Why a party for Muslims is a terrible idea
by Rakib Ehsan, spiked:
More religious identity politics is the last thing Britain needs.
These are tense times for the Labour Party. Against the backdrop of the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict, there is growing disillusionment within the party over leader Keir Starmer’s opposition to the calls for a ceasefire in Gaza.
More than 60 Labour MPs have now called for a ceasefire, including 15 frontbenchers. London mayor Sadiq Khan and Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham have also joined in, as have around 330 local councillors. More than 30 councillors have actually resigned from Labour over Starmer’s stance. This includes nine resignations in Oxford, meaning that Labour has lost control of the council – relinquishing the majority it has held there since 2010.
A significant portion of the opposition to Starmer has come from politicians who represent constituencies with large Muslim populations. As a result, there has been talk in some circles about starting a new political party tailored to appeal specifically to British Muslims, which could peel voters away from Labour.
A recent application submitted by the ‘Party of Islam’ was rejected this week by the Electoral Commission, on the grounds that its ‘proposed constitution did not satisfactorily set out the structure and organisation of the party’. Meanwhile, former Apprentice contestant and media commentator Bushra Shaikh claimed this week that she is involved in plans to establish a party called the ‘Muslim Party UK’.
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