UK: Muslim Council Urges Labour to Address Islamophobia Concerns
The controversy arose after Faiza Shaheen, a Muslim woman, was unexpectedly barred from contesting a seat due to complaints related to her social media activity concerning the Israeli war on Gaza.
In a statement released on Thursday, the MCB urged the Labour Party to provide clarity on the reasons behind Shaheen’s disqualification and to address the allegations of Islamophobia.
"We note with grave concern of fresh allegations of Islamophobia coming out of the Labour Party. This is being exemplified by a British woman reportedly being blocking from standing as a Member of Parliament," MCB said in a statement, The New Arab reported.
Earlier this week, the left-leaning Labour Party swiftly disqualified Shaheen from running for a London seat in the July 4th general election. Allegedly, this decision came after complaints from a Jewish Labour group regarding a post that Shaheen had “liked” on social media.
The MCB, which advocates for the UK’s Muslim community, emphasized the importance of maintaining respect for all religious and minority groups during the election campaign.
“We have said in the past that there should be no room for any form of racism and Islamophobia in our political parties. As citizens keen to take part in our country's democratic culture, our political parties should not allow hostile environments to emerge for British Muslims,” the statement added.
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The MCB also reminded the Labour Party of its historic significance as the home of the UK’s first black woman MP and first Muslim MP.
In recent times, the Labour Party has faced scrutiny from some of its core supporters due to its pro-Israel stance, particularly in light of the Israeli brutal attacks on Gaza, which have killed more than 36,000 Palestinians since October.
In an emotional interview on BBC Newsnight, Shaheen explained that she did not recall liking the controversial post but acknowledged why some people might find it offensive. The post in question was reportedly a video clip by Jewish American comedian Jon Stewart, addressing pro-Israel lobbyists.
Shaheen expressed shock at her sudden disqualification and highlighted her years of community engagement in the Chingford and Woodford Green constituency in northeast London. She had organized interfaith dialogues and community events, including interactions with the local rabbi.
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“I am a strong supporter of Palestine, I do watch the news and I was really hoping with what's happening now [in Gaza], to be a strong voice,” Shaheen stated.
She also raised concerns about Labour’s initial stance on Gaza, which had centered on Sir Keir Starmer’s statement in October that the Israeli regime had the right to implement a full siege on the Palestinian enclave. Although Starmer later retracted those remarks, they sparked further outrage among Muslim voters and other groups critical of the Israeli regime’s relentless attacks.
Source: Agencies
