by Paul Stott, The Critic
Thursday’s elections left us overwhelmed with political headlines. Starmer’s potential end, Reform turning the Red Wall turquoise, the Greens kicking Labour out of long held London strongholds, Scottish and Welsh nationalism ascendant. But in parts of East London, Birmingham, East Lancashire and West Yorkshire the political changes signposted by the general election victory of four Gaza Independent MPs continue. A new report by Policy Exchange “Islamopopulism Part 2: The Muslim Vote, Vote Palestine and Muslim independents in their own words” details an activist led 25-year plan to develop a bloc of Muslim politicians, whom its adherents believe may hold the balance of power after a future general election.
While The Muslim Vote campaign has big ambitions, at the local level campaigning appears to lack central direction. In practice the tactical model developed by Lutfur Rahman and later Aspire in Tower Hamlets — activists being as prominent as possible in concentrated areas with a high number of Muslim voters and ensuring that the community comes out to vote — is now being replicated in a series of towns and cities.
At ground level Islamopopulism combines international, national, local and at times personal issues in a cocktail that is proving increasingly palatable to Muslim voters. At the top sits support for the Muslim ummah (the global community of Muslims) and in particular the Palestinian cause, followed by a robust rejection of the Labour party and Prime Minister Starmer. But the local also matters — in Blackburn with Darwen, the 4BwD group, its origins in a break by local Muslims from Labour over Gaza, ran with literature that led on regenerating the high street, restoring local amenities and prioritising small local businesses. Six of 4BwD’s eight candidates — all male, all seemingly Muslim and of Indian subcontinental heritage — won.