| PPC announcements – Independents Shaukat Patel to stand against Jonathan Ashworth for Leicester South constituency – majority of 22,675 in 2019 over runner up Conservative. Claudia Webbe, incumbent Labour MP for Leicester East to stand as an Independent – margin of victory in 2019 was 6, 019. [Muslim population over 16 – 22.559] Aftab Nawaz to stand in the newly defined Walsall and Blowich constituency. Andrew Feinstein to stand against Sir Keir Starmer (Labour) for Holborn seat – majority of 27,773 in 2019 over runner up Conservative Muhammad Akunjee to stand against Rushanara Ali (Labour) for Bethnal Green & Stepney seat – majority of 37, 524 in 2019 over runner up Conservative Leanne Mohamad to stand against Wes Streeting (Labour) for the Ilford North seat – majority of 5, 198 in 2019 over runner up Conservative [Muslim population over 16 – 19,005] Pamela Fitzpatrick to stand against Gareth Thomas (Labour) for Harrow West [Abbas Merali confirmed as Tory PPC] PPC announcements – Workers Party GB Craig Murray to stand against Kate Hollern (Labour) for Blackburn seat – majority of 18, 304 in 2019 over runner up Conservative Shanaz Saddique to stand against Debbie Abrahams (Labour) for the Oldham EEast seat – majority of 1,503 over runner up Conservative. PPC announcements – Other Graham Jones (under suspension from Labour) for Hyndburn, Lancashire standing against Sara Britcliffe, Conservative – majority of 2,951 in 2019 over [runner up Labour Graham Jones]. [Muslim population over 16 – 9, 256] Tahir Mirza (formerly Labour) for East Ham standing against Sir Stephen Timms (Labour) – majority of 33,176 over runner up Conservative |
| STOP PRESS! 23 February 2024: Ilford South – Siddiqi Syed intends to seek Green Party nomination Labour majority 24,101 – Sam Terry deselected [Muslim population over 16 – 44,493] |
| PPC announcements Conservative Nick Timothy, West Suffolk replacing former Health Secretary Matt Hancock, Timothy was Theresa May’s chief of staff and is a columnist in the Daily Telegraph, “[. . .] Like the protests against The Satanic Verses 35 years ago, today’s rolling anti-Israel demonstrations will come to be seen as a staging post in British politics… ” [DT, 2 March 2024] YouElect note: not anti-genocide demonstrations, but anti-Israel demonstrations! |
| By-Elections Rochdale – Galloway comes up trumps! Wins seat by 5, 697 majority for British Workers’ Party – “this is for Gaza”. 40% swing away from Labour! Wellingborough result 15/2/2024- Gen Kitchen (Labour) Kingswood result 15/2/2024 – Damian Egan (Labour). |
| Grass roots movements Redbridge Matters – seeking an independent PPC for Ilford South. click here. |
| MPs intending to standing down In constituencies with >20% Muslim population Karen Buck Westminster North – Labour, majority 10, 759 [Muslim population over 16 – 20,502] Margaret Hodge Barking – Labour majority 15, 427 [Muslim population over 16 – 25,966] In marginal constituencies Jon Cruddas Dagenham & Rainham – Labour majority 293 [Muslim population over 16 – 11, 221] Stephen Hammond Wimbledon – Conservative majority 628 [Muslim population over 16 – 5,071) Jo Gideon Stoke on Trent Central – Conservative majority 670 [Muslim population over 16 – 6089) Stephen Brine Winchester – Conservative majority 985 [Muslim population over 16 – 769] Alex Cunningham Stockton North – Labour majority 1,027 [Muslim population over 16 – 1,399] In other constituencies Stuart Andrew Pudsey – Conservative majority 3,517 [Muslim population over 16 years of age in 2021 – 2,313] Mike Freer, Finchley & Golders Green – Conservative majority 6, 562 [Muslim population over 16 years of age in 2021 – 9,924] Matthew Offord Hendon – Conservative majority 4230 [Muslim population over 16 years of age in 2021 – 7,398] Royston Smith Southampton Itchen – Conservative majority 4,490 [Muslim population over 16 years of age in 2021 – 2,525] Robert Neill Bromley & Chislehurst – Conservative majority 10,891 [Muslim population over 16 years of age in 2021 – 2,508] Kwasi Kwarteng Spelthorne – Conservative majority 18,393 [Muslim population over 16 years of age in 2021 – 2,843] Tracey Crouch Chatham & Aylesford – Conservative majority 18,540 Margaret Becket Derby South – Labour