Head of Public Policy Tim Dieppe analyses the Islamic influence on the Election
This election saw a new phenomenon in UK politics: a coordinated campaign to get Muslims voting en bloc exclusively on Islamic issues.
A group called The Muslim Vote ran a campaign to support candidates adopting Islamic values. Five independent candidates sponsored by The Muslim Vote were elected. The group is claiming that 45 other party-aligned candidates endorsed by The Muslim Vote were elected. That makes at least 50 MPs who are claimed to be Pro-Palestine in the new parliament.
As well as this, The Muslim Vote endorsed candidate in Leicester East split the vote so that the Conservative candidate won what had previously been a Labour seat.
Wes Streeting, now the new Health Secretary, narrowly held onto his seat by just 528 votes with the independent candidate supported by The Muslim Vote coming second. In Birmingham Ladywood, Shabana Mahmood, now Secretary of State for Justice, said that “masked men” had disrupted a community meeting, “terrifying those present.”
Jess Phillips, MP for Birmingham Yardly, narrowly held her seat with a majority of just 693, with competition from a Workers Party candidate, also backed by The Muslim Vote. Phillips said: “It was an absolutely horrible campaign.” Some campaign activists had their car tyres slashed. A woman had “genocide” screamed in her face while being filmed. Phillips was booed on stage as she tried to give her acceptance speech.
Labour lose votes in Muslim areas
Analysis by The Telegraph has shown that the Labour vote dropped sharply in areas with high Muslim population.
In constituencies where Muslims make up under 10% of the population, the vote share moved towards Labour. But where 10% or more of the population identifies as Muslim, votes moved away from Labour. In constituencies with higher proportions of Muslims, the swing away from Labour was stronger.
Previously, Labour was able to rely on Muslim voters in these areas. That has changed with this election.
The new Muslim Vote MPs
It is worth taking a quick look at the five new independent MPs endorsed by The Muslim Vote.
Ayoub Khan is the new MP for Birmingham Perry Barr. Ayoub has publicly questioned the extent of the atrocities committed by Hamas on October 7. He posted several clips on TikTok saying he had yet to see evidence of beheadings or rapes carried out by Hamas. He campaigned to ban arms sales to Israel and for an immediate Gaza ceasefire. He was previously a candidate for the Liberal Democrats, but refused to go on an anti-Semitism training course after his comments came to their attention.
Adnan Hussain is the new MP for Blackburn. He once told a public rally: “Let’s make Israel burn.” Speaking to supporters during the election campaign he said:
“I will scream till they hear us, I will scream until they stop genocide. Because I’m telling you, MP or no MP, I have continued to speak for Gaza. . . .
“I feel Allah has gifted me an ability to represent you. I have been gifted an ability to speak the truth and speak the truth I shall in the corridors of power, if Allah wills.”
Iqbal Mohamed is the new MP for Dewsbury and Batley – the constituency where a teacher was forced into hiding after teaching a lesson on free speech in which he showed a cartoon of Muhammad. We all learned the lesson – we do not have free speech when it comes to Islam. Iqbal won over 40% of the votes – well ahead of Labour on 23%. Video footage shows Iqbal telling children to boycott Israel, saying: “Go home, find every brand and every product that has been supporting Israel and Zionism from the beginning of time and throw it away, throw it away.”
Shockat Adam is the new MP for Leicester South. He took the seat from former Labour shadow minister Jonathan Ashworth. Jewish News reports that his brother, Ismail Patel, is the founder of the Islamist group Friends of Al Aqsa. Patel “saluted” Hamas’ attacks on 7 October. Posters reading “Vote for Genocide Vote Labour” were reportedly circulated around the constituency.
Jeremy Corbyn was elected independent MP for Islington North. Corbyn previously held this seat for Labour but was not permitted to stand as a Labour candidate for this election, so he stood as an independent with the support of The Muslim Vote. Corbyn previously called members of Hamas and Hezbolla ‘friends’. He subsequently said he regretted this language. Under his leadership, the Labour Party was the first ever political party found by the Equalities and Human Rights Commission to have unlawfully discriminated against and victimised Jews.
Other elected MPs who were endorsed by The Muslim Vote include: Charlotte Cane, the Liberal Democrat MP for Ely and East Cambridgeshire. Ed Davey, the Liberal Democrat MP for Kingston and Sutton. Ellie Chowns, the Green MP for North Herefordshire. Sian Berry, the Green MP for Brighton Pavilion. Carla Denyer, the Green MP for Bristol Central, and Claire Hanna, the SLDP MP for Belfast South and Mid Down.
Muslim Vote Demands
The demands of The Muslim Vote include: recognising a Palestinian State, ending military ties with Israel, issuing guidance to allow Muslims to pray at school, adopting the APPG definition of Islamophobia, ensuring sharia compliant pensions are available at every workplace, and removing the criminal offence of ‘undue spiritual influence’ in elections. That’s quite a list. As I have written before, adopting the APPG definition of Islamophobia would in effect introduce an Islamic blasphemy law.
The Labour Party has formally adopted the APPG definition of Islamophobia as part of its code of conduct. This means that any MP who is accused of being Islamophobic could be suspended or expelled from the party. With the increased influence of Islam in parliament and across UK politics, it means there is a real chance of this becoming law.
The offence of ‘undue spiritual influence’ means that you cannot use religion to pressure people into voting a certain way. The mayor of Tower Hamlets, Lutfur Rahman was convicted of this offence in 2014. There have been concerns that ‘undue spiritual influence’ has been applied in the 2024 election by Islamic campaigners. It is very interesting that they want to see this offence removed. This would enable them to threaten Muslims with losing their salvation or not being true Muslims if they don’t vote the right way.
An Islamic Party to come?
The Muslim Vote only started this year. It won five independent MPs and claims to have 50 MPs that it backed in the new parliament. The Muslim Vote is certainly ambitious, intending to expand and grow from an impressive start.
Demographics affects democracy. As the Muslim population grows, boosted by immigration, we will see the increased influence of Islam in British politics. Indeed, this is what we have already seen in the election we have just had. We have allowed Islam to grow in influence in this country and now we are starting to reap the results. I expect that by the next election we will have an Islamic political party in Great Britain. Already, Tower Hamlets council is controlled by what is in effect an Islamic political party with exclusively Bangladeshi Muslim councillors. I also expect to see mainstream political parties adopting Islamic policies to try to win the support of the Muslim vote.
Islam is now a political force in this country. It looks here to stay and is bold and unashamed in its demands. Only a bold and unashamed church will be able to resist the increasing pressure to gradually Islamise the country. Will the church be up to the challenge?
