from Christian Concern
Tim Dieppe comments on a statement in Parliament this week about the operation of sharia courts
Sarah Sackman MP, The Minister of State, Ministry of Justice, responded to a topical question in the House of Commons this week from Reform MP Sarah Pochin. Pochin asked:
“Does the new Secretary of State for Justice recognise sharia law and sharia courts in the United Kingdom—yes or no?”
Sackman replied:
“Sharia law forms no part of the law of England and Wales, but where people choose to put themselves before those councils—in common with Christian, Jewish and other courts of faith—that is part of religious tolerance which is an important British value.”
This appears to be the first time that the government has claimed that sharia courts are compatible with British values. It is an astonishing and outrageous claim. Sharia law discriminates against both women and non-Muslims, allows polygamy, and is fundamentally incompatible with English law and British values. Tolerance of those we disagree with does not extend to allowing them to set up a parallel legal system operating on values entirely contrary to our own.
It is estimated that there are around 85 sharia courts operating in Britain. There is no register of such courts, so no-one knows the true number. The UK is now described as the ‘western capital’ for sharia courts as Muslims increasingly turn to them to resolve disputes. This has created a parallel legal system and de-facto two-tier justice right here in the UK.