majority 6,019 [Muslim population over 16 years of age in 2021 – 15,266] Paul Blomfield Sheffield Central – Labour majority 27,273 [Muslim population over 16 years of age in 2021 – 11,747] Harriet Harman Camberwell & Peckham – Labour majority 33,780 [Muslim population over 16 years of age in 2021 – 9,104] Barry Sheerman Huddersfield – Labour majority 4,937 [Muslim population over 16 years of age in 2021 – 11,566] Rosie Winterton Doncaster Central – Labour majority 2,278 [Muslim population over 16 years of age in 2021 – 3,653] Source on MPs intending to stand down https://www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/explainer/mps-standing-down-next-election |
| MPs speaking up to bring to end the genocide (at rallies, vigils, in Parliament) include John McDonnell, Hayes & Harlington – Labour Tahir Ali Birmingham Hall Green – Labour Tanmanjeet Dhesi Slough – Labour Paul Bristow Peterborough – Conservative Claudia Webbe, Leicester East – Independent |
| Speculation on Election Date 14 November 2024? George Osborne’s prediction [11 January] click here |
| Whip suspensions Kate Osamor Edmonton – for calling the genocide a genocide. – 28 Jan 2024 Jeremy Corbyn Islington North – suspended 2020 Diane Abbott Hackney North & Stoke Newington – suspended 2023 Shadow ministers who have resigned Jess Phillips Birmingham Yardley – resigned as shadow minister, domestic abuse and safeguarding Naz Shah Bradford West – resigned as shadow minister, crime reduction Afzal Khan Manchester West Gorton – recently served as shadow minister for export Yasmin Qureshi Bolton South East – shadow women and equalities minister, Paula Barker Liverpool Wavertree – shadow minister for homelessness Rachel Hopkins Luton South – shadow minister for veterans Andy Slaughter Hammersmith – shadow solicitor general. |
YouElect has been revived on salaam.co.uk to provide news and views in the runup to the 2024 General Election.
Muslim Civil Society statements
Results of 2019 General Election
A review of past British Muslim electoral participation
Click for book review. Plus ca change plus c’est la meme chose?
The YouElect project was initiated in July 2009 by a network of Muslim civil society activists in anticipation of the 2010 general election. Its distinct features were the pooling of resources and expertise of a number of community bodies and the forging of stronger links between a central coordinating team and local grassroots activists. The work was championed by Ismail Patel (Friends of Al Aqsa), Anas Altikriti (Cordoba Foundation), Imran Hamid and Naeem Darr (MDUK) with statistical support from salaam.co.uk .
1. News Roundup
Editorial, The Guardian, 1 March 2024, “[. . . ] Mr Galloway, a strident critic of Israel, is living proof that there is power without office.” click here.
Anna Leach and Niels de Hoog ın The Guardian, 20 February 2024: “[. . .] 148 seats could be lost [by Tories] on predicted swing of 15.4 percentage points”. Constituencies identified include Burnley, Wolverhampton West, Bury North, Bury South, Bolton North East, Watford, Chingford & Wood Green, Birmingham Northfield, Leeds North West, Keighley and Ilkley, Walsall and Bloxwich, Peterborough, West Bromwich, Derby North, Hyndburn, Hendon, Cities of London and Westminster, Harrow East.
Josiah Mortimer in Bylines.com, 19 February 2024, “[. . .] The constituency with the highest number of unregistered voters is the Cities of London and Westminster – where 24,320 people are missing from the electoral roll. This means that 20.3% of the eligible population is missing from the electoral roll. The rest of the ‘bottom five’ worst-performing seats by proportion of missing voters are: Leeds Central and Headingley, Bristol Central, Sheffield Central, and Liverpool Riverside. All are missing about one-fifth of potential voters from their rolls.” click here
10 February 2024: Michael Savage in The Observer: “Labour MPs are warning they face a growing challenge from a well-funded slate of independent candidates opposed to Keir Starmer’s position on the Israel-Gaza war [. . .] The Bethnal Green and Bow seat in east London, held by the shadow business minister, Rushanara Ali, is among the constituencies being discussed.” click here.
