. It reminds political parties that communities cannot be taken for granted. But protest voting alone is not a long-term political strategy. And if we are serious about influence, we need to move beyond simply reacting on every election cycle.
What local councils actually control
One of the first things we need to understand is how political power actually works, particularly at a local level.
When the recent local elections took place, many people voted with strong emotions around national issues. That is understandable. But what exactly were we voting for?
We were voting for councillors, not MPs and not a Prime Minister. And this matters because whilst national politics dominates headlines, much of our day-to-day lives are shaped far more by local politics than people realise.
Crime in our local area, the cleanliness of our streets, bin collections, housing issues, the condition of roads, planning applications, and anti-social behaviour are all examples of things that affect our lives directly.
Now, of course, not everything sits with local councils. Policing resources, for example, are influenced nationally, and the NHS is part of a wider national picture. But many of the practical issues that affect daily life are influenced heavily by local authorities. So understanding how local councils work is essential.
What happens when no party has control
Take a borough like Newham. It has 66 elected councillors spread across different wards. For one political party to have complete control of the council, they need a majority (in this case, at least 34 councillors).
Following the recent elections, Labour have 26 councillors. Newham Independents have 24. Greens have 16. That means Labour no longer has overall control. And that changes the way politics works locally. Where no party has a majority, politics becomes more fluid. If the ruling party wants to advance its agenda effectively, it will often need co-operation and support from councillors in other groups.
This is important because it means that even councillors elected on the back of strong community feeling over national issues now have a responsibility to govern responsibly at a local level. If proposals are genuinely in the best interests of residents, then Independent councillors should support them, Green councillors should support them. Equally, if proposals are harmful or ineffective, they should be challenged. Party politics should never come at the expense of the local community suffering.
Political engagement cannot end after elections
But then, naturally the next question becomes: so… what happens now? We have elected councillors and Gaza may have been the catalyst for many people’s voting behaviour, but the election has now happened. What should we do next?
This is where I think we as a community have often fallen short. For too long, our political engagement has been reactive. Something happens nationally which angers us. We mobilise temporarily and then we disappear until the next election. That is not how power is built or how communities establish influence, nor is it how serious political engagement works.
If we have elected councillors — whether Labour, Independent, Green, or otherwise — our responsibility does not end at the ballot box. In many ways, that is where it begins. Councillors hold surgeries which residents can attend, and they can be emailed directly. This is how we can raise issues affecting our local area. Where they do not fulfil their pledges or engage with their local communities, they should be held to account.
But equally, when councillors do good work, that should also be acknowledged, because politicians are human beings. If somebody is genuinely working hard for the community, recognition matters. This is how relationships are built, and relationships matter in politics.
And this is how communities begin to move from being reactive to being engaged, because once that engagement becomes normal, something important happens. The next time elections come around, the community is no longer voting blindly. The community knows who delivered, who took their responsibilities seriously, and who did not.
That then leads to informed political decision-making. Voting based on evidence, delivery, and local impact rather than purely party loyalty or temporary emotional reactions.
Developing the next generation of leaders
This is where the younger generation becomes crucial. Everything I have mentioned starts with political education.
We need young Muslims who understand how politics works. We need young people who understand councils, governance, public policy, budgets, and civic engagement. We need individuals who are willing over time to offer themselves for public service, not simply to represent Muslims, but to represent the wider community with competence and integrity.
Why? Because as Muslims, our duty is not simply to serve ourselves. Our duty is to be beneficial to wider society. As the hadīth teaches us, the most beloved people to Allah are those who are most beneficial to others.
So, if over the next four years we engage properly, educate ourselves, raise awareness, and develop leadership, then, inshāAllah, the next generation of candidates will emerge not simply as symbolic representatives, but as serious public servants. That is when communities begin to build genuine political influence, not through occasional protest alone, but through maturity, organisation, engagement, and service.
Source: Islam21c
