Conservative Party (UK) – Eye on Islamism

Muslim council urges UK government to adopt Islamophobia definition Government plans to establish a council to advise on drawing up an official definition for anti-Muslim discrimination

February 4, 2025 Imran Mulla

(Middle East Eye) The Muslim Council of Britain (MCB) has urged the UK government to adopt the contentious definition of Islamophobia proposed in 2018 by the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for British Muslims in comments made to Middle East Eye. Earlier, it emerged that […]

Angela Rayner to create Islamophobia council as major free speech row looms — ‘Trojan horse for a blasphemy law!’ 'Time and again this Labour government displays an Orwellian disregard for freedom of speech,' Robert Jenrick has warned

February 4, 2025 James Saunders

(GB News) Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner is set to create a “council on Islamophobia” to draw up an official definition of the term. The 16-member council is said to provide advice to ministers on tackling Islamophobia, [and] ex-Tory Attorney General Dominic […]

Muslim charities still being debanked despite Farage furore The Muslim charities group called for bank staff to undergo antiracism training as Islamophobia is suspected as one reason for account closures and halted payments. The Labour government committed to change the law to 'enhance consumer protections.'

January 29, 2025 Sarah Taaffe-Maguire

(Sky News) Muslim charities say they are still having their bank accounts closed without warning or explanation and face difficulties opening an account despite the political backlash after Nigel Farage’s high-profile debanking. It means charities face obstacles in carrying out their work, […]

No plans to expand definition of extremism — minister

January 28, 2025 Henry Zeffman, Tom Symonds and Helen Catt

(BBC) There are no plans to expand the definition of extremism, Home Office minister Dan Jarvis has said, following reports it could be broadened to cover potentially violent environmentalists and misogynists. He said Islamist extremism followed by far-right extremism were the biggest […]

Minister spoken to over attending Muslim Council event

January 28, 2025 Unlisted Author

(BBC) A minister has been spoken to for attending a Muslim Council of Britain (MCB) event, despite a government ban on engagement with the group. Labour’s leadership “reminded” Sir Stephen Timms of his “duty to uphold collective responsibility” after he attended an […]

Outgoing Muslim Council leader criticises lack of government contact

January 27, 2025 Neha Gohil

(BBC) When Zara Mohammed became the first female leader of one of the largest representative bodies for British Muslims in 2021, she already had a lot on her plate: rising Islamophobia, the Covid-19 pandemic, and a government refusing to engage with the […]

Kemi Badenoch defends blaming ‘peasants’ from ‘sub-communities’ for grooming gangs abuse The Conservative leader doubled down on her remarks about 'peasants' from foreign countries being to blame for the grooming gangs scandal in an interview on Sunday Morning with Trevor Phillips.

January 26, 2025 Unlisted Author

(Sky News) Kemi Badenoch has defended blaming “peasants” from “sub-communities” in foreign countries for the grooming gangs crisis. Speaking to Sky News’ Sunday Morning with Trevor Phillips, she insisted she would not be “shy” when talking about the scandal, which saw a […]

New lobby group for British Muslims ‘won’t compete with Muslim Council of Britain’ Labour, Conservatives and Liberal Democrat figures have all expressed willingness to engage with the group

January 24, 2025 Saman Javed

(Hyphen) A new body that hopes to lobby the government on issues affecting Muslims across areas including education, healthcare and the criminal justice system is set to launch next month — and insists it won’t seek to rival the Muslim Council of […]

Cooper announces inquiries into grooming gangs

January 16, 2025 Kate Whannel and Ed Thomas

(BBC) Home Secretary Yvette Cooper has announced plans for a nationwide review of grooming gang evidence and five government-backed local inquiries. She stopped short of launching a statutory national inquiry, as called for by the Conservatives and some Labour MPs, but this […]

Kemi Badenoch slams ‘peasants from sub-communities’ for predatory grooming gangs abuse The leader of the opposition sat down with GB News national reporter Charlie Peters to discuss the grooming gangs scandal

January 13, 2025 Charlie Peters

(GB News) Kemi Badenoch has said that “peasants” from “sub-communities” within some countries are behind the grooming gangs abuse that has scarred Britain. In an exclusive interview with GB News, the Tory leader reaffirmed her call for a public national inquiry into […]