31 January 2024: Peter Oborne in Middleeasteye.net: “[. . .] There are indications that the left is also beginning to mobilise against Starmer. It needs to work with the Muslim community [. . .] As the two main parties turn their backs on Muslims, while moving ever further towards the right, we may be seeing the emergence of a new British Muslim political consciousness. click here.
30 January 2024: Kiran Stacey and Aletha Adu in The Guardian “[. . .] We know we [Labour] have lost the Muslim vote and at the very least their trust [. . .] Labour Friends of Palestine (LFPME) has become one of the central organising hubs.” click here.
26 December 2023: Peter Oborne writing in Middleeasteye.net, “Expect British politics to lurch towards the extreme right in 2024 as Prime Minister Rishi Sunak battles for political survival.” click here.
2. Voter Registration
Josiah Mortimer in Bylines.com, 19 February 2024, “[. . .] The constituency with the highest number of unregistered voters is the Cities of London and Westminster – where 24,320 people are missing from the electoral roll. This means that 20.3% of the eligible population is missing from the electoral roll. The rest of the ‘bottom five’ worst-performing seats by proportion of missing voters are: Leeds Central and Headingley, Bristol Central, Sheffield Central, and Liverpool Riverside. All are missing about one-fifth of potential voters from their rolls.” click here
Applying for a Voter Authority Cerificate click here
3. Party Muslim networks & news
Who is on the Muslims for Labour team? click here
Who is on the Conservative Muslim Forum’s executive board? click here
4. Muslim Civil Society statements
26/12/2023: Blogging Theology Podcast – Can UK Muslims Make a Real Difference in Elections? with Muhammad Jalal click here
Muslim Vote initiative click here
5. Trends & Statistics for 2024
- Constituencies with > 20% Muslim population – click here
- Marginal constituencies – click here
- MPs in >20 Muslim population constituencies – voting on 15 November 2023, SNP Ceasefire resolution – click here
- MPs in Marginal constituencies constituencies – voting on 15 November 2023, SNP Ceasefire resolution – click here
6. Opinion Piece
22nd March 2024 – London Mayoral Election, Critical Constituencies
7. Results for 2019
Ahead of the 2019 General Election, the Muslim Council of Britain launched its report ‘British Muslim Perspectives and the 2019 General Election’. Along with identifying a number of policies on a range of issues from the NHS to national security, it detailed the issues surrounding Islamophobia which are most pertinent to British Muslims. Click here.
The number of Muslim heritage MPs:
- Khalid Mahmood, Perry Barr, Labour
- Dr. Rosina Allin-Khan, Tooting Labour
- Rupa Huq, Ealing Central and Acton,Labour
- Tulip Rizwana Siddiq, Hampstead and Kilburn, Labour
- Naz Shah Bradford West, Labour
- Imran Hussein, Bradford East, Labour,
- Shabana Mahmood, Birmingham Ladywood, Labour
- Rushanara Ali, Bethnal Green and Bow, Labour
- Yasmin Qureshi, Bolton South East, Labour
- Afzal Khan, West Gorton, Labour
- Muhammad Yasin, Bedford, Labour
- Apsana Begum Labour, Poplar & Limehouse with 38,660 votes
- Zarah Sultana, Labour, Coventry South.