UK should consider letting IS members return, terror watchdog says

January 11, 2025 Jacqueline Howard

(BBC) The government should consider repatriating British members of the Islamic State group (IS) who are being held in Syrian detention camps, the government’s independent terrorism legislation reviewer Jonathan Hall KC has said. Mr Hall’s comments come after Donald Trump’s incoming counter-terrorism […]

Reform leader Nigel Farage says government should consider allowing Shamima Begum back home

January 10, 2025 Unlisted Author

(ITV) Reform UK leader Nigel Farage has said the UK government should consider allowing Shamima Begum, who left the country to join the Islamic State group in 2015, to return to the UK. “I’ve never wanted to. I’ve instinctively never wanted to. […]

Ousted MP Khalid Mahmood claims ‘patriarchy’ forced MCB leader out The Muslim Council of Britain is holding an election because Zara Mohammed, the current secretary-general, has reached her two-term limit

January 7, 2025 Imran Mulla

(Middle East Eye) Khalid Mahmood, a former Labour MP who lost his seat at the July general election to a pro-Palestinian independent, has claimed that the Muslim Council of Britain (MCB) ousted its leader because of “patriarchy.” MCB’s secretary-general, Zara Mohammed, is […]

The child rape scandal dominating UK politics after Musk criticism

January 6, 2025 Kate Holton

(Reuters) A child sexual abuse scandal that revealed how gangs of mostly Pakistani men had groomed, trafficked and raped young white girls more than a decade ago has returned to the political agenda in Britain following criticism from Elon Musk. Musk, a […]

More than 36,000 migrants crossed English Channel to UK in 2024 — up 25% on 2023 It's the second-highest number of people successfully making the crossing since records began in 2018.

January 1, 2025 Unlisted Author

(Sky News) A total of 36,816 migrants crossed the English Channel to the UK in 2024, provisional government figures show. The figure is up 25% on 2023 when 29,437 people arrived in small boats. The number successfully making the journey in 2024 […]

Added powers will ‘disrupt’ Channel crossings — MP

December 30, 2024 Unlisted Author

(BBC) Extra counter-terror powers for border security enforcement will “make the difference” in the number of attempted Channel crossings, a Labour MP has said. Mike Tapp, MP for Dover and Deal, said the government’s proposed Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill will […]

More than 150,000 migrants have crossed Channel to UK in small boats since 2018 On Christmas Day, more than 450 migrants arrived in the UK on 11 small boats, and a further 400 people made the journey on Boxing Day.

December 27, 2024 Unlisted Author

(Sky News) More than 150,000 migrants have arrived in the UK after crossing the English Channel in small boats since 2018. The government began recording the number of people who have made the dangerous journey almost seven years ago, on 1 January […]

UK Muslim group asks Tories to remove shadow justice secretary for ‘admiring’ far-right 'Ms (Kemi) Badenoch cannot allow what appears to be support for such Islamophobic and extreme content from a member of her shadow cabinet,' says head of Muslim Council of Britain

December 24, 2024 Burak Bir

(Anadolu) The Muslim Council of Britain (MCB) on Tuesday called on the main opposition Conservative Party to remove Robert Jenrick from his position as shadow justice secretary over leaked messages showing his admiration for a far-right social media account. The MCB issued […]

‘Let’s give Donald Trump the benefit of the doubt,’ Sadiq Khan tells LBC after war of words with president-elect

November 15, 2024 Kit Heren

(LBC) Sadiq Khan has vowed to give Donald Trump “the benefit of the doubt,” despite previous criticisms stretching back to the president-elect’s first term in the White House. The London mayor told LBC’s James O’Brien that he wanted to “put out the […]

Labour lost nearly a third of Muslim general election vote over Gaza Study shows extent to which Muslims' traditional backing for Labour has declined

October 8, 2024 Tariq Tahir

(National-UAE) Labour’s support among Britain’s Muslims fell by nearly a third at this year’s general election over its stance on the war in Gaza, figures show. Despite Labour’s landslide victory, securing a 174-seat majority, four independent pro-Palestinian candidates had shock wins in […]

UK government urged to overhaul Prevent and counter-extremism policies Letter from civil society groups also calls on Labour to suspend Michael Gove's proposed definition of extremism

September 23, 2024 Imran Mullah

(Middle East Eye) A coalition of leading civil society organisations has urged the UK Labour government to overhaul counter-extremism policies including the controversial Prevent programme, Middle East Eye can exclusively report. In a letter sent to Home Secretary Yvette Cooper, the organisations also […]

Tory leadership candidate Robert Jenrick claims terror suspects ‘waltz in on small boats’

September 22, 2024 Charlie Duffield

(LBC) Terror suspects “waltz in on small boats,” Tory leadership candidate Robert Jenrick has claimed. Dozens of terror suspects have crossed the Channel in small boats, according to the former immigration minister Robert Jenrick. The Tory leadership candidate said individuals associated with […]

UK PM Starmer praises Italy’s Meloni for reducing illegal migration

September 16, 2024 Alexandria Sage

(AFP) British Prime Minister Keir Starmer praised his Italian counterpart Giorgia Meloni on Monday for her efforts in reducing illegal migration, saying his “government of pragmatism” sought new approaches to the hot-button topic. On his first visit to Italy since his centre-left […]

Row over Tory MP’s ‘Allahu Akbar’ arrest call

August 7, 2024 Sam Francis

(BBC) Conservative MP Robert Jenrick has defended himself after being accused of Islamophobia for saying police should have “immediately arrested” any protesters shouting “Allahu Akbar” during last year’s Gaza ceasefire protests. Speaking on Sky News, the Tory leadership candidate accused police of […]

Independent MP recorded telling Muslim male voters they had ‘duty’ to vote for him Iqbal Mohamed, who won in Dewsbury & Batley, denies breaching strict rules on improper religious interference at the general election

July 28, 2024 Lee Harpin

(Jewish News) A newly elected Muslim independent MP has been recorded telling people to “follow the teachings of the prophet” and vote for him, days before the general election. Iqbal Mohamed, who won in Dewsbury & Batley, and faced claims that his […]

School serves ‘halal only’ lunches as local council faces demands for urgent answers A mother was left bemused after her daughter’s secondary school refused to provide non-halal meat options

July 23, 2024 Jack Walters

(GB News) A local council is being quizzed by a leading Conservative politician after a secondary school started offering “halal only” lunches. Welsh Tory leader Andrew RT Davies approached the Vale of Glamorgan Council after a constituent flagged Cowbridge Comprehensive School only […]

New Muslim group ‘supported by Labour’ aims to challenge MCB’s leadership Former army imam among prominent figures involved in new network which seeks to engage with Keir Starmer's government and 'influence public policy'

July 12, 2024 Areeb Ullah and Simon Hooper

(Middle East Eye) The Labour Party is supporting the creation of a new Muslim leadership group intended to become the primary point of engagement between Keir Starmer’s government and Muslim communities in the UK, Middle East Eye can exclusively reveal. A draft […]

Geert Wilders to ‘Post’: Mass immigration, lack of integration cause antisemitism In his first interview with Israeli media since his coalition's formation, Geert Wilders spoke to the Jerusalem Post about his support for Israel.

July 10, 2024 Michael Starr

(Jerusalem Post) To stop rising antisemitism in the Netherlands and Europe political leaders must put an end to open border mass immigration and reverse the cultural relativist failure to foster integration, Dutch Party for Freedom founder and leader Geert Wilders told the […]

New MP who said election win was ‘for Gaza’ is brother of Islamist group founder Exclusive: Shockat Adam, who defeated former Labour shadow minister Jon Ashworth in Leicester South, is brother of Ismail Patel, who 'saluted' Hamas' attacks on 7 October

July 6, 2024 Lee Harpin

(Jewish News) A newly elected MP who dedicated his victory to “the people of Gaza” is the brother of the founder of the hardline Islamist group Friends of Al Aqsa, it can be revealed. Shockat Adam was the surprise winner in Leicester […]

Pro-Gaza candidates capture seats from Labour as Muslim heartlands revolt Keir Starmer's party suffers startling loss of support in once-safe constituencies despite national landslide win