- Tahir Ali, Birmingham Hall Green, Labour
- Rehman Chishti, Gillingham and Rainham, Conservative
- Nusrat Ghani, Wealden, Conservative
- Saqib Bhatti, Meridan, Conservative
- Sajid Javed, Bromsgrove, Conservative
8. A review of past British Muslim electoral participation
1997
The UK Action Committee published an 11-page ‘Muslim manifesto’, For a Fair and Caring Society, in time for the May 1997 general election. Under the coordination of Iqbal Sacranie, the drafters included Hashir Faruqi, AbdulWahid Hamid, Bashir Maan and Jamil Sherif. Meetings were also organised with prominent PCs, including the Home Secretary Michael Howard MP and the Shadow Home Secretary Jack Straw MP. UKACIA’s specific aim was to obtain a number of commitments from the next government, particularly to expedite voluntary-aided status for Muslim faith schools, place discrimination on grounds of being Muslim on par with the protection afforded to Jews and Sikhs and inclusion of a religion question in the 2001 Census. The 1997 general election also resulted in election of
- Mohammad Sarwar, Glasgow Govan, Labour
2001
The MCB published a policy document prior to the June 2001 general election, entitled Electing to Listen: promoting policies for British Muslims, similar in scope and format to UKACIA’s ‘manifesto’ of 1997. . Labour was returned to power, returning
- Mohammad Sarwar, Glasgow Govan, Labour
- Khalid Mahmood, Perry Barr, Labour
2005
By the time of the May 2005 General Election, there was much resentment and disaffection within Muslim communities with the Labour government to do with the ‘War on Terror’, anti-terrorism laws and the use of stop-and-search powers by the police. Its pre-2005 general election ‘manifesto’, Electing to Deliver – working for a representative Britain was a 21-page policy paper urging Muslims, as in the 2001 general election, “to take an active part in all the issues of the election campaign…active engagement in civil society is basic duty in Islam”. The number of Muslim candidates standing in the 2005 general election was 48, more than double compared to 2001, “but despite the rise, Muslims remain under-represented, particularly in being selected for safe or winnable seats” (The Muslim News). An outcome of the election was an increase in the number of Muslim-heritage MPs to four.
- Mohammad Sarwar, Glasgow Govan, Labour
- Khalid Mahmood, Perry Barr, Labour
- Shahid Malik, Dewsbury, Labour
- Sadiq Khan, Tooting Labour
2010
This was when the YouElect initiative came to the fore. The 2010 General Election also provided a strategic opportunity: political commentators were discussing the possibility of a hung parliament and while at the time it was uncertain whether this would lead to minority government or a coalition of either Labour or Conservatives with the Liberal Democrats, the general feeling within the Muslim community towards the end of 2009 was that such an outcome was one worth striving for.
The MCB established the MuslimVote web platform “ as a non-partisan space where British Muslims of all political persuasions can come together, debate, share learn and activate for the common good.” Muslim-heritage MPs elected:
- Khalid Mahmood, Perry Barr, Labour
- Shahid Malik, Dewsbury, Labour
- Sadiq Khan, Tooting Labour
- Anas Sarwar, Glasgow Central, Labour
- Shabana Mahmood, Birmingham Ladywood, Labour
- Rushanara Ali, Bethnal Green and Bow, Labour
- Yasmin Qureshi, Bolton South East, Labour
- Rehman Chishti, Gillingham and Rainham, Conservative
- Sajid Javed, Bromsgrove, Conservative
2015
The Muslim Council of Britain worked with the Electoral Commission to encourage Muslims across the UK to register to vote for the upcoming General Election. The number of Muslim heritage MPs:
- Khalid Mahmood, Perry Barr, Labour
- Shahid Malik, Dewsbury, Labour
- Sadiq Khan, Tooting, Labour – resigned for London Mayorship
- Dr. Rosina Allin-Khan, Labour from 2016
- Rupa Huq Ealing Central and Acton,Labour
- Tulip Rizwana Siddiq, Hampstead and Kilburn, Labour
- Nusrat Ghani, Wealden, Conservative
- Naz Shah Bradford West, Labour
- Imran Hussein, Bradford East, Labour,
- Shabana Mahmood, Birmingham Ladywood, Labour
- Rushanara Ali, Bethnal Green and Bow, Labour
- Yasmin Qureshi, Bolton South East, Labour
- Afzal Khan, West Gorton, Labour, from 2017
- Muhammad Yasin, Bedford, Labour, from 2017
- Rehman Chishti, Gillingham and Rainham, Conservative
- Nusrat Ghani, Wealden, Conservative
- Sajid Javed, Bromsgrove, Conservative
- Tasmina Ahmed Sheikh, Ochil_and_South_Perthshire, SNP
9. Further reading
Timothy Peace (ed.) Muslims and Political Participation in Britain, Routledge 2015 click here.