July 5, 2024 Tim Stickings

(National-UAE) Pro-Palestinian candidates scored shock wins in the UK general election, as Britain’s new Labour government suffered a startling loss of support in heavily Muslim areas. Independent candidate Shockat Adam declared “this is for Gaza” as he unseated Labour front-bencher Jonathan Ashworth […]

Campaigners seek to harness Gaza anger among UK Muslim voters

July 2, 2024 Muvija M. and Hannah Ellison

(Reuters) Shanaz Saddique is one of a surge of pro-Palestinian candidates hoping to mobilise Muslim votes at Britain’s July 4 election by tapping into discontent over the two main political parties’ positions on the war in Gaza. Both the ruling Conservatives and […]

Jewish Conservative candidate screamed at and called a ‘snake’ during visit to mosque

July 1, 2024 Kit Heren

(LBC) A Jewish Conservative candidate for the general election has been abused on a visit to a mosque in Lancashire. Rabbi Arnold Saunders, the Tory candidate for Bury South, was called a “snake” during a confrontation at the Bilal mosque in Prestwich, […]

IRGC to be proscribed under Labour’s new counter-terror plan UK's Labour Party will reform previous security rules if elected into power on July 4

June 26, 2024 Neil Murphy

(National-UAE) Iran’s revolutionary guard will be proscribed as a terror group by Labour under a new three-point plan to update the UK’s counter-terror strategy. The Labour move breaks with the Conservative Party, which has held off designating the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps […]

In British elections, Muslim voters seek candidates who care about Gaza

June 25, 2024 Hasan Ali

(Christian Science Monitor) Standing outside his home in a residential street in Slough, west of London, tire shop owner Raja Ijaz recounts a conversation he had recently with the local Labour Party candidate in Britain’s upcoming general election. When Tanmanjeet Dhesi came […]

Election candidate sorry for ‘misogynistic’ remarks

June 23, 2024 Unlisted Author

(BBC) An independent candidate standing in the general election has apologised after remarks he made about women were labelled “misogynistic” and “disturbing.” Akhmed Yakoob made the comments during the recording of a podcast called Minted Minds, while appearing alongside the host and […]

Muslim millionaire gives major donation to Reform UK

June 19, 2024 Chris Mason and Sam Francis

(BBC) A Muslim entrepreneur has donated hundreds of thousands of pounds to Reform UK, claiming the UK has “lost control of our borders.” The precise amount Zia Yusuf has given to the party has not been disclosed but Reform UK claims it […]

UK migrant boat crossings hit 19-month high, adding to pressure on Sunak

June 19, 2024 Sachin Ravikumar

(Reuters) More than 800 asylum seekers arrived in Britain via small boats on Tuesday, the highest single-day figure since late 2022, adding to pressure on Prime Minister Rishi Sunak ahead of a July 4 national election. Provisional data from Britain’s interior ministry […]

Pro-Palestine campaigner sets sights on unseating Labour frontbench MP Shabana Mahmood Solicitor Akhmed Yakoob focused on Gaza to secure election upset against potential UK justice secretary

June 18, 2024 Thomas Harding

(National-UAE) Outsider Akhmed Yakoob believes “this election is mine to lose” as he looks to unseat the most senior frontbench Muslim Labour MP in the July 4 UK general election. Shabana Mahmood stands to become the UK’s justice secretary if her party […]

Gaza tests historic bond between UK Muslims and Labour

June 16, 2024 James Pheby

(AFP) Gaza is a long way from the picturesque foothills of the Yorkshire Dales but the issue could swing UK general election races in northern England, with many local Muslims angry at Labour’s stance. While Labour is expected to win a thumping […]

Rochdale loyalties tested by Galloway’s Labour challenge on Gaza policy Flamboyant MP tells the National his by-election victory was a signal that British Muslims could provide a significant general election upset

June 9, 2024 Thomas Harding

(National-UAE) Rochdale, says its current MP George Galloway, will be remembered as the place where Britain’s Muslims saw that there was a new way of finding a political voice. His view, although bound with self-interest, was certainly borne out during the National’s […]

UK election: What is The Muslim Vote — and why does it matter? The campaign backs a list of MPs for the election, and has been driven by Labour's early support for Israel’s war on Gaza

June 6, 2024 Imran Mulla

(Middle East Eye) Launched in December 2023, The Muslim Vote (TMV) is a campaign in the UK supporting parliamentary candidates for the upcoming election in constituencies with a significant Muslim electorate. Much of its driving force has been the early support from the […]

Europe is watching UK’s election battle over deporting migrants to Rwanda EU governments used to castigate Rishi Sunak’s flagship Rwanda scheme: not any more.

May 27, 2024 Jon Stone

(Politico) Rishi Sunak’s Rwanda asylum policy has repeatedly been declared illegal by U.K. judges, is yet to send any migrants to Rwanda, and has so far failed to rescue the British prime minister from the verge of electoral oblivion. That hasn’t put […]

Nigel Farage called out for ‘blanket accusation’ as he says ‘growing number’ of Muslims ‘loathe’ British values The honorary president of Reform UK also said the Conservatives and Labour were to blame for an increase in immigration, not Brexit — after Sky's Trevor Phillips challenged him for his 'offensive' remarks about Muslims.

May 26, 2024 Alix Culbertson

(Sky News) Nigel Farage has argued on Sky News that a “growing number” of young Muslims in the UK do not subscribe to British values. The Reform UK honorary president told Sky News’s Sunday Morning with Trevor Phillips: “We have a growing […]

Starmer’s Gaza stance turned me away from Labour, says Muslim election candidate Labour is facing challenges from independent candidates like Sophia Naqvi

May 24, 2024 Tariq Tahir

(National-UAE) Listening to the leader of the UK’s Labour party, Keir Starmer, talking about Gaza was the moment Sophia Naqvi realised it was time to quit the party after more than a decade as a member. In an interview that stretched Labour’s […]

Manchester Arena bombing: Figen Murray, mother of victim Martyn Hett, delivers letter urging Rishi Sunak to pass Martyn’s Law Ms Murray arrived at No 10 on the seventh anniversary of her son's death to push for the measure, which calls for UK venues and local authorities to have training requirements and preventative plans against terror attacks, to be introduced to Parliament.

May 22, 2024 Unlisted Author

(Sky News) The mother of a victim of the Manchester Arena bombing has walked from the venue to Downing Street to deliver a letter calling for new terror laws. Figen Murray’s son, Martyn Hett, was one of 22 people killed when terrorist […]

Immigration minister raises issues over visa scheme for Palestinians to come to UK MPs from across all parties have spoken in support of a Ukraine-style scheme to allow Palestinians with families in the UK to escape the conflict in Gaza

May 14, 2024 Lee Harpin

(Jewish News) Immigration minister Tom Pursglove has said calls for the UK government to set up a Gaza family visa scheme for Palestinians to come to this country would be kept “under review” during a debate in Westminster. Responding to a succession of speeches […]

Labour vote share down a third in some majority-Muslim areas, analysis reveals

May 14, 2024 Maya Bowles

(ITV) Labour lost 33 percentage points of vote share in areas that are majority Muslim in the recent local elections, according to exclusive analysis for ITV News by Number Cruncher Politics. People across England and Wales went to the polls on May […]

Anger over Starmer’s Gaza stance dents Labour election glory Opposition thumps Conservatives in local polls, but Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's leadership may survive his party's losses

May 3, 2024 Thomas Harding

(National-UAE) Labour’s elation at thumping the Conservatives in the England and Wales local elections has been tempered by concern that it is losing key voter blocs, particularly in Muslim communities, over its stance on the Israel-Gaza conflict. Labour’s attempt to unseat the […]

Labour drops candidate support over anti-Israel posts

April 25, 2024 Austen Shakespeare and Jason Murugesu

(BBC) Labour has suspended a local election candidate and withdrawn its support due to anti-Israel posts he apparently shared on social media, it is understood. Abdur Razaq had been running for the party in the Preston with Preston Grange ward on North […]

Tory local election candidate stands down after ‘jew pigs’ social media post emerges Exclusive: Azmat Husain has withdrawn from contest in Eccles, Salford, but tells Jewish News a 'jew pigs' Facebook post was 'fake'

April 3, 2024 Lee Harpin

(Jewish News) A Conservative Party candidate has withdrawn from the forthcoming local elections after a social media post emerged in which he appeared to have used the words “jew pigs.” Azmat Husain had been due to stand as the Tory candidate for […